It’s not a matter of if, but when Nissan introduces the all-new Almera to the Philippines. With all the launch details tightly under wraps, there’s still some internet debate on which engine we’ll eventually get—will it be a 1.0-liter turbo as it did in Thailand, or will it be a carryover 1.5-liter? Well, there seems to be a clearer answer now based on what we’ve been seeing around the region. And we might end up getting turbo power, after all.
Vietnam is one country whose vehicle specs mirror closely that of the Philippine market, at least for Nissan. Whether it’s borne out of similar market tastes, government regulation, or being both left-hand drive markets in a predominantly right-hand drive region (or maybe a combination of all three), the point is, if you want to play Nostradamus for Nissan Philippines, just look at Vietnam.
For instance, it was our first sign that we’d be getting the YD25 engine in the refreshed Navara instead of the 2.3-liter twin-turbo seen in both Australia and Thailand.
Now that Vietnam’s launched the all-new Almera, it’s all but confirmed that we stand to get the turbocharged 1.0-liter 3-cylinder engine as well. The HRA0 makes 100 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 152 Nm of torque from 2,400 to 4,000 rpm. Moreover, aside from a CVT gearbox with built-in shift logic, the engine is confirmed to also mate with a 5-speed manual boding well for fleet-oriented buyers.
If Nissan Philippines does echo regional moves surrounding the Almera’s drivetrain, it stands to be the most economical B-segment sedan achieving up to 23.8 km/L thanks not just to the small boosted engine but to technologies such as an idling stop system and a GT-R-derived mirror bore coating that helps reduce friction.
In the past, two camouflaged Almera test units were caught being driven on EDSA, and while covered, it showed that there are at least two variants coming. In Vietnam, there are three—one with a MT gearbox, and two with a CVT. In Thailand, there’s even a sportier-looking Sportech version as well. The Philippines will likely stick with a three-variant set-up.
Standard features even on the MT include dual SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, and stability control. Meanwhile, the mid-grade Almera adds Zero Gravity seats, while the Almera Premium gets a 360-degree camera with moving object detection, and blind spot indicators with rear cross traffic alert. Other niceties include LED headlights, a 7-inch LCD screen in the instrument cluster (the segment’s biggest), and an 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Almera might also stand to be the next Nissan model to come standard with a 5-year warranty—a program which was initiated by the refreshed Navara early this year. It is slated for a Philippine debut within this year.
If Almera comes with 1.0 turbo, this maybe a hit, a good differentiator for those bored with market leader Vios or those updating from their currently owned Vios. Upcoming Almera should retain its one size bigger and one price lower strategy.
ReplyDelete