Social commentators say Australians are obsessed with style like never before – hence the effort we’re putting into our new and renovated homes and the success of new international fashion brands opening here. Nissan has tapped into this generational change with its all-new Almera compact sedan.
Sold as the Nissan Versa in North America, the Nissan Almera uses the same platform as the Micra hatchback but its good looks resemble a down-sized Maxima. So Nissan Almera is a compact car with ‘grown-up’ style.
And grown-up space. Nissan says the Almera delivers more rear-seat legroom than any other compact car and outperforms most in luggage capacity.
After a recent history punctuated by success in SUVs (X-TRAIL and Dualis) and commercial vehicles (Navara Ute), launch of the Almera signifies the start of a new round of passenger cars for Nissan (of course arrival of the all-new Pulsar late this year is the brand’s biggest news).
2012 Nissan Almera Overview
Nissan’s new sedans are getting confusing. Soon to be introduced is the American-sourced mid-size Altima (also the base car for Nissan’s V8 Supercar motorsport program), but the just-launched Almera is a compact sedan. Remember it this way: the Altima model line started in the 1980s as the mid-size car we knew as the Nissan Bluebird and the Almera is a European-derived product now related to the Micra hatchback.
Nissan has launched the all-new Almera in its familiar model gradings. The full range is:
ST (5-speed manual) $16,990
ST (4-speed automatic) $18,990
Ti (4-speed automatic) $20,990
Both are generously equipped and deliver a quality look/feel inside, but among its extras the Ti model gains 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, a rear spoiler, rear park-assist, push-button start and climate-control air-conditioning.
2012 Nissan Almera Engine
Nissan Almera, like Micra ST-L and Ti models, employs Nissan’s 16-valve 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine. Maximum power is 75kW at 6000rpm and peak torque of 139Nm arrives at 4000rpm.
Drive is to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic.
Combined cycle fuel consumption is rated at 6.3l/100kms (manual) and 6.7l/100kms (automatic)
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While the Nissan Almera does overshadow some rivals under the bonnet, Car Showroom has just been driving one definite competitor in the form of the latest Honda City. The compact Honda delivers 88kW/145Nm from its 1.5-litre powerplant, has a five-speed automatic transmission and is ahead in fuel consumption 6.3l/100kms (manual) and 6.6l/100kms (automatic).
2012 Nissan Almera The Interior
Nissan’s all-new Almera does edge ahead of many rivals inside, not only for its superior rear seat accommodation, but also with the quality of seat and trim materials. Even in the ST models we drove there’s a definite look and feel inside the Nissan Almera which is beyond its sub-$17,000 compact sedan stature.
But let’s get to interior space. Even at first glance the all-new Nissan Almera looked spacious in the rear and Nissan confirmed this impression - at 940mm, the Almeria’s rear set legroom is 94mm more than Hyundai Accent, 59mm more than Holden Barina and 36mm more than Toyota Yaris.
Sure there is a Nissan Micra look about the Almera’s interior – clearly evident in the dashboard, dials, switches and controls. The sporty three-spoke steering wheel has remote audio functions on the left-hand spoke but only adjusts for rake.
Audio is a four-speaker CD system with the usual compatibility functions and the multi-function display presents handy secondary information including, pleasingly, distance to empty for the fuel tank.
Out back is a massive boot for a car with an overall length of just 4425mm. While it might not meet our full-size golf bag test, at 490-litres, the Nissan Almera provides boot space which Nissan says is 25-litres up on Hyundai Accent and 15-litres up on Toyota Yaris.
2012 Nissan Almera Exterior & Styling
We had seen photos of the Nissan Almera but until we saw it in the flesh we didn’t realize how much Nissan’s new compact car resembles a scaled-down version of its V6 mid-size Maxima. That’s not only in its proportions and shape but also evident the nicely complex rear-end which affords a degree of up-market style for Nissan new compact.
Nissan says the Almera’s front grille is the first of the next generation Nissan sedan grilles to arrive in Australia and it combines with the now common large, wraparound headlights to provide a contemporary look.
Nissan Almera ST runs 15-inch steel wheels while the Ti version scores 15-inch alloys.
2012 Nissan Almera On The Road
Our first acquaintance with the all-new Nissan Almera was brief – just a half-day run up and down the mountains to the outer Melbourne suburb of Olinda. We drove two different ST model automatics in the damp conditions.
Comparisons with the Nissan Micra hatchback are inevitable and it’s no surprise the all-new Almera sedan, like its hatchback relative, is fun to drive. Likewise the 1.5-litre powerplant serves-up impressive performance.
Even on the slippery roads, Nissan Almera showed a well-balanced chassis with normal understeer at the limit but nicely responsive to throttle inputs. Refinement levels were generally good – in fact we suspect the sedan boot contributed to enhanced interior quietness over the Micra.
2012 Nissan Almera Challenges
Don’t get us wrong, no-one in the Car Showroom team is a paid-up member of the ‘Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) Fan Club’, but there’s no denying the five-speed automatic transmissions in our ST model test cars threw-in numerous gear changes in our speedy runs up and down the mountains.
2012 Nissan Almera Verdict
Nissan has a history in competent compacts – look no further than the current Micra hatchback which is a hot-seller for good reason. We reckon Australian compact sedan buyers will follow the lead of our American fiends with this car (called the Nissan Versa in the U.S.A.) in making the Almera another successful chapter for the Japanese giant.
Fact is it’s not just the families in the compact car segment who often need space for passengers and cargo and Nissan Almera scores big-time in that department. Fact is everyone buying in the compact car segment is on a tight budget and Nissan Almera’s $16,990 starting price racks-up another score there.
Blend-in those stylish good looks and a quality interior and the total package for the Nissan Almera is alluring for everyone considering a compact sedan.
2012 Nissan Almera The Competition
Lots of great cars in the compact sedan segment and Car Showroom’s favourite is the Ford Fiesta. But Fiesta’s 88kW/151Nm 1.6-litre engine and German origins come at a price – kicking-off at $18,990 for the CL.
Likewise the excellent Honda Jazz – nice looks, 88kW/145Nm 1.5-litre and it’s cleverly spacious, but prices start at $18,490.
Hyundai Accent matches the Nissan Almera for price (Accent sedan starts at $16,990) and the 91kW/156Nm 1.6-litre gets the job done. But Nissan Almera gets the gold medal for rear-seat space.
