Nissan Magnite vs Toyota Vitz

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.

Nissan Magnite in South Africa

Nissan Magnite

1.0 KURO 5MT Petrol Manual
ZAR 315,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 53 kW 🔧 96 Nm ⛽ 19 km/l
VS
Toyota Vitz in South Africa

Toyota Vitz

1.0 XR CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 229,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 51 kW 🔧 91 Nm ⛽ 20.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tie
Fuel Economy Magnite
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Magnite
🔑 Ownership Tie
Vitz starts ZAR 229900 cheaper Magnite from ZAR 229,900 · Vitz from ZAR 209,990

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Magnite Vitz
Engine Power 53 51
Torque 96 91
Engine Size 999 998
Claimed Mileage 19 20.5
Ground Clearance 205 145
Boot Space 336 230
Airbags 2 2
Kerb Weight 1035 900
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Magnite

49
/ 100
+19
pts
#2

Vitz

30
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Magnite holds a noticeable edge over Vitz, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Equal
Efficiency Magnite +15 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Magnite +4 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Magnite

Performance 4/20
Efficiency 15/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

Vitz

Performance 4/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 8/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Magnite

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Vitz

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Magnite

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Vitz

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Magnite Vitz
Ground Clearance 205 145
Wheelbase 2500 2460
Length 3994 3785
Width 1758 1695
Height 1572 1530
Kerb Weight 1035 900
Gross Vehicle Weight 1500 1250
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 336 230
Towing Capacity 500 Not Available
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1470
Rear Track Width 1540 1455
Turning Radius Available 4.7
Load Bed Length Available Available
Load Bed Width Available Available
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Magnite Vitz
Engine 1.0L Naturally Aspirated Petrol 1KR-FE
Engine Type Inline 3 Inline 3
Displacement 999 998
Cylinders 3 3
Valves per Cylinder 4 12
Power 53 51
Torque 96 91
Fuel System Multipoint Injection Multi-Point EFI
Top Speed 150 155
0-100 km/h 14.5 14.2
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.0:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 6000 rpm
Torque @ RPM 400 4300 rpm
Turbocharger Available No
Engine Position Available Front Transverse
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Nissan Magnite wins with 49 pts vs 30 pts for Vitz

In structured scoring, Magnite emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Vitz may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. 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

On our scoring the Magnite edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Magnite 15 vs Vitz 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Magnite 6, Vitz 6. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Magnite 12, Vitz 12. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Magnite 12, Vitz 8. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Magnite 4, Vitz 4. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Magnite edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Magnite scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Magnite and Vitz in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Magnite scores 4 vs 4.

Efficiency: Magnite scores 15 vs 0.

Safety: Magnite scores 6 vs 6.

Practicality: Magnite scores 12 vs 8.

Ownership: Magnite scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Magnite the advantage in this comparison.