It can be mistaken as the Honda’s Honda City which debuted last 1996. Honda City was the popular sedan way back then until recently, Nissan made a commotion in the sedan world. After years of trying to woo light-sedan buyers, which the Tilda did successfully, Nissan is now properly addressing the confusion, preparing to do it properly with its Pulsar, but with a much more higher note than the latter. Officially categorized as “light-sedan”, there is nothing to belittle the 2013 Nissan Almera. The new Almera is the longest car in its class, bolder than Honda City, and mightier than the most sedan versions of Hoden Barina, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris, and Kia Rio. The 2013 Nissan Almera is in the segment where pragmatic considerations trumps frivolous fashion.

Unconventional Appearance

Back then, the Nissan Sunny was a byword, like that of the Corolla, the “bread and butter” of the sedan family since the mid ’60s. Unless you are a big hipster that wants to drive the hipster super-sedan of the 60s, the Nissan Almera played its card well on reviving the reputation of the long dead Sunny. The styling of the car is definitely one of the cases of “form follows function” or fff. The Almera is probably the more legroom as it capacitates an almost 500 litre boot in the rear passenger legroom. The cruise control is not available, neither a USB input where you can connect your phone or Bluetooth audio streaming device in order to play your favorite music wirelessly. To put things into perspective, the cabin’s layout is, however, user-friendly and looks classier in the high-grade on its other trim.

Under the hood

Under its bonnet lies a 1.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine which produces a 75kW of power (that is at 6000 rpm) and a 139Nm of torque (at 4000rpm of course). The Almera ST trim comes with the option of a five-speed manual transmission and a four-speed automatic, while the Almera TI is an auto-only prospect. The manual uses a 6.3L/100km on the combined cycle of standard unleaded.

Underbody Protection

The proof of the 2013 Nissan Almera’s durability can be found under the car. It offers extra protection against the poor road surfaces, the bottom of the engine bay is covered with a 2mm thick steel plate while the potentially vulnerable brake and fuel pipes are also covered by a steel plate. With a ground clearance of 160 mm, reducing to 145 because of its steel plates, the Almera is again categorized as one of the best. Also found under is a small but a highly effective aero deflector which improves the car’s aerodynamics for a better high-speed reliability.

The typical 2013 Nissan Almera buyer will be a family man living in the regional cities. He is making his way up in society and at work and aspires to owning a car with a foreign badge yet retains a rational outlook on life. Almera will be his introduction to the Nissan brand and the Nissan ownership experience and will be used for commuting to work during the week and for extended family dacha trips at the weekend.