Far East Movement

In order to test the Nissan Magnite’s capabilities, we head to one of the most hostile places in the country!

- 

These days, manufacturers raise the ride height of pretty much any car and slap an SUV moniker onto it. From high-riding hatchbacks to the recent phenomenon of ‘micro SUVs’, they now come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. However, compact SUVs are still the most popular kind of SUV in the Indian market. But do they really deserve the SUV moniker? Well, that’s the question, isn’t it? So, to find the answer, we took the Nissan Magnite, one of the most popular C-SUVs around, to Arunachal Pradesh – a state that’s as well known for its stunning beauty and great roads as it is for its harsh terrain and hostile climate.

SMOOTH SAILING

Our journey began in Dibrugarh, Assam. We went straight to the Far East Nissan dealership from the airport to get the keys to the Magnite, which was going to be our companion for the next couple of days. After quickly refuelling our bellies and the Magnite, we found ourselves on the road to the town of Miao in Arunachal. Our chosen route wasn’t a big highway – it was a small dual carriageway throughout, with some tasty corners in between. And the enthusiastic combination of the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and the 5-speed manual gearbox had us smiling behind the wheel all the while.

SLIPPERY WHEN WET!