The Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta – An Overall Pleasant Experience.

The recent ups and downs of the fuel market have led many drivers to seek out fuel efficient vehicles for daily driving. Nissan, like many carmakers, has tried to satisfy that niche by offering cars like the Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta.

Produced since 1995, the Almera, also known by a differing range of names like the Latio, Versa and the Sunny, depending on the market it’s in, is designed to be reliable, fuel efficient, and to get its occupants to their destinations in relative comfort and safety.

To achieve this, Nissan has fitted the Almera 1.5 Acenta with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, a roomy interior, driver and passenger airbags, brake assists, and a whole allotment of features that will be talked about in this review.

Engine and Performance

As stated before, the Almera comes with a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a power rating of 73 kilowatts (KW) or 98 horsepower (HP). The transmission is either a 5-speed manual, or a 4-speed automatic depending on the variant chosen.

The engine power is a bit on the lower side, but is nonetheless okay for a subcompact sedan like the Almera 1.5 Acenta, which is unlikely to see usage on race tracks. Engine response is good, and propels the car to a top speed of 183 km/h or 113 mph, which won’t win any races, but is fast enough for a quick trip to work or the grocery store.

The Almera handles well, even at highway speeds, and on uneven feeder roads, its performance wasn’t bad as well.

A Total Fuel tank capacity of 41 litres, and an average fuel consumption of 7.2 litres per 100 km gives the Almera 1.5 Acenta around an average 500 to 600 km drive on a full tank. This is quite efficient, especially in current times where fuel prices are on the rise.

While outpaced by rivals like Toyota and Honda in terms of reliability, Nissans still have a respectable ranking of 16^th out of all car brands in 2021 for reliability, based on consumer reports. Simply put, the Almera should run fine as long as it’s maintained well.

 Interior

Interior size is one area where the Nissan Almera likely beats rival subcompact sedans. For a subcompact car, the Almera’s interior resembles what you’d expect from a large sedan like the Honda Accord. It’s surprisingly roomy. The seats can comfortably sit five people, and there is enough legroom to accommodate tall people.

The seats are comfortable enough for a budget vehicle, and front and rear windows are powered and quick to respond when the buttons are pressed. The tachometer and speedometer sit in front of the plastic steering wheel, which is itself grippy to the touch.

Slightly beside the wheel is a panel that houses a touchscreen, audio system, air condition controls, Bluetooth, USB plugins, and the button for opening the boot/trunk, among others. Controls are well placed, and within easy reach, including the rear air condition controls which also work well.

Neatly furnished door walls, carpets, and chrome plated door handles and armrests help give the interior a pleasing design even if it looks a bit basic. Four cupholders are available which is nice, but is a bit lacking for a car intended to comfortably seat five people.

Safety Features

The Nissan Almera comes with airbags for the both driver and front passenger, and includes seatbelts for every occupant. Nissan has stepped up further by adding an electronic brake force distribution system that helps the car stop faster especially when its weighted down. There’s also an anti-lock braking system to prevent the wheels from locking up even when the car is still moving during heavy braking.

A standard feature for current vehicles, the hood/bonnet of the Almera is designed to crumple in case of a head-on crash, absorbing the impact and reducing risk of injuries to passengers. The cabin is also strengthened to offer similar protection.

The Almera 1.5 Acenta is also armed with parking sensors which should come in handy especially in avoiding unseen obstacles when trying to park in tight spaces. All things considered, Nissan has both basic and advanced safety features covered for this vehicle, which is a welcome find.

Conclusion

The Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta is not the fastest vehicle out there, nor will it be winning any beauty contests, but that’s okay because it wasn’t built for those goals.

This is a car which knows its strengths and plays to them. The roomy interior is very welcome, as is its trunk space too, which is considerably deep for a car of that size. Its fuel efficiency and economical nature also make it a very good choice for a daily driver.

Interested Ghanaian buyers can get any of the Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta models from the Nissan branch of Japan Motors Ghana.