The Nissan Almera, 2002 Car of the Year finalist, continues to be a key player in the Nissan model line-up, and remains a strong player in the C-segment.
Thanks to its high local content, the Almera, built at Nissan's Rosslyn plant northwest of Pretoria, is a vehicle that carries the Proudly South African label, with no less than 63% South African content.
Apart from good looks, the Almera has built a solid reputation as a well-equipped, comfortable car that offers exceptional value for money and low cost of operation.
As long ago as March 2002 Nissan introduced a three-year maintenance plan as standard on all Almera vehicles – a first in the segment, and a development that confirmed the fact that Almera has long represented honest value as an overall ownership proposition. This has been further borne out by the Almera's strong resale value.
Good fuel economy from a choice of 1,6 or 1,8 litre multivalve powerplants, competitive parts pricing, and realistic servicing costs have kept it near the top of the short lists of car hire company and fleet lists, while private buyers have appreciated these 'peace-of-mind' qualities as well as the numerous safety features, generous boot and functional, well-equipped cabin.
Safety equipment includes the fitment of front seatbelt pretensioners and driver's airbag to all models, supplemented by a passenger version on the 1,8 Elegance. Anti-lock braking is fitted to the 1,6 Elegance, while the flagship model of the range adds rear disc brakes and Brake Assist.
The Almera's sleek lines have distinguished it from its competitors since introduction, and a facelift in August 2003 further enhanced the car's appearance. The main changes at that time embraced new bumpers, bold new projector-style headlamps behind clear polycarbonate covers, and handsome new wheels.
The profile of the Almera is distinctive thanks to a generous wheelbase and gently rounded roofline with steeply raked front and rear glass, and a long, low bonnet line. .
In an ongoing process of fine-tuning by Nissan's product development engineers, suspension settings were also fine-tuned at the time of the visual refreshing, with slightly firmer shock absorbers and marginally stiffer springs. The same process was applied to the interior, upgrading trim and changing the colours of materials in response to market feedback.
C-segment success is all about offering traditional sedan buyers an intelligently structured overall package at a keen price. The five-model Almera range represents such a package.
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