Nissan Almera Now in Malaysia – The Preview! – Zerotohundred

Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) today invited members of the media to their Serendah plant to allow us the opportunity to have a look at what their upcoming Nissan Almera has to offer. A sort of preview of a preview if you like, of their up-coming B-segment car that ETCM hopes will be as popular as their Nissan Sunny of yester-years.

The B-segment Nissan Almera is being earmarked for launch sometime in the 4^th quarter of 2012 and ETCM will be opening up their books tomorrow (6^th September, 2012) to allow those interested to put their names down to make a reservation(s). But today wasn’t about that announcement; rather, it was to allow members of the media a chance to get to know the Almera (also known as the Sunny in China and the Versa in the U.S.) out on their own test track, which is used as a final check-point before ETCM allows it out of the plant.

Their 1.5km track simulates certain roads that we may find ourselves using; possessing a skid pad, speed bumps, rough roads and smooth straights to help sift out any hitches that may have arisen from the assembly process. Something that all Nissan vehicles get put through before leaving the plant, which includes the likes of the Latio, Sylphy, Grand Livina and the X-Gear.

The Nissan Almera is built on an all-new V-platform (as ETCM puts it, ‘V’ for Versatile) and it’s got a 1.5L HR15DE 4-cylinder DOHC with Continuously Variable-valve Timing Control (CVTC) engine under the hood that produces 100bhp at 6,000rpm and 139Nm of torque at 4,000rpm and is coupled to either a 4-speed automatic transmission or a 5-speed manual transmission, depending on trim. And as it heads into B-segment battle, it seems a littleshort on power figures.

Although the Almera may be getting a 4-speed auto tranny, ETCM was quick to indicate that it’s not just any usual 4-speed A/T. Rather, it’s 11% more compact (43mm shorter), 15% lighter (by 10kg), is 32% lower in terms of friction and has 12% fewer parts to help the Almera travel up to 14.9km per litre of petrol.

Currently, ETCM says that the Almera will come in 3 trims, but at this point, it has to be noted that ETCM still hasn’t entirely confirmed what stays and what goes on the list of equipment but what follows below has pretty much been confirmed by ETCM to stay.

The Almera will start off with the entry-level Almera E, that presents itself equipped with your choice of either a manual or automatic transmissions. It will also come with Nissan’s remote keyless entry system with panic alarm, 15” steel rims hidden by hub caps and a single airbag. We’re not exactly sure why Nissan has gone with a single airbag, since they’re entering B-segment waters, going into direct contention with the likes of the VIOS and City, both of which have dual frontal airbags.

Next comes the Almera V that will be equipped with dual front airbags, 15” alloy rims, fine vision, self-illuminated combi-metre with trip computer, chromed interior bits and fog lamps.

Finally, range topper Almera VL gets Nissan’s intelligent key with trunk release and panic button, a push-start button, automatic climate control with LCD display and steering wheel audio controls.

All variants will come fully equipped with ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, 3×3-point rear seat belts ISOFIX child seat mounts, a set of 185/65 Continental ComfortContact-1 tyres to wrap both 15” steel and alloy rims as well as front ventilated discs and rear drums for stopping power.

We started off on the test-track behind the wheel of the Almera VL, the first thing you might notice is how ergonomically it’s been designed with the gear-shifter in easy reach. But width-wise, it could do with a little more shoulder room; having been compensated by a lot of head room, and it may be a slight squeeze if there were 3 occupants at the rear. As long as they’re not built to ‘buffalo’ proportions, then things should be dandy.

Rear leg room was phenomenally more than adequate with 636mm available, but if you were to fit anyone that’s 6’ and beyond, they may have all that leg room, but they may find available head room to be wanting. ETCM has indicated that the roof has been specially designed to reduce Noise, Vibrations and Harshness (NVH), saving them about 1kg worth of sound dampening materials it seems.

Now we hit the throttle to put it through its paces on the test-track, engine noise gets rather intrusive as engine speed builds, but all that becomes less of an issue when it had pebbled, uneven and rocky roads thrown at it; sans any form of rattling or squeaks within the interior that would suggest poor assembly of parts.

As we planted our foot on the accelerator of the 4-speed A/T equipped Almera VL to get it up to speed, it felt nothing like a usual 4-speed A/T. Instead, it felt rather identical to a CVT box and stomping on the brakes to make it come to a standstill from speed may bring with it some pitch, but its roll was significant with an onset of understeer coming in from 40kmh onwards, whilst almost at full-lock on the rather sharp steering wheel.

As we await for more confirmed details from ETCM in the months to come, they’ve at least provided us some idea as to the Almera’s price range, which they say should be ranging between RM70 and RM85,000.