Nissan’s ongoing commitment to South Africa was underscored last week with the introduction of two more models to its current product line-up, says Maciej Klenkiewicz, managing director of Nissan South Africa and Independent Markets Africa.

There are more model launches in the pipeline.

Speaking at the launch of the model year change for the iconic seven-seater Nissan X-Trail as well as the second edition of the Nissan Magnite Kuro, Klenkiewicz said he was proud of the company’s legacy in South Africa.

“We have been in this country for 60 years. I am always super excited when I travel across South Africa in my Nissan Navara Warrior and see examples of this, like old models of the Champ (the 1400 half-ton bakkie, which ended production in 2008 after a 37-year production run) lasting so long.”

Market needs

Nissan’s intentions remain the same: to ensure that the vehicles it produces are properly suited to the needs of the market, he says.

The updated versions of the X-Trail and the Magnite followed the launch of the Navara Warrior by Premcar earlier this year and then the Navara Stealth, both of which are proving popular with motorists and consumers alike, while the Magnite had also been complemented by a panel van variant, which the market had well received.

The Warrior, the apex off-road version of the Navara, is performing above expectations with 40 vehicles being adapted at the Rosslyn plant, while the Magnite continues to be a segment leader.

There will be two further SUVs sourced from India, which is also the home of the Magnite, in the new financial year, as well as the eagerly awaited launch of the Right-Hand Drive version of the all-new Nissan Patrol, which will be launched in South Africa and Australia.

X Trail

The new X-Trail, the latest iteration on the model that was first launched in 2001, pioneering the global SUV segment in the automotive market, adds walk-away hands-free locking and unlocking functionality as well as wireless charging.

The price of the three models, the entry level Visia, Accenta and top range Accenta Plus, have also been given introductory prices of R587 900 down from R687 900, R666 900 (R751 900) and R749 900 (R812 900), respectively.

The model year change is the latest evolution, says Nissan Africa X-Trail product manager Mustafa Gamal, for a vehicle that has undergone four significant model changes since its introduction almost a quarter of a century ago, selling more than 7-million units globally, 50 000 of which have been in South Africa.

Built with the best road clearance in its class, an added boon for South Africa’s current road conditions, and equipped with Nissan’s ProPILOT unique driver assistance system, which helps manage overtaking, following distances and even parallel parking, the X-Trail is packed with mod-cons inside and out for comfort and performance, highlighted by a five-star NCAP rating.

Magnite Kuro

The special edition Nissan Magnite Kuro, with its distinctive styling, has sold a significant 1200 units since its introduction less than two years ago, contributing to Magnite’s overall performance of 33 800 units since the model’s South African launch in 2021.

“Each and every year, the car has been refreshed,” says Nissan Africa Magnite product manager Thulani Banbo, ascribing this to its ongoing success in the South African market, further bolstered by the announcement last month of assertive price cuts on its turbo models making it even more competitive in the B-segment where it is now the undisputed safest vehicle after being awarded the five star global NCAP rating.

The Magnite Kuro will be in showrooms later this month at the introductory price of R352 900.

“What these latest introductions show,” says Nissan Africa head of communications Ramy Mohareb, “is the depth of Nissan’s commitment to the market, which goes far beyond whether we are building vehicles in South Africa like the Navara and the Navara Warrior by Premcar, to ensuring that we continue to build on our very proud legacy in this country by expanding our product line up from our factories in Japan, India and beyond to provide vehicles that meet our customers’ needs and, critically, their expectations of excellence and innovation that continually defy ordinary.”