The all-new Nissan Almera caused quite a stir when it made its regional debut back in November last year. With the extensive list of standard kit being fitted to our Malaysian-spec model (which you’ll soon see), we think that the Almera (now called Almera Turbo) will also definitely be making waves in the local B-segment market, facing its challengers head-on in the all-new Honda City and Toyota Vios.
Available in three variants – VL, VLP and VLT, the all-new Almera Turbo is now available for booking at all Nissan authorised dealerships across Malaysia, priced between “RM8X,XXX” to “RM9X,XXX”, and is expected to be officially launched in October.
Perhaps the biggest change to the 2020 Nissan Almera Turbo is in the styling department, which we once likened it to “an ugly ducking turning into a swan”, and yes, we still stand by it. Gone is the awkward stance and bulbous design of old, replaced by a sleek, sharp, and dare we say – sporty styling direction that’s in line with the other new Nissan models.
Up front, the small sedan is characterised by the new V-motion grille, flanked by full LED headlights if you opt for the top-of-the-range VLT variant – otherwise, they are halogen-illuminated items. A prominent character line starts from behind the front wheel arch, moving through the door handles and ends with the new boomerang-styled taillights at the rear of the car, which are now fully-LED units.
The wing mirror has been repositioned to below the belt line on the door panels, while overall height of the B-segment sedan has been lowered by 40 mm to give it a wider and sportier appearance. The C-pillars also have a blacked out segment to give the roof a floating effect.
Other than that, the all-new Nissan Almera Turbo has grown in every dimension: +45 mm in width, +70 mm in overall length, and +55 mm in wheelbase, so that means the Almera will retain its best-in-class interior space crown – 620 mm of rear leg room to be exact. Cargo space is rated at 482 litres, and Nissan even claims that it can fit four golf bags in the all-new Almera Turbo.
Equally as exciting as the new styling is what’s underneath the hood. The 2020 Nissan Almera Turbo is powered by a new 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, capable of delivering 100 hp and 152 Nm of torque. The new engine is paired to an improved Xtronic CVT gearbox with D-Step logic.
While the horsepower figure is lower compared to the old 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated mill, the engine torque has actually improved, which means a more responsive driving experience especially in urban conditions. Engine response has also been tuned specifically to reduce turbo lag, thanks to the electronic waste gate and improved turbo compression.
No performance figures have been quoted, but a package like this is really about the efficiency anyway. Nissan quotes a 5.43 l/100km fuel consumption figure, which is equivalent to 650 km of driving range on a full tank of fuel (35 litres).
The 2020 Nissan Almera Turbo also received a complete makeover on the inside, elevating the premium image of the compact sedan. Notably, the dashboard now has a dual-tone design, surrounded by soft touch material (on VLP and VLT variants), carbon fibre pattern textures, as well as chrome and piano black trims.
On the two upper variants, the new Almera Turbo is also fitted with an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay, and is paired to a seven-inch screen in the semi-digital instrument cluster behind the flat-bottom sporty steering wheel.
Other interior highlights in the new Nissan Almera Turbo include a “Zero Gravity Inspired” semi bucket seats in fabric (VL) and leather (VLP and VLT), three USB ports (front storage area, centre console, and rear console), automatic climate control on the top-of-the-range variant, as well as 60:40 rear split-folding seats that is a unique feature for the Malaysia market.
Nissan has put significant emphasis on the safety aspect of the all-new 2020 Almera Turbo, with the Intelligent Forward COllision Warning and Intelligent Forward Emergency Braking AEB system being fitted as standard on all variants.
The mid-spec VLP variant adds four additional SRS airbags and a rear-view camera, while the top-of-the-range VLT variant gets the intelligent around view monitor with moving object detection, blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic alert – making it the most well-equipped B-segment model here in Malaysia – for now, at least.
The 2020 Nissan Almera will be available in six exterior colour choices – Radiant Red, Monarch Orange, Dark Metal Grey, Brilliant White, Diamond Black, Tungsten Silver, where the first three in the list are completely new options. Included in the price is a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, with five-times free maintenance service – including parts and labour.
Interested? The all-new 2020 Nissan Almera Turbo will be on an exclusive public preview at selected showrooms across Malaysia, over two weekends on the 5-6 September and 11-13 September. You can also stand a chance to win one of 15 iPhone SE (128GB) worth RM2,199 by test driving the Almera Turbo during the Test Drive Carnival roadshows. The full Test Drive Carnival schedule can be found in the table below:
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