Nissan throws hat into B ring with Almera

MANILA, Philippines - Affordable, upscale, and comfortable: These are the key value propositions that Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc. (NMPI) wants you to think about when you behold the newest vehicle to join its local stable.

Launched last Wednesday with a lavish program at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, the Nissan Almera enters the popular and now crowded B or subcompact segment that features smaller, cheaper, but increasingly capable rides.

Far from being just basic modes of conveyance, the stiff competition has led to overreaching beyond the expected. For our benefit, subcompacts are now better appointed, better performing, and better looking—blurring the traditional parameters that used to limit and define the breed.

The Almera surely blurs that line even more. Assembled locally as a CKD model in NMPI’s Sta. Rosa, Laguna facility, the vehicle features accouterments and bells and whistles previously confined to higher-class rides.

Nissan Motor Asia Pacific VP for business management Shinichi Koyama said, in a speech, that the car banners “a newly developed 1.5-liter engine with good fuel efficiency as it offers C-segment space at a B-segment price.”

NMPI president and CEO Allen Chen had even stronger words, saying that the Almera is “destined to redefine the compact sedan category (with) class-leading space, upscale design together with great functionality, yet comes at a price that is competitive within its segment.”

Three prices, actually—corresponding to the three variants available for various tastes. The base unit (a manual) costs P710,000, the automatic goes for P760,000, and the “mid-automatic” fetches P830,000.

The enthusiasm over the launch is matched by healthy sales projections. NMPI expects to move 250 units a month—a rate that is anticipated to gain even more momentum. This forecast is braggadocio but an assumption pillared on the fact that the Almera is now the Japanese brand’s best-selling sedan globally with unit sales of more than 500,000, leveraged on robust sales in China, Thailand, Malaysia, the US, and India.

Nissan says, in a release, that designers “targeted customers who are planning to buy a new car for the first time, or value buyers who want to experience more from a compact car.”

Even at first gander, you could do not much better than Almera at its price point; not shabby, indeed, for a first car. Scrambling inside one of the units at the launch, we found more than ample legroom—whether at the driver’s, front passenger’s, or rear seats. The modest array of controls is tastefully rendered, and Nissan even throws in some steering wheel buttons for a premium feel. There is not one but two airbags, along with ABS, EBD, brake assist, and a sundry of safety measures. The visual piece de resistance, however, is the rear “comfort fan,” which facilitates quicker cooling of the cabin—a truly welcome feature previously unheard of in this class.

Moving to the boot, the Almera boasts a surprising 490 liters of space through its wide opening lid. Nissan stows away obstructions such as trunk lid hinges, and the tool roll and jack for enhanced load space.

The heart that makes this dichotomous “bigger subcompact” go is, pending an actual test, is a seemingly capable four-cylinder, 1.5-liter DOHC engine that spits out 99 ps and 134 Nm of torque. Nissan shaves off weight by rendering the power plant in aluminum. CVTC (Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control), says Nissan, bestows an “ideal torque curve for daily driving, improved fuel efficiency, and lower emissions.”

Owing to these niceties, NMPI expects the Almera party to start rolling to the sultry tune of 250 units per month, or 3,000 a year, underscored PR and Government Affairs Manager Karla Tecson. And, no, NMPI doesn’t expect the Almera to poach in the Sentra hunting grounds. Tecson maintained the Almera has a different market,” unlike the fleet customers of the Sentra.

To further preserve the exclusivity and value of the Almera, NMPI disallows use of the Almera as a taxi. That certainly is additionally welcome news for a discerning, conscientious market that wants to have its cake and eat it, too.