It’s a giant surprise
too. Initial impressions are that the Almera is much bigger than cars it will compete against in its pricing bracket, and at R165 000 (R175 000 with automatic gearbox) it dwarfs cars such as the
Polo Vivo, the Chevy Aveo and the Kia Rio.
You get a lot of metal for the money in this Nissan, and if space and budget are priorities you’ll be hard pressed to find a better deal.
The Almera is assembled at Nissan’s Chennai plant in India, which explains some of its affordability. But where other Indian-made models in the past have dropped the quality ball, the Almera seems remarkably well built.
The radio is recognisable from more expensive Nissans like the Navara, the instrument binnacle is finished in classy chrome, and the dashboard and door panels, while plasticky, are solid and rattle-free.
At a media test drive this week I did notice that the five-speed manual transmission is notchier than you would usually expect from a Japanese brand, and the ignition switch feels a little cheap when the key slides in and out. The Almera is impressive value for money, but it’s not perfect.
Features are few and far between, and there’s only one specification, called Acenta, but with it you do get the basic necessities. There’s a trip computer, a CD player with an auxiliary jack, steering wheel audio controls, and the airconditioning system is piped to the rear seats, where it’s blown out through vents with independent fan controls.
Safety is covered with ABS brakes with EBD, and two airbags at the front. The warranty is threeyears/100 000km and a threeyear/60 000km service plan is included.
Power comes from a basic 1.5 litre petrol engine with 77kW and 134Nm, and while I wouldn’t call it anything near sporty, I wouldn’t call it underpowered either. We’ve still to test it filled with five golfers and their caddies, however.
Nissan quotes average fuel consumption of 6.3l/100km (7.2 for the four-speed auto).
The Almera is a simple car to drive with light controls suitable to the long daily distances it will inevitably endure as a rep-mobile or rental car. Not that it isn’t also perfect transport for a family of basketball players.
The new Sentra is also being launched here next month, and is bigger than the Almera. This Sentra will replace Nissan’s Tiida and is expected to fill a price range between R200 000 and R250 000.