Nissan Almera Thailand test drive since 2011

Status quo

For six months now, the new Almera has been sold on the Russian market, presented last fall at the Paris Motor Show. And it is sold very well, despite the fact that she has more than enough competitors ...


The appearance, like a toptoon from the outdoor, is not striking and is not remembered. This is far from the hardest review of those that have heard about Nissan Almera. Everyone who is not too lazy (and not laziness almost everyone) reproaches the model of facelessness, and probably do the right thing. The car, let's say, is not marked by the seal of individuality, wherever you poke, everything is some kind of generally accepted in it. Almera hatchback is still somehow recognizable in the stream, but the sedan simply merges with the general background, by the way, it is always confused with Carisma and Lantra and much more with. Especially in the winter and in the off -season, when everyone is stained with the same dirt and nameplates.


But here’s what is the ALMERA model interesting, this gray mouse, invariably, year after year, is kept in the upper lines of European trade hit parades. And it is the ALMERA sedan, according to Nissan marketers, who is sold better than many other golf-class sedans. Paradox? No, everything is quite logical. This machine, apparently, is specially tailored so that if everyone does not like in a row, then at least not cause most negative emotions among most. Everything is familiar, everything that is necessary is. No excesses. In principle, a mass -class machine, designed for an average city resident, should be like that. Responding to the average requests.


Last fall, when the new Almera entered the market, the audience asked a lot of questions. For example, why was the stylistic renewal of this model so insignificant, while her older sister Primera changed dramatically can be said, jumped from Cinderella in the princess? Say, why did you offend the youngest?


No, but she didn’t offend her at all (and in general, this is only in fairy tales to the princesses to come out the younger of the sisters). Apparently, they followed the proven principle from good, they are not looking for good. A sharp change of style is good where the old is already rolling with a creak (recall at least the Ford Revolution called New Edge). And here she could easily violate the status quo, scaring potential customers accustomed to a certain type of everyday costume ...


Or was it still a question how will the new Almera will butt with the strongest competitors, in particular, with the Russian Ford Focus? Now, six months after the model enters the market, one can say so butt desperately, not always successfully, but generally worthy. It loses a few. With the focus, she, of course, is insanely difficult for her to fight (as, indeed, to everyone else), but here it helps that Vsevolozhsk cannot yetord with all comers. After all, not every client agrees to stand in line when a product of the same class, only another company, can be taken immediately, here and now. Skoda Octavia, Mitsubishi Carisma and Toyota Corolla are also strongly annoyed. Recall that in Moscow the price of a new Almera floats in the range of 14.7-20.5 thousand euros.


In principle, this is a normal golf-class fork, but there are others, in which the lower tooth is bent down stronger.


The model goes to the Russian market with two gasoline engines of 1.8- and 1.5-liter power, respectively, 116 and 98 hp. There are two 1.5 liters (82 hp) and 2.2 l (110 hp) in the motor gamut, but such options are practically not supplied to us (except for some kind of special order); The company does not consider Russia a diesel region when it comes to golf class.


The motors are taken from the previous Almera (here, as we see, they didn’t look for good from good) and are modernized: two horses were added 1.5-liter, and a 1.5-liter eight. Naturally, the car became a little, but more dynamic. I rode a top 1.8-liter version with mechanics, and I can say that there are no complaints about the accelerated and traction parameters. The motor, of course, is not racing, but for all city affairs (including a decent start from the traffic light) it is enough. Substituted and responsive. And, as they say, with a margin in all modes. For him, as an alternative transmission, a 4-speed automatic is provided that a machine with an automatic machine is more thoughtful than with mechanics (acceleration to hundreds of 12.5 seconds against 10.8), but not so much that we can talk about some kind of somewhat serious strangulation of the motor.


The salon is basically the most common. At the base, in terms of the level of equipping the modification of Comfort, he is completely simple, there is nothing to catch on the eye. In more expensive versions of Luxury and Tekna (sports), the interior looks significantly richer. Basically, due to the stylish central console, in which the attention is attracted by the 5.8-inch monochrome display of the N-Form control system. It displays all the necessary on -board information and the necessary settings, which are selected by the central switch and buttons. The N-Form system, by the way, we already know it was first used on the new Primera. It should be noted that in a golf class such advanced electron-complicated things are still very rare.


The substitution of the car can be quite serious, there would be desire and money. Luxury upholstery, leather steering wheel, electric package, chrome tsatski, climate control, bamers and mirrors in the color of the body, active front head restraints, heating mirrors and seats, side airbags, ABS and Brake Assist, an audio system with six speakers and a CD player, fog etc. All this is on the list; Something is standing, something is set optionally.


The driving impressions of Almera are generally positive. Perhaps the only serious claim inside is quite noisy. And it is not entirely clear what the reason is: either the engine is too grumbling, or with the sound insulation of the problem. Or maybe both together. However, a person gets used to everything after a couple of hours of driving to noise no longer paying attention. Especially if on -board music works by the way, it is very good for its class ...
 
Sergey Sorokin
 

Source: Motor magazine [April 2003]