Review: Same price as Vios G, we take a trip to Teluk Intan to see if the Nissan Almera is still competitive in 2023
CY Foong · Mar 23, 2023 02:00 PM
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I absolutely despise the previous generation Nissan Almera. It wasnât a bad car in terms of comfort and reliability but the N17 Almera is pathetic in every other aspect. I hate the way it looks, the way it drives, and the fact that so many Malaysians bought one in its near decade of existence.
The Sunny on the left might look battered on the outside but it still runs
So when the replacement to the modern-day equivalent of the Datsun Sunny was introduced in 2020, the N18 Nissan Almera experienced a massive glow-up. It went from a car with so many faults to one with so few.
Mind you, it's not exactly a 100% faultless B-segment car but with the all-new Toyota Vios now priced close to the Almera, perhaps itâs time to see whether the 3-year-old car makes sense in 2023.
2020 was an abysmal year overall, filled with the pains of lockdowns and feeling trapped. The automotive equivalent of that year closely describes the N17 Almera with its weedy engine, poor transmission choice and well, I just absolutely abhor the car down to its doughnut-shaped air-cond controls.
...to a stylish beauty queen
But amidst the dark year, a bright light shone through and it was the launch of the N18 Almera in Malaysia. Looks-wise, the Almera grew from the proverbial ugly duckling into a beautiful swan and that design still sticks 3 years later.
Would it be a timeless design if we revisit it again in 2030? Well, I think it will age better than the blob on four wheels that is its predecessor but that said, for less than RM 100,000, you would be hard-pressed to find one as pretty brand-new.
The Almera is offered in three variants, with prices starting from RM 83,888 for the base VL spec and RM 89,888 for the mid-spec VLP. This top-of-the-line VLT is priced from RM 95,888 which is a few hundred ringgit more than the highest-spec of the all-new Toyota Vios (RM 95,500) that was launched recently.
Our orange test unit is also equipped with a Tomei bodykit which was introduced back in August 2022. The kit includes a two-tone front bumper with faux diffuser and side skirts as well as a Tomei GT rear wing but I would advise saving RM 8,000 and leaving out the ricer bodykits as the Almera already looks cool without them.
I had a go at the N18 Almera for a brief while back when we rounded up a few cars for WapCarâs inaugural Car of the Year (COTY) shoot back in 2020. Needless to say, it was an impressive car though the Honda City won the Editorâs Pick that year by just one vote (Personally, I voted for the Almera).
3 years later, I had a chance to reacclimate myself with WapCarâs 2020 COTY and over the weekend, I decided to bring the Almera for a journey up north to Teluk Intan.
The most obvious landmark in this small historical Perak town is the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan. The tower was once a water tower that supplied clean water to the residents but these days, it's a tourist attraction and acts as the town's clock tower that chimes every 15 minutes.
The Almera's AEB sensors are located in the Nissan logo
The warning chimes on the Almera are also pretty soothing but not too invasive like most cars. Instead of jarring beeps when the AEB or the blind-spot monitors are activated, there is a gentle chime letting you know if youâre too close to a car or if one is in your blind spot.
Pleasant is also a word I would describe the way the Almera drives. Itâs a very comfortable car to be in and especially in the rear with Nissanâs âZero Gravityâ seats lulling occupants to sleep. Itâs very roomy and spacious with the cabin almost comparable to a C-segment sedan but admittedly, thatâs one of the very few redeeming qualities carried over its maligned predecessor.
Itâs also very quiet in the cabin and when we gave the Almera a full review back then, our sound level meter recorded 68 dB while cruising at 110 km/h.
That reading is significantly better than the Honda City which measured 70 dB. This is largely thanks to the extensive soundproofing Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) has added to the Malaysian unit.
A gentle cruiser
For some, the Almeraâs small engine might sound like a dealbreaker, but the turbocharged 1.0-litre 3-cylinder unit is no slouch especially when youâre driving on the highway. The engine only makes 100 PS which isnât a huge number and puts the Almera behind both the City (121 PS) and Vios (106 PS) in terms of power output.
However, the Almera has the highest torque among the three at 152 Nm thanks to the addition of a turbocharger (City â 145 Nm, Vios â 138 Nm). That comes in very handy when overtaking but even if youâre cruising along on the fast lane, the Almera is up to snuff.
Refinement is absolutely one of the best in its class and despite having a 3-pot under the hood, the vibrations that you would naturally associate with an engine of its design are very minimal. Actually, you barely notice those vibrations and as the Almera cruises, you would somehow forget that the engine that powers this sedan has one less cylinder than its rivals.
One of the biggest complaints I had with the blobby previous-gen Almera was its transmission. Gone is the aged and tiring 4-speed slushbox and in its place is a modern Jatco CVT-type automatic. That CVT gearbox is another highlight in the N18 Almera with its shifts being very seamless and silky smooth like how a proper CVT should be.
These sport pedals come inclusive of the Tomei bodykit
Put your foot on the accelerator and the Almera willingly goes with no delayed response and the downshifts donât jerk suddenly. Even with the bodykit and turbo, this is still not a performance car but having been with the Almera for a few days and driving up north, I believe itâs a worthy daily driver.
Our recorded fuel consumption is not far off from the Almera's own reading
Aside from saving your annual road tax in paying for a car with a small engine, the N18 Almera will also ease your wallet on refuelling. Our journey to and from Teluk Intan took around 400 km of mileage and the Almera returned an average of 6.76 L/100 km which is very efficient for a B-segment sedan.
Despite being mostly faultless, there are still some downsides in the Almera but these are mainly on the features offered. For instance, the infotainment system while easy to use and control only supports wired Apple CarPlay even though the updated Thai-spec Almera comes with additional Android Auto support.
While AEB is standard on all variants, there is no adaptive cruise control (ACC) even on the top-spec VLT variant. Instead, there is only passive cruise control while the similarly priced City V with Honda Sensing and Vios G come with ACC.
Iâm not going to fault either Nissan or ETCM for the lack of certain features on the Almera as compared to its predecessor, it is many leaps and bounds ahead in terms of overall improvement in design, refinement, performance, and efficiency.
It is the Almera name itself that is putting off many buyers and we made an explanation on that. The gist of it is that the current Almera is so far more accomplished than its lacklustre yet immensely popular predecessor but because of the huge starting price, those that wanted to get an Almera simply felt the City and Vios as more worth their ringgit.
Itâs quite a shame because the N18 Nissan Almera has accomplished quite a feat. It turned someone who used to hate the model because of its numerous flaws into a fan and a believer in second chances. Even though itâs 3 years old and its rivals are quickly stepping up their game in terms of features, I think a brand-new Almera still makes sense.
Traded advertising for a career that fits his passion for cars. Enjoys spotting cars during his free time and has a soft spot for Japanese Kei cars but drives a thirsty manual sedan.
