You wouldn’t normally expect a compact SUV to go through three rounds of crash testing unless something had gone terribly wrong. But this time, something has gone quite right. The Nissan Magnite has bagged a full 5-star safety rating in the latest round of Global NCAP tests.
And no, this wasn't an accident. Nissan voluntarily submitted not one, but three versions of the Magnite for testing. Consider it the academic equivalent of retaking your exams, not because you failed, but because a B+ wasn’t good enough.
Round One: The Pre-Facelift
Let’s go back to the version before October 2024. The pre-facelift Magnite came with two airbags, no electronic stability control, no ISOFIX mounts, and didn’t meet pedestrian protection norms. That recipe earned it a modest 2-star rating under the new GNCAP protocols, for both adult and child safety.
On paper, it scored 10.03 out of 16 in the frontal offset barrier test and 14.45 out of 16 in the side impact test, totalling 24.49 out of 34 for adult protection. The driver's chest offered weak protection, while knees and pelvis protection hovered somewhere between marginal and polite applause.
Child protection didn’t fare much better, with just 18.39 out of 49 points. Highlights included a 0/13 in the vehicle-based assessment and exposed dummy heads. Not ideal.
Round Two: The Facelift Steps Up
Then came the facelift in October 2024, with six airbags, ESC, ISOFIX mounts, and a significantly better understanding of how to protect actual humans. This one managed a respectable 4-star adult safety rating, with 26.51 out of 34 points. In the side impact test, it aced the exam with 16 out of 16. In the frontal offset, however, it only nudged forward to 10.51 out of 16.
The side pole test showed promise: good head, pelvis and abdomen protection, with chest protection marked as merely “adequate”, which is still far better than “none.”
Child protection jumped to 36 out of 49. CRS installation? A perfect 12. Dynamic score? A healthy 20 out of 24. Not a bad comeback story. But Nissan still wasn’t done.
Round Three: The Full Five-Star
Deciding that 4 stars simply wouldn’t do, Nissan went back to the drawing board. What followed were unspecified upgrades to the facelifted Magnite, which was then retested voluntarily. This version finally cracked the ceiling with a stellar 5-star adult occupancy protection score of 32.31 out of 34.
A remarkable 15.31 out of 16 came from the frontal offset barrier test. Protection levels for both driver and passenger were rated between “good” and “adequate”, which in GNCAP-speak is basically high praise. Side impact and pole test scores remained unchanged, as did the 4-star child protection rating from the previous round.
Why This Matters
The Magnite is built right here in India, both for the local market and exports to countries like South Africa. That a manufacturer would voluntarily re-submit a car to GNCAP, improve it again, and aim for a full 5-star result shows a level of commitment that frankly, deserves a bit of applause.
And if you’re shopping for a compact SUV that now carries the highest GNCAP safety score currently available in its class, the Magnite has just become a much stronger contender, and not just because it starts around ₹6 lakh.
Sometimes, playing the long game does pay off.
