A couple of months ago, Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) introduced the brand-new, N18 generation Nissan Almera, effectively retiring the long-serving N17-generation model.

New to the Nissan Almera is a sophisticated turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that does 100 PS and 152 Nm. The CVT-type automatic transmission is also new.

The Nissan Almera competes against established rivals such as the Honda City and Toyota Vios.

Prices start from RM 79,906 for the Turbo VL variant, topping out at RM 91,310 for the Turbo VLT variant. These prices are inclusive of the SST exemption and is valid till 30-June 2021.

Here’s a brief overview of the 2020 Nissan Almera’s pros and cons:

Pros:

• Fuel-sipping 1.0-litre turbo engine
• All variants get AEB
• Exceptionally quiet ride

Cons

• Only Apple CarPlay, no Android Auto
• Leather seats feel a bit too synthetic
• Lowest variant only gets 2 airbags

Pros – Fuel-sipping 1.0-litre turbo engine

For many people, the mere mention of a 1.0-litre engine for a B-segment sedan will get them thinking that the car will be underpowered.

But that’s far from the truth, as not only does the Nissan Almera has sufficient gusto for daily commute, it is also very fuel efficient.

After putting the Nissan Almera through our instrumented tests, the B-segment sedan returned an average fuel consumption figure of 5.8-litre/100 km, beating out rivals like the Vios and City by a fair margin.

Pros – All variants get AEB

Surprise, surprise.

ETCM has managed to outdo themselves by offering AEB on all variants of the Nissan Almera. Never mind the recently-introduced Toyota Vios facelift, even the Honda City does not offer AEB all variants. Only the range-topping City RS gets the Honda Sensing ADAS suite.

Although this may look like an insignificant move, it’s still a step in the right direction and we applaud ETCM for that.

Pros – Exceptionally quiet ride

One feature that can’t be seen but can definitely be experienced is the improved sound insulation.

Compared to its Thai counterpart, the Malaysian-spec Nissan Almera feature more sound insulation for a quieter ride.

In fact, armed with our trusty dB meter in hand, we found out that the cabin registered an average of 68 dB whilst cruising at 110 km/h, making it one of the quietest models in its segment.

Furthermore, Nissan has done a great job isolating the Almera’s three-cylinder harshness from entering the cabin, resulting in a very well-insulated cabin.

Cons – Only Apple CarPlay, no Android Auto

Now this comes as a rather surprising move, as not only does all of its current rivals (Honda City and Toyota Vios) offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, even the predecessor model featured support for both technologies.

But not in the all-new Nissan Almera, I’m afraid, as it only supports the Apple camp. Sorry Android users, but you’re left out.

The saving grace is that texts are sharp and the overall user interface (UI) is crisp and sharp, making it one of the benchmarks for a good infotainment system in the segment.

Cons – Leather seats feel a bit too synthetic

On paper, the Nissan Almera, Honda City, and Toyota Vios all offer leather upholstery on the respective range-topping variants.

It is only after you sit in each and every car that you notice that the Almera’s seats actually feel the cheapest of the trio.

The leather material feels awfully synthetic. The non-breathable design of the leather seats tends to result in sweaty backs for some people.

Adding to the discomfort is the fact that the Almera lacks rear air-conditioning vents - a feature that the Honda City boasts across the range.

Cons – Lowest variant only gets 2 airbags

As impressive as the upper variants of the Nissan Almera may be, the entry-level Turbo VL variant is rather spartan when compared to its direct, equally entry-level rivals (Honda City 1.5 S and Toyota Vios 1.5 J).

You see, ETCM specced the Turbo VL variant with only two airbags, considerably less than the Honda City (4 airbags) and Toyota Vios (7 airbags).

Adding salt to the wound is the fact that the entry-level Nissan Almera is roughly RM 5,000 more than the Vios 1.5 J or City 1.5 S.

Conclusion

With the brand-new Nissan Almera in hand, ETCM has all the right ingredients to compete against the Honda City and Toyota Vios, including good looks, a very fuel-efficient engine, and strong safety credentials.

The only question is: can you accept the Nissan Almera’s prices?

Spec-to-spec, the Nissan Almera is roughly RM 4k to RM 5k more than the City or Vios, but it justifies the price premium by offering a turbocharged engine and AEB on all variants.

Perfect, the Almera is not, but it does what it’s supposed to do really well. And for that reason, we reckon that you should check out the all-new Nissan Almera if you’re looking for a well-rounded B-segment sedan.