Few better ways to get to point B

Request an Uber ride, which is maybe not a bad idea with end-of-year office parties starting soon, and chances are pretty good you will be picked up in one of two vehicles — a Toyota Corolla Quest or a Nissan Almera. The reasons these two cars are so popular in this particular industry are simple — reliability, affordability and low running-costs. In other words they are bulletproof. Throw at them plenty of kilometres and tough conditions and the chances are they will come through the other side pretty much unscathed. I remember seeing an Almera that must have been 20 years old tackling the notorious Sani Pass en route to Lesotho and not skipping a beat. The 2018 edition of the Almera — which we recently had on test — is in the tradition of previous generations and while its looks are distinctly more modern, it still won’t turn heads if you rock up for brunch on a Saturday morning at Melrose Arch. Yes, the rear boot is more rounded and the front slightly more appealing and additions such as colour-coded bumpers, 15-inch alloy wheels and chrome plating on the door handles are now present, but styling is probably never going to be a selling point with the Almera. Its strong points lie in other areas, and one of these is space. It’s not often you get a true five-seater in the B-segment but this vehicle comfortably falls in to this category, with leg and head room ample, both up front and in the rear. The boot (490 litres) is also good to swallow a couple of decent-sized suitcases — another reason Uber drivers and fleet managers often turn to this particular vehicle. The Almera, though, is not simply about practicality as it comes with a fair number of comfort features — air conditioning, controls on the steering wheel, Bluetooth, a USB and aux port. Another rather novel feature — in this segment at least — is a rear fan to keep passengers cool on those hot summer days. Perhaps with Nissan knowing the Almera will be a people carrier, it is equipped with a number of safety features. ABS, EBD, rear parking sensors and two airbags are included. Powering the vehicle is a tried-and-tested 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which offers 73kW of power and 134Nm of torque. Maybe not the quickest of drives around, but those behind the wheel of an Almera are seldom looking to set any speed records. The engine, though, does manage to strike a balance between acceptable acceleration and fuel consumption with a claimed 6.3l/100km (manual). Linked to the engine is a choice of a fivespeed manual gearbox or four-speed automatic and it is the former that we had on test, and probably the best choice as those fourspeed boxes often tend to be pretty sluggish. Again, giving an indication why this vehicle is so popular in the service industry, is the six-year/150,000km warranty and roadside assistance backed up with a threeyear/90,000km service plan. It’s that peace of mind that is another strong selling point with the Almera. The drive itself is completely acceptable. Gear changes are light, there is little noise intrusion into the cabin and a suitable driving position is easily found thanks to a heightadjustable driver’s seat. There is a strong perception — which is backed up by sales figures — that SUVs and crossovers are the future of motoring, yet the Quest and the Almera are both proof that the sedan is still in demand and as relevant as ever. In fact, don’t take my word for it, just ask an Uber driver.