[mobike008]

Originally Posted by andromeda

1. Brand Awareness - Nissan is hardly known in India (general public). Not many people know that Nissan was the largest Japanese car maker at one point of time !

Nissan has surely been slow on this aspect. Only now we can see a lot of print and media ads for the Micra. I also feel the Sunny was released in a hurry without proper advertisment or pre-release teasers. It looks just like a move to quickly garner their share of pie from the upcoming festival season

Originally Posted by andromeda

2. Scale up the dealers/service centers to at-least match up Toyota's *** (if not Maruti's)

They have moved up from 13 dealerships to 45 till date. Not a bad feat

Originally Posted by andromeda

Curious to know.
After the Logan fiasco, is Nissan-Renault is trying to portray Renault as the so-called 'premium' brand (> 10L with Fluence, Koleos) and Nissan as the brand for the masses ?

I wouldnt think that would be the thought process in releasing the Sunny. It was predictable that after the hatch they moved to the second most primed segment in terms of volumes.

Originally Posted by StarScream

Now, the only question remaining is fuel efficiency, which I'm sure the diesel will address if the petrol doesn't live up to expectations.

Though Sunny comes ARAI certified at 16.95kmpl. I wouldnt expect it to cross 13kmpl in city and 15kmpl on highway even if you drive with utmost care to increase FE

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

BTW, the background I see in the pictures attracted me the most . Is it Mahabalipuram? and was it test driven on the ECR?

That's an accurate guess I must say. Yes, it is Mahabalipuram and we drove it on the ECR road.

[anandtheleo]

Just now back from a visit to the Nissan showroom here in Chennai with my friend. He has booked a Jazz 'Select' and is considering to switch given the uncertain waiting period.

The car looks very good, it is spacious on the inside and from the outside too looks really big. The under thigh support for me was quiet adequate (I am 5'11). The interior colors could have been more varied and contrasting. The boot is the one area where the exterior looks kinda 'un-desirable' and kinda does not jell with the overall design of the whole car.

The build quality to me felt real good, panel gaps were there for to see near the boot, the shut-lines could have been better and closer. The gear lever feel as mentioned in the review felt vague, but this is after checking only in stand-still as the test drive cars have not yet come.

[harimakesh]

Nissan's Sunny is a very popular model in the Gulf competing with Lancer /City/Yaris/Mazda3 and is good volume selling model too.

City has a qualitative competition from fellow Japanese car maker.
Manza will find it tough as it was VFM compared to City but Sunny's lack of diesel engine will give some respite to Manza.

Sunny can play intense competition and do reasonable voulumes 3-4K in this segment with its diesel engine and enhanced dealership across the country

[oxyzen]

Great Review. Short and to the point.
I think it is not going to set the sales chart on fire. Primarily because it does not have a Diesel motor. Secondly because it does hot have the network. And Finally because I dont know too many people who appreciates the interior design theme of Nissan (Micra).
B.T.W the rear legroom was mind boggling. I think it might be even more than Corolla.


If Micra was anything to go by, Sunny's Handling should have been pretty disappointing. What do you think did the trick? Better suspensions? Honestly speaking, This is something I expected the least. Lately most of the cars coming up are with pretty decent Handlers. Specially Etios. How do you think Sunny fares in this department when compared to Etios, Vento & Dzire?

[SkyWalker]

Mobike - fantastic review - thanks!

I wont buy one (due to the poor highway capabilities), but i am still impressed by the quality, space and overall capability of the car.

I wish they could fix those gear shift issues - which could be holding it form becoming a perfect city car. And No USB support sucks! In this age, really?

Big Mistake - not launching a diesel version at launch! Come on, Nissan! Checked petrol prices lately? And when it comes in Jan 2012, I guess the diesel will come in the 65 bhp avatar of Logan as opposed to the 105bhp avtar of Fluence. Bummer!

[dot]

When the new Fiesta and the new Verna review was published on the forum, the page count had crossed 7-8 by the same evening. This one has just touched four. Tells something.

Originally Posted by sameerpb

Great review. Rated 5 stars. The shape resembles Maxima, Atlima and Teana
Pricing looks really attractive, I would certainly wait for diesel to come

Agree. The side profile is similar to Altima/Maxima, which is a good thing. I think the side and front three-quarter look is awesome. Except for the tiny tyres.

I am biased towards Nissan sedans due to historical reasons. I think the Sunny has a lot going for it. How many cars in this segment is offering features like ACC and front arm rest/ rear vent combo? Or all those safety features. Plus the fabulous legroom and rear arm rest. It is ok, if the car is not built for speed dashes. From the review it sounded like a great urban car (good low end torque) and a decent highway cruiser. I am bought.

[Jaggu]

Just saw the caaar ad on TV and opened the TBHP app and bang comes the review From the add I really loved the rear quarter and side profile, but from pics am not so sure. But I guess Nissan has got it right in most of the aspects including the looks, no major gripes I guess. Ehm maybe Bluetooth integration? Oh and maybe they can provide some damping in the hood to increase the sound deadening.

Excellent review Mobi & R with his inputs. 5 star!

[designersf]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Overall, theres no deal-breaker with the Sunny. Its an exceptionally well rounded car that will cover the needs of a majority of C-segment buyers.

That's really the good point here. No turn-off in this car.

Originally Posted by traveloholic

Very Very detailed review Avinash. I was planning to buy a Nissan Sunny, now my decision would be based mostly on your detailed review. Thanks for the review Avinash.

So what's your decision?

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Nice robust review there Mobike008!

The Sunny seems to be the Figo of its segment. Nothing earth shatteringly great or bad and one can expect it to do its bit without any glaring glitches. The pricing also does not jar one bit. If only they could do something about their dealership reach (or the perception that it is not enough)

What is it with manufacturers rolling out only petrols at the first launch? With fuel pricing here, it would probably make sense for them to delay the launch till the diesel is also available. In any case it is not as if the petrol mills will be flying off the shelves.

Figo of the segment eh? Let's wait and watch.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

@GTO : For rear seat comfort, space isn't the only advantage the Sunny has over the Manza and D'zire. The ride quality is a step up too.

If Nissan can pull off the same kinda pricing when the diesel launches, that sure will please many where the petrol engine couldn't.

cya
R

GTO always loves the 'T' badge!

Originally Posted by GTO

Super review, guys! Thanks to Avi & Rehaan for this one. *Rates thread 5 stars*

Sadly, I can't say the same about the car. Neither does it appeal to me, nor would I be recommending it too much to others. It seems to be middle-of-the-way in most areas, but the package doesn't come across as a very strong one to me. Main reason : The engine review that you guys put up. C'mon, running out of breath so easily? Noisy over 3,000 rpm? Compare that to the Etios, Dzire, Fiesta Classic & gang which have some super powerplants. From your review, even the Manza (Fiat) 1.4L petrol sounds better.

I could change my viewpoints once the diesel arrives. That Verito / Micra / Fluence diesel is a known workhorse. Priced well, the Sunny diesel could make for an excellent buy. On pricing, I will say that the entry & mid-level are priced competitively. But the top-end variant goes too close to cars from a 1/2 segment above.

But until then, I'd give this car an extremely average rating. For self-driven types, the Etios (torque'y engine, fun behaviour), Dzire (excellent engine, sharp front end) and Fiesta Classic (100 BHP, segment best steering & handling) beat it hollow. For chauffeur-driven comfort, I'd pick the Manza diesel top variant which is priced on par with the Sunny petrol. The Manza's rear seat is also supremely comfortable and, while the Sunny may have that much more room, how much do you need any way? Spacious is spacious...a couple of mm here & there. Sure, if we bring in the Dzire, then the Sunny has a distinct advantage in space. But the Manza is also amongst the segment best.

Nissan will meet / exceed it's target of 2000 units / month when the diesel arrives. I predict the petrol settling down to about 1000 / month, sometimes less.

I fail to agree with you GTO. For one, this car does 90% of what is expected of a sedan in this segment. The only real problems from the review are the poor top end from the engine and notchy gearbox. Its got all the safety features and look at what they give for the price-ABS, airbags and the like. Their A.S.S has improved as well. IMO, it is even more VFM than the Etios. So what is wrong in buying this over the Etios or the Manza?

[suhaas307]

Tell you what? This will ensure Honda has some sleepless nights. The SX4, Vento, Etios, Manza needn't be too worried. It's the new City that should be hit. Considering the fact that the Sunny is available only with a petrol engine right now.

The Sunny seems to be a promising package. The interior is quite spacious, and that's a huge plus point. And of course, the quality is pretty decent. What helps it along is the pricing! At 5.7 ex-showroom, it's an absolute steal. You get Japanese technology, efficiency and refinement for Tata and Maruti prices, which is always a good thing!

Every car has its draw-backs, and the Sunny is no exception. It lacks a few features, and could do with a diesel engine, not to mention a better gearbox and engine, but it has some strong points, that might swing things in its favour. However..

What Nissan needs to do now is improve their service-backup. One or two dealers and service centers per metro just doesn't cut it. They need to widen their service-network 10-fold. A company that promises to take care of you, is a company that is most likely to do better than the others. Good after-sales-service translates directly into better sales and happy customers!

Excellent review Mobike, Rehaan, GTO.. As always!

[aaren]

Excellent review. The price spectrum from the base to the top most variant straddles almost Rs. 2 lakhs. Is it not a bit high as compared to other vehicles ? Hopefully Nissan provides optional items that is missing in the middle variant to be added as add-ons.

[frequentflyer]

I really found the review comprehensive and balanced. It gives the reader a 'feel' of the car without setting one's eyes on the car or driving it. There could be some subjective parts such as under thigh support and so on that each user must try for himself. However what worries the reader is the comment on the engine running out of steam and the gear not being too smooth. Yet, a test drive is what will finally resolve these issues for the prospective buyer.

[Y@SH]

Space is the USP for the sunny. You have showed the rear leg room with the driver's seat on comfortable position for a 5"8" driver but I would've liked a picture showing Max/Min rear legroom.

[SmartCat]

Nissan has spent good amount of "Yens" making sure that Sunny does not look like a Micra with a boot. I wonder why they didn't bother with the dashboard. It definitely helps with the sales if the customers don't see the connection between Micra and Sunny.

[swiftdiesel]

When Toyota has the audacity to launch a tin-can (read Etios) with a T badge, kudos to Nissan for launching a quality sedan with decent specs! The diesel will be the star IMHO. A car with decent interiors, Japanese reliability and a good diesel (hopefully) ticks it all in my list. When I wouldn't touch the Etios with a bargepole, I wouldn't mind queuing up for a Sunny!

[RadiantKarma]

Yet another routine 5-star review! After reading such a detailed (and unbiased, need I say?!) review on t-bhp, one gets the feeling of already having seen and driven the car!

My two cents on the car

• It's an outstanding chauffer-driven car (for anyone below 6 feet, that is) at the price-point. The engine kills the car for me. I will hold a grudge against my driver for that keyless start/stop though!
• But sure enough, Nissan will certainly not position it that way. And there will still be several other takers - e.g. Utterly practical folks seeking Japanese reliability & FE with comfort; aspirational value seekers for that big car look, premium feel (at this price-point, again!); nonchalant/non-discerning buyers who woundn't even take a test-drive; or any such mix.
• For petrol only sedan with a thin dealership network, it should garner decent sales from all around - going by the pricing, which is neither here nor there. Worst affected could be the City and Vento P? - just guessing.
• Wish Nissan gave itself and the car some publicity to garner some share of consumer's mindspace!