Designed to compete with the likes of the Toyota Corolla and the Ford Mondeo, the Nissan Almera offers customers the essence of motoring in its simplest form. Focused on spacious design, practicality, and affordability, the Nissan Almera is basic motoring at its best.
The Nissan Almera seems to have tickled the fancy of a large segment of the South African automotive market, with the Almera becoming one of the brand's best-selling models alongside the popular NP300 bakkie. With much of the focus on driving practicality rather than the thrill, does it offer enough to compete with other models in its segment?
The Nissan Almera was introduced to the world in 1995, replacing the Nissan Sunny model. During its launch, the Nissan Almera was known by several names across the world. Japan called it the Pulsar, New Zealand called it the Sentra, and the UK offered several versions of the vehicle including a sedan and hatchback with three or five doors.
The model underwent a facelift in 1998 before being replaced by the second-generation Almera model in 2000. This featured a curved design with modern details and was the first Almera model to be assembled in South Africa at the Rosslyn production plant in Pretoria North, Gauteng. In 2003, the model received another facelift before being replaced by the third generation in 2011.
The third- and current-generation model offers updated styling and features that conform to today's design and spec trends. This includes electric windows, power steering, and aircon.
A fourth-generation model was unveiled in April 2019 but it's yet to see production. The new model will feature sharp styling and highly modern design cues.
Expect a few expensive thrills with the Nissan Almera; it focuses more on being highly affordable and practical. A spacious interior offers supportive seating, neat features to make commuting easier, and excellent visibility.
The Nissan Almera boasts a Bluetooth connectable audio system, with MP3 and USB connectivity available as well. Steering wheel controls help keep drivers focused on driving while adjusting the entertainment settings. Safety features include electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and brake assist (BA), while rear sensors help make parking a breeze.
The Nissan Almera Acenta MT base model comes with a 1.5 L petrol engine producing 73 KW and 134 Nm of torque while delivering a combined fuel cycle of 6.3 L/100 km and emitting 149 g/km of CO2.
The Nissan Almera is available at any Nissan dealership across South Africa. You can find your nearest one and use their online car buying tool by visiting their website. Customers can use Nissan's in-house financing solution in partnership with WesBank, where they can get a quote and get quick credit approval online.
The base Nissan Acenta MT 1.5 L petrol retails from R221,900.
The Nissan Almera service plan base model is valid for three years/90,000 km and includes a standard motor warranty which is valid for six years/150,000 km.
Nissan South Africa also offers their Nissan Guaranteed Genuine Parts to all Almera owners, a promise from the brand that any service performed through a Nissan-accredited service agent will only use genuine Nissan parts.
Nissan models are listed as high-risk for theft in South Africa, according to the Ctrack vehicle theft report. This could be factored into car insurance quotes for a Nissan Almera by car insurance companies.
Nissan offers their Nissan Insurance solutions to new owners, available online or at any Nissan dealership. To be sure, however, compare the car insurance quote you receive at the dealership with other quotes using our hippo.co.za car insurance comparison tool to ensure you're getting the best deal.
Prices quoted are correct at the time of publishing this article. The information in this article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or medical advice.
