The all-new Nissan Almera has been recently launched in Thailand. This is also called the Nissan Versa and Nissan Sunny over in the United States of America and in the Middle East respectively. This is one car which Nissan Malaysia must be itching their hand on as the current Almera (shown below), while still netting some sales is a distant third (or fourth) in terms of Japanese B-segment here.
Well, in terms of why it is still being bought by many is the fact that firstly, it is Japanese. Secondly, it is now a very cheap Japanese car with all the discounts given. Thirdly, Malaysians seem to think that the fugly bodykits that they usually come packaged with whether it is running a NISMO or IMPUL branding or any Japanese tuning house they can get their license to use it on the Almera on, is cool to have. Unfortunately, this is a Malaysia only thing most of the time and there is no association whatsoever with a GT-R.
Fourthly, the car is spacious. This could be one of the most spacious looking B-Segment cars out there. Look at its design, it is all boot and headroom and nothing else. Having driven one of these before I have to say that the suspension setup is one of the least set up cars post 2010 that I have ever driven in recent years. Even a Proton Saga drives and handles better. But it has to soldier on as Nissan Global has no proper replacement for it and I must commend the folks at Tan Chong Nissan who have found ways of making this piece of machinery sell to the masses. They have good sales people I have to say.
Anyway, soon they may rejoice! With the launch of the new 2019/2020 Nissan Almera -N18, the folks at Nissan have actually built a car that looks like it isn't a car made for Humpty Dumpty but more for normal people like you and I. No more does it look like it is made for a guy wearing a top hat or a lady wearing her hair up like it needs a building permit. No more does it have almost no active safety tech or any sort of technology inside it.
I mean, the Thailand spec cars come with a very connected looking infotainment system. It has 360degree parking sensors and it also has voice recognition in that 8inch infotainment/navigation system. So for a basic B-segment car, it seems decent, if not totally well equipped. And even under the bonnet it seems to have an engine from 2019 rather than 2005, a 1.0liter turbocharged 100ps/152Nm engine with a CVT gearbox. Nice.
Of course, the small capacity turbocharged engine is there for a reason in Thailand. For tax break purposes as it allows a starting price of 499,000 Thai Baht or RM68,000 over there. Reasonable for the Thai folk and if you've been there, they do like buying small cars to move around like the Honda Brio and even the Mitsubishi Mirage. But here, the local distributors may see otherwise as a small 1.0liter engine, even turbocharged, may be an issue with fussy Malaysian buyers.
Over in America, this Almera/Versa would get the 1.6liter engine, but we may also see the same 1.5liter engine from the Almera we have today as cars are modular these days. It would most likely fit. But let's not guess and just wait and see. I have a feeling that we may see the 1.0liter turbocharged engine make it to our shores.
But personally, what's most important for me is the fact that it LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER than the previous model. Call me shallow, but I do like my cars looking decent and at least have a modicum of driving pleasure (which is quite non-existent in the Almera we still have - the handling is quite atrocious compared to the other Japanese competitors actually).
So for Nissan here, I hope that they somehow manage to launch this new car before Honda comes out with a new City. The new Fit/Jazz has just been launched at the recent Tokyo Motor Show and you know that a sedan version, which is the City which will be out soon. Of course, Nissan must bring this new Almera in prior to that so that Malaysians end up buying this before that. There is this simple basic logic to this.
The 2020 Almera is good looking, seems decently equipped and if it comes with the 1.0liter turbocharged engine quite a fuel sipping yet torquey little creature that could be an interesting drive. Let's hope that Nissan Malaysia are quick to move and their sales people can breathe a sigh of relief.
I mean, look at their current line-up. We have the nice but expensive and will still give me range anxiety Leaf (not into electric due to the lack of total infrastructure), the X-Trail, which is good but getting its ass whipped by the Proton X70 (due to price and size) these days, the Navara - getting hit by small capacity but high torque pickup trucks like the Ford Ranger 2.0 and Isuzu D-MAX 1.9, the new Serena which is okay, but people here seem to like buying grey imported but older Toyota Vellfires which cost more (go figure Malaysians out). So life is hard for them in some ways.
Note that Nissan Malaysia has abandoned the C-segment and D-segment sedan markets as you do not see the Slypillis (yes, I know this is wrongly spelt but I can't be bothered to look it up anymore) and the Teana. So a competitive B-segment Almera is what is definitely needed.
Of course, life will only get better as what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
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