Will it cart around holiday luggage and kids’ school and sports bags in the 336 litre boot (690 litres with the rear seats folded down), will it drive around effortlessly in town and will it get to your holiday destination without any fuss? Absolutely.

Like I said, there’s some drone when you accelerate to pass slower traffic or join the highway but once it has settled down, it coasts along easily with very little road or wind noise.

Keep in mind though it’s a small capacity turbo–charged engine in the Highveld so there will be some strain with quick pullaways and at high speeds.

The steering is light and direct and one thing I like about the segment is how easily they are parked in minimum spec shopping mall bays.

When asked to do some twists and sharp turns it will oblige with little body roll and the brakes will quickly bring it to a stop.

Safety-wise it gets six airbags, ABS, EBD, Nissan Vehicle Dynamic Control, Traction Control, Hill Start Assist and Hydraulic Brake assist.

At R410 700 the Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Plus CVT is towards the high end of the scale, but the upgrades do give it a premium look and feel and it’s a well-rounded package. Personally I would spend R40 000 less on the Acenta CVT which probably provides the most value for money in the range.

It comes with a three-year/30 000km service plan and six-year /150 000km warranty.

Willem’s star rating: 3.5/5

Star Rating Scale:

5 Stars: Exceptional A best-in-class car with outstanding features, no major flaws, and excellent value.

4 Stars: Very Good Highly capable with minor shortcomings. A great choice for most buyers.

3 Stars: Good Decent performance, comfort, or safety but lacks standout qualities or has notable drawbacks.

2 Stars: Below Average Some significant flaws, like poor value, outdated features, or compromised safety or comfort.

1 Star: Poor Lags behind competitors in most aspects, with serious deficiencies in key areas.