FIRST MOVERS
It’s magnetic. It ignites passion. The SUV Kerala is celebrating this Onam
Heading to God's own country to speak to owners of the new Nissan Magnite about their experiences with the car
THINK KERALA. WHAT’S THE FIRST picture that comes to your mind? There is a lot to choose from. The snake boat race with a team of sinewy men furiously paddling their longboats through the backwaters. The intricate costumes of the Kathakali dancers. The elaborate multi-course meal served on a banana leaf. The temple elephants, the floral decorations, the tiger dance; the list is endless. What holds each of these images of Kerala together is the festival of Onam. Onam marks the Malayalam New Year. The celebrations are spread over ten days, and the festivities reach their apex on the auspicious day of Thiruvonam. Onam is celebrated to honour the kind-hearted and much-beloved demon King Mahabali, who is believed to return to Kerala during this festival.
Onam is to Kerala what Diwali is in the North, Durga Puja in the East and Ganesh Chaturthi in the West. What is so special about Onam?
We decided to ask the Nissan Magnite customers in Kerala about this harvest festival. After all, when the Nissan Magnite was launched, more than 50,000 people put down their money on it in record time including many from God’s Own Country. As Onam approaches, we explore with the lucky new Nissan Magnite customers this big, bold and beautiful festival of Kerala. And get a ground report on the SUV that ignited the people’s imagination. Does the Nissan Magnite live up to their expectations?
THE ENTHUSIAST
Donny Panikulam retired from the Oriental Insurance Company as senior division manager. His early training as a mechanical engineer shines through when he talks about cars. In this case, his newly purchased Magnite. He knows the performance figures and technical specifications of the SUV like the back of his hands. However, before he talks about his car, he gives us an insight into the automobile scenario in the state. “Today, if you look at any parking lot, you will find that the majority of the cars are SUVs. While people still buy sensible hatchbacks, most people want to flaunt their cars. Therefore you will find that an increasing amount of cars sold in Kerala are premium SUVs. This is also fuelled by the rise in people driving long distances. There is an increasing tribe of long-distance travellers who think nothing about driving to Delhi and beyond. On long trips such as these, you need a good car with good features that the premium segment offers.”
Donny himself has explored all of the southern parts of India by road in his earlier years. However, the longest trip he has managed so far in his new Magnite is to the seaside resort town of Varkala. The road to Varkala turned out to be a test for the SUV’s suspension and build quality. A test that, Donny reports, the Magnite passed with flying colours.
The heart of an automobile is its engine. While talking about the Magnite it’s the engine that Donny focuses on. “It’s got class beating acceleration. In a drag race it beats all its rivals,” Donny claims.
Donny reveals that he first saw the Magnite displayed at a shopping mall and was bowled over by its sculpted looks. A trip to the Nissan showroom, with courteous and informed salespeople and a few incisive test drives, sealed the deal for him. Donny’s wife Seena chips in with her view, “It’s really a stylish car, both from outside and inside. Plus it’s easy to drive. However with two grown car-loving sons and a husband I hardly get to drive the car.”
According to Donny, “It’s got all the bells and whistles that contribute to the feel-good factor.” Therefore Donny not just bought the top-spec variant, but also the Tech Pack that gives him extras such as a wireless charger, air purifier, puddle lamp, high-end speakers, ambient lighting and scuff plate.
Veering away from car talk, we discuss the upcoming
festival of Onam. Donny’s wife Seena reveals that the traditional Onam sadya is a nine-course meal that consists of 26 dishes. Served on a banana leaf, it includes kalan (sweet potato and yam coconut curry dish), olan (white gourd prepared in coconut curry), avial (seasonal vegetables in coconut curry), kootu curry (a dish made of chickpeas), rasam (a soup-like dish made with a base of tomato and pepper, eaten with rice and other preparations) and the much-loved dessert, parippu payasam (a rice kheer preparation). It’s a feast that’s worth waiting a year for. This year, however, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, people have been advised to celebrate Onam within their homes.
How soon will Kerala be able to celebrate Onam in all its splendour? What we do know is that many more Magnite owners are waiting for a return to normalcy before setting off to write their own stories.
“IT’S GOT ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE FEEL-GOOD FACTOR”
A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE
Roshin Robert understands money while his son knows his cars. Roshin, a finance professional working with Taj Hotels in Kochi has recently purchased a Magnite. Though it was Roshin who paid for the car it is Roshin’s son Kevin Joe Ronin who hogs the driver’s seat. Kevin is on his way to do his masters in computer science from a Canadian university. While Roshin was in the market for a spacious and comfortable car, Kevin with young blood flowing through his veins tilted towards cars with more muscle. In fact, Kevin’s dream car is another Nissan — the legendary GT-R. Kevin explains, “The turbo engine uses the same piston lubrication system that was developed for the GT-R.” Now you get a bit of Godzilla tech at an Indian price. What does it translate to on the road? It is Roshin’s son Kevin who expands on the virtues of the 1-litre turbo engine. “It’s a powerful and punchy engine that gives quick acceleration to dart through city traffic and enough grunt to effortlessly munch long distances on the highway. We have got around 23kmpl on the highway and about 17kmpl in the city, which is quite remarkable for an SUV.”
The other thing that Playstation generation Kevin is a fan of is the 7-inch digital cluster that uses cool, easy to understand graphics to give you all vital information at a glance.
Roshin is not a man to foolishly part with his hardearned money. If he is to buy a car it has to be an asset and not a liability. Therefore, despite his son’s inclination
“THE TURBO ENGINE USES THE SAME PISTON LUBRICATION SYSTEM THAT WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE GT-R”
towards the Nissan, there were two concerns that this financial professional had. First was the question of power. Was a 1-litre engine enough? After test driving the Turbo, the answer was reassuring. The second question for Roshin was the maintenance cost. He found out about Nissan’s five-year extended warranty offer that included the oil costs, effectively bringing down the cost of maintenance to zero. Add to that, all the features and equipment that you get and you don’t need a degree in finance like Roshin to understand this simple arithmetic. The money that Roshin is saving by running a Magnite is going to help him splurge a bit more during Onam shopping this year. While fiscal prudence may have guided Roshin’s purchase decision, he is not immune to the SUV’s many charms. “I love the surround camera in the Magnite. It helps me park more confidently in tight spaces.” His favourite feature in the car is the Hill Start Assist. “This is really a boon when you have to stop on a slope with a car close behind you,” Roshin declares as he demonstrates the working of the system.
India holds the dubious distinction of recording the highest number of road fatalities in the world. The Magnite’s suite of safety systems is designed to protect the occupants in the event of a crash on our dangerous roads. Apart from ABS and EBD the Magnite gets Vehicle Dynamic Control to assist the driver in maintaining control on difficult terrain, rough roads and sharp curves. And god forbid, if anything does go wrong, there are the airbags to cocoon the front passengers.
Safety is the most important thing when it comes to family. And Roshin is really looking forward to meeting up with his family this Onam. “Onam is the time when everybody returns home to Kerala from wherever they are in the world,” Roshin informs us.
Since Roshin’s son Kevin is going to Canada soon for his further studies, this is going to be an important Onam for the family. While Kevin will miss the festivities back home, he dreams of buying his dream Nissan after finishing his studies. There is no better encouragement to study hard.
A SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE
Dr K S Sobhana is principal scientist at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. A simple and cheerful lady, her humble manner belies her towering intellect and achievements. Onam to her is the time to get together with family and share the traditional sadya meal. As she points out, “Onam is not just a Hindu festival. It is celebrated by everyone in Kerala.” It’s not surprising since God’s Own Country has been for centuries a potpourri of cultures — Arab traders, Christian evangelists and Hindu inhabitants.
Dr Sobhana recently acquired a Magnite. In fact, it’s the second Nissan in her garage, the first being a Terrano. Her experience of owning a Nissan made it easy for her to decide on another from the same manufacturer. Her son who works with ISRO wanted to buy an electric vehicle but they felt that the market and infrastructure still had not matured enough to support an EV. But perhaps when the time comes around to buy their next car, it will be electric.
A person with a scientific and analytical mind who works on projects such as ‘assessment of elasmobranch resources in the Indian seas’, Dr Sobhana has a less than scientific reason for putting her money on the Magnite. “The clinching argument for the Magnite was the car’s design and looks. I loved it the moment I saw it. In fact the whole family loved it, my husband, my children, all of us.” However, if you think again good aesthetics is
not bad science. Good design is not just a superfluous facade but rather follows the dictum of ‘form follows function’. The Magnite’s spacious interiors and pleasing ergonomics are a direct result of its design.
Dr Sobhana wanted a manual with a turbo engine but opted for the automatic which was available in the time frame she wanted her car delivered. As she soon got it she discovered it was a great choice and she has happily adjusted to not having to work a clutch pedal. However, what she is most delighted about is the 205mm ground clearance of her Magnite. Yes, she knows the exact ground clearance of her SUV. There is a certain peace of mind knowing that the car won’t scrape its belly however bad the road surface may be.
The other feature Dr Sobhana talks about is the Magnite’s 360-degree camera. The bird’s eye view that makes parking so much easier was not long ago found only in cars that cost an arm and a leg to buy. Being a meticulous researcher this scientist knows all the features and equipment such as NissanConnect, wireless connectivity and cruise control that her SUV comes equipped with. “The Magnite gives you maximum value for your money,” Dr Sobhana declares.
Although travelling has been curtailed due to the pandemic, the Nissan Magnite was driven to Pala by her son to attend a wedding. “It takes about an hour and a half to cover the distance. My son and his friends absolutely loved the drive. Topping the list was the Magnite’s infotainment system, and the Apple CarPlay,” she reveals.
After the gloom of last year’s pandemic and curtailed Onam celebrations, Dr Sobhana is hoping the festival brings more cheer this year. She hopes to use her new Magnite to continue the annual ritual of visiting her family during Onam. “Depending on the situation, of course,” she concludes, her voice hopeful. ⌧
“THE MAGNITE GIVES YOU MAXIMUM VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY”