Though it's efficient, the Tiida, Nissan's replacement for the Almera, has no style, writes Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor
Q: Why did Nissan introduce the Tiida?
Was it:
A. to demonstrate their superior engineering talents?
B. to show that Japanese designers can match anything Europeans have to offer?
C. to show that even Nissan has a sense of humour?
If you've answered A, then I'm afraid you'd better prepare for a resit. If you answered B then you clearly need to make an appointment with the optician. And even with C, you have a rather unusual idea of comedy.
The Tiida represents the third model in a trio of replacements for the successful, if unappreciated, Almera. The outgoing car never caught much of the spotlight, but it was actually quite good at its job. We rented one several years ago and while it didn't set the world alight in terms of styling, we couldn't really find any faults with it. It was a better buy than its larger sibling, the current Primera.
Nissan, however, wanted to capture as many facets of the mid-size family market as possible. Thanks to some smart engineers and designers, it was able to take all the various underpinnings and simply change the format to suit three different guises of the same car.
It's the most recent example of a car firm showing its astute ability to cater for the ever more diverse customer tastes.
The fickle nature of the market can no longer be dictated to by supply and Nissan wanted to serve demand. For the regular hatchback buyers who seek a small people carrier format, they presented the Note. It's a great little family car, enjoyable to drive and flexible enough to serve small family needs.
Then there are those who aspire to SUV status but don't have the cashflow - or justification - to opt for a fully-fledged off-roader. The answer was Qashqai, a silly name, but another great buy - particularly in 1.5-diesel format - that's well priced, rugged in its looks but practical and environmentally sound. It's the SUV you can drive with a clear conscience.
Finally, Nissan had to cater for its regular hatchback and saloon buyers in this price segment. Could it topple the likes of Ford's Focus or Toyota's Auris/Corolla combination?
To judge by the earlier arrivals, you had to be confident.
Enter the Tiida. In hatchback format, it looks every bit the anonymous Japanese family car. In saloon format, it looks like something designed on the back of a copybook by a five-year-old. This car makes the Chevrolet Kalos look interesting.
In terms of styling, Nissan has dropped the ball with the Tiida. Just where did all the smart lines go? Were the designers out celebrating their efforts on the Note and Qashqai when someone remembered they needed a third variant? Was it designed after 10 bottles of saki on the back of a beermat?
That could perhaps explain how this car came to be created in its current guise.
The claim is that it is aimed at more conservative motorists. So conservative in fact, that they must eschew any suggestion that they have any style whatsoever.
This car says nothing positive about the company that made it, or the people who own it. It's the motoring equivalent of an Aldi anorak. In fact, that's doing a disservice to Aldi apparel.
Our annoyance with the Tiida should not be read as a critique of the car's mechanics per se. In terms of four-wheels-and-an-engine, it's uninspiring but it does get from A to B. At least the second test car did; the first having to go back to Nissan after the clutch went. That was hardly an inspiring start to our test drive.
The 1.6-litre petrol engine in our test car was pliant, if a little noisy, while the car's steering and ride is designed for comfort over performance, offering a rather soft ride.
It's also relatively perky: offering a claimed 0-100km/h time of 11.1 seconds, though neither car seemed that capable of matching this time. In short, the driving characteristics of this car match the look: dull.
It's positives are, well, its interior space and a relatively decent specification level.
There are audio controls on the steering wheel, four airbags, ABS and on the range-topping SVE version, there is even cruise control.
The seats are wide enough to carry even the widest rump, the rear seats can cater for a couple of adults, and in the saloon version the carbuncle added to the rear of the car does actually operate as a decent boot.
APPARENTLY IT WAS the Irish fetish for boots that swung the Nissan management into sending the car to Ireland in the first place. The Tiida will not be sold in Britain or in Germany, France or even Spain. Instead Nissan has opted to sell the car in Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, the Ukraine and, yes, Ireland. Apparently our motoring tastes are closer to eastern Europe.
Have we really not cast off the Lada years? What does that say about our motoring choices?
Some reviews have also mentioned that Nissan plan to target this car at "older" motorists. If this is Nissan's idea of a car they would desire, then it's a terrible slur on the so-called "older" motorist. Contrary to what Nissan may think, motorists over the age of 60 do not suddenly lose the faculty of taste.
The Tiida saloon is not a bad car in strict motoring terms: it's just incredibly dull in both performance and design.
For the same price you can have a 1.4-litre Toyota Corolla that doesn't exactly send pulses racing, but at least looks like a proper saloon.
You can also have a Ford Focus saloon that offers far more fun behind the wheel.
However, we know in our heart that Tiida will sell and that may well say as much about Ireland today as the fact that RTÉ's The Trump Card can pull in a big Saturday night audience.
We may have got wealthier over the last decade, but some people's taste still hasn't really improved. The Note and the Qashqai are great buys. They should disown the Tiida.
NISSAN TIIDA CC: 1598 BHP: 110 0-100km/h: 11.1 secs Top speed: 186km/h Consumption: 6.9L/100km Price: € 22,495
ENGINE: 1,598cc four cylinder petrol engine, putting out 110bhp @ 6,000rpm and 153Nm of torque @ 4,400rpm
SPECIFICATION: ABS; four airbags; radio/CD with four speakers; electric windows; 60/40 split rear seats; 15" steel wheels. SVE adds: CD with six speakers; cruise control.
Options include ESP at €800
L/100km (MPG):
Urban: 8.9 (31.7)
Extra-urban: 5.7 (49.5)
Combined: 6.9 (40.9)
CO2 emissions:
165 g/km
Annual motor tax:
€391
Price:
€22,495
(€20,995-€25,345)