Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross vs Nissan Magnite

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross in South Africa

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

1.5L GLS Exceed CVT 4x2 Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 620,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 13 km/l
VS
Nissan Magnite in South Africa

Nissan Magnite

1.0 Acenta Plus EZ-Shift Petrol Current
ZAR 323,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 53 kW 🔧 96 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Eclipse Cross
Fuel Economy Magnite
🛡 Safety Magnite
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Magnite starts ZAR 305,090 cheaper Eclipse Cross from ZAR 534,990 · Magnite from ZAR 229,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Eclipse Cross Magnite
Maximum Power 110 kW @ 5500 rpm 53 kW @ 6250 rpm
Maximum Torque 250 Nm @ 3500 rpm 96 Nm @ 3500 rpm
Engine Size 1499 cc 999 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 13 km/l 16.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 180 mm 205 mm
Boot / Load Bay 437 l 336 l
Airbags 7 6 airbags
Kerb Weight 1490 kg 1007 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 years / 100,000 km 6 years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Eclipse Cross and Magnite are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Eclipse Cross +36 pts
Efficiency Magnite +14 pts
Safety Magnite +10 pts
Practicality Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Eclipse Cross

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance

Magnite

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Eclipse Cross

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Magnite

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Eclipse Cross Magnite
Model Introduced Year 2021 2021
Generation First-generation Eclipse Cross facelift First generation Magnite arrived in SA in 2021 — Nissan's entry into the growing budget compact SUV segment
Facelift History Current South African facelift specification. 2023 facelift refreshed the grille, interior trims, and added safety upgrades
Facelift Launched Since Current specification 2023
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment Compact crossover SUV Compact SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle SUV
Color Note - Brick Red, Storm White, Pearl White, Onyx Black, Gun Grey, Blade Silver
Dealer Stock Note - Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note - Front-wheel drive confirmed by Nissan South Africa derivative/specification data
Tare Mass Kg - 1007 kg
Spec Eclipse Cross Magnite
Length 4545 mm 3995 mm
Width 1805 mm 1758 mm
Height 1685 mm 1571 mm
Wheelbase 2670 mm 2500 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 180 mm 205 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 155 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 63 l 40 l
Boot/Cargo Space 437 l 336 l
Kerb Weight 1490 kg 1007 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2100 kg 1399 kg
Payload Capacity 610 kg -
Towing Capacity 1600 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.3 m 5 m
Front Headroom 1003 mm -
Rear Headroom 932 mm -
Front Legroom 1039 mm -
Rear Legroom 943 mm -

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Eclipse Cross leads by 5 points

Eclipse Cross and Magnite are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 61 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 83% source coverage
61
#1 Index leader

Eclipse Cross

83% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 76 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 52
Efficiency 51
Safety 76
Practicality 64
Leads by 5 points
56
#2

Magnite

67% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 86 Check Performance 16
Performance 16
Efficiency 65
Safety 86
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Eclipse Cross +36 Efficiency Magnite +14 Safety Magnite +10 Practicality Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Eclipse Cross

Performance 52/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 76/100
Practicality 64/100

Magnite

Performance 16/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 86/100
Practicality 64/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross leads the catalogue index with 61 pts vs 56 pts for Magnite

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Eclipse Cross leads. However, Magnite may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Eclipse Cross and Magnite comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Eclipse Cross 52 vs Magnite 16.

Efficiency index: Eclipse Cross 51 vs Magnite 65.

Safety-equipment index: Eclipse Cross 76 vs Magnite 86.

Practicality index: Eclipse Cross 64 vs Magnite 64.

Ownership-cover index: Eclipse Cross not separately scored vs Magnite not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.