[murillo]

Originally Posted by Enzo23

Great review Mobike008 and Rehaan. The Sunny comes across as a great car but Nissan has priced it in such a way, its bound to eat into Micra's market share. Wonder if they will revise Micra prices. Another point, the top end Micra diesel does not get ABS but the base Sunny does!

The top-end Micra diesel does not get ABS but the base Sunny petrol does! Do not think a person decided on a diesel hatchback will change his decision to a petrol sedan. IMHO, Sunny will not be cannibalizing the Micra. We do not yet know the specifications of Sunny diesel. If Micra is an indication, some features may disappear even from top-end Sunny diesel - let us see how they price/spec the diesel variants.

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by good.car-ma

Whats wrong with the Micra's handling? Would like to hear your opinion because I found it pretty decent.

For starters, there is a significant amount of body roll during lane changes and corners. Then at high speeds it feels light and floaty. Well to be fair, the suspension is tuned completely for ride and the height / width ratio wont give you figo/polo like handling.However I dont have any complaint against the steering. It may not provide feedback but it is pretty direct and agile.

All in all most of the moders hatches handle way better than Micra. Be it Punto, be it swift, polo, fabia, figo.

[drvhplyevraftr]

Excellent review Avi. Nice way to start writing reviews. Looking forward for more to come.

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by mobike008

The engine NVH is average till 3000 RPM, after which it becomes noticeably loud and feels really stressed out.

Read the whole review , and then read this at Economic Times first drive report

Power comes down smoothly and the car accelerates decently well from a standstill but more important is the fact that it is extremely driveable. Matched to well sorted gear ratios the Sunny will be a breeze through bumper-to-bumper traffic on crowded streets.

Contrasting views!! ET says that power delivery and drivability is good. Though they also say that

The only thing we found a little off on the Sunny we drove was the gear shift itself which felt slightly tacky to say the least

Mobike, rehaan: any comments on this.

Personally, though I liked the Sunny. It's a well rounded sedan and I would like it to compete with the new Hyundai Verna. I have a feeling it will wean away some sale of the new Verna.

Pricing was, though I would have liked the base model to be priced at 5.5Lakhs(similar to the Fiesta Classic territory). Again the top-end pricing is also off by atleast 25K, but then I know Sunny has it's eyes set on the City too.

Sunny would compete well with Dzire, Fiesta Classic, New Verna, Manza and and even Honda city. Well will add Etios too()

Oh yes, I would like the car to have biege interiors please. Grey is too dull.

Edit: Pandeyji, fantastic first Test drive report!!

[TheStig]

Awesome report!
But I feel its a bit sad that prospective buyers have doubts regarding the 'Nissan' name. The fact is that Nissan cars are just as well made and supremely reliable as the Hondas or Toyotas.
I know this as my dad had bought a Nissan Sunny with a 1.6 liter engine and manual gearbox way back in 1994, and its still there and yet to break down.

But with petrol prices going to space, Nissan could go very well if the bring out the diesel soon

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by raul

There is not much to criticize here, VFM pricing, decent features, there is definitely room in the market for a car like this. I think this will start slow and gain pace as word of mouth reviews get around. Great review, highlighted most a prospective buyer would look at.

After the test drive was completed, apart from its subjective looks and not too impressive engine we really had a hard time trying to think of more negative points that can turn out to be a deal-breaker for Sunny. Honestly speaking, we didnt find any !

Originally Posted by Enzo23

Great review Mobike008 and Rehaan. The Sunny comes across as a great car but Nissan has priced it in such a way, its bound to eat into Micra's market share. Wonder if they will revise Micra prices. Another point, the top end Micra diesel does not get ABS but the base Sunny does!

Agree the pricing strategy has a long gap between the base to top-end but, I dont think this will effect the Micra sales (especially the diesel version) as both customers would have a distinct expectations and would not easily switch to a petrol sunny from a diesel hatch just because their price difference is a few thousand shy

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Read the whole review , and then read this at Economic Times first drive report. Contrasting views!! ET says that power delivery and drivability is good. Though they also say that

We never said power delivery is bad. The low-end and top-end torque is very nice but, I personally didnt like the 3rd gear which as mentioned is key in most cars for a balance mid-range and with 4-occupants in the car it was struggling to pick up speed and to just convince myself tried the 3rd gear accelaration from different speeds a few times and results were similar.

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Pricing was, though I would have liked the base model to be priced at 5.5Lakhs(similar to the Fiesta Classic territory). Again the top-end pricing is also off by atleast 25K, but then I know Sunny has it's eyes set on the City too.

Your forgetting Fiesta C current pricing is a result of introduction of the new fiesta. If you compare it with its "when it was released pricing". It makes Sunny still attractively priced.

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Oh yes, I would like the car to have biege interiors please. Grey is too dull.

The car has biege interiors ( maybe not exactly cream as other cars) but, its rather light and looks nice.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

It's very interesting to see that Nissan is actually trying to hit 2 bulls eyes with one target. The Sunny is straddling in between the budget C segment sedans as well as the premium C segment sedans.

Exactly my thoughts. When I saw the pricing. I was pleased to note the base version pricing but, feel the mid and top-variant should have been priced about 40k-50k lower and then it really would have been a game changing situation for Nissan and that price gap could have been used when they release the diesel engine to make that version also highly price competitive.

[motorworks]

Great Review! Some points that I had:-

1) Since the Sunny is not a sedan version of the Micra { Like the dzire and the Manza}, why did the designers create a "cut n paste" sort of a rear? The car looks very unproportionate near the back doors and the c pillars.
2) The dials of the base version are really cheap! The Rear ac "blower" too looks too high and might be a hindrance for elbow room of the front passengers.
3) This car does not have the design to compete with some thing like the new verna or the new city or even the jetta. Once the diesel comes and if its priced well {
Say just a 50k premium over the dzire} then it could pull sales away from the manza, etios and the dzire steadily.

[libranof1987]

I saw a Sunny ad on a hoarding in Marathahalli; it says "It is not a CAR. It is a CAAAR". Vista saying "Move to sedan class" still makes sense.

Why would Nissan want to say that?!

[good.car-ma]

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

Perhaps you have to go back and reread then engine section of review? The car struggles on higher rpms and the 3rd gear is weak.

Anyway, this this would refresh your memory...



The car is a dud on highway, unless all you want to do is to cruise below 100.

I disagree. It depends on your driving style. Also please read the post below, mobike says its a personal feeling (and only 3rd gear's mid-range). That doesnt mean that we can just conclude that the car is a dud and above 100km/h it will squat. I suggest we take a test drive before deciding for ourselves rather than interpreting from comments.

Originally Posted by mobike008

We never said power delivery is bad. The low-end and top-end torque is very nice but, I personally didnt like the 3rd gear which as mentioned is key in most cars for a balance mid-range and with 4-occupants in the car it was struggling to pick up speed and to just convince myself tried the 3rd gear accelaration from different speeds a few times and results were similar.

Originally Posted by Charioteer

And there are a few pleasant surprises from the most unexpected quarters.

The sales representative here at Vizag, who was deputed for a recent test drive from Fiat could talk fluently only in Telugu. He understood limited Hindi / English that I was speaking and absolutely none of that which my wife spoke during the test drive.

And yet, in his own natural and beautiful way, in an intense interaction session lasting over 40 minutes, he had had us absolutely impressed with his knowledge and passion for the car. For a company which is much maligned for the attitude of the sales and service staff, this indeed was a refreshing experience.

Thats true. There are dedicated people as well. And surprisingly, I had a brilliant experience at a FIAT showroom as well! Played a part in my decision to buy a Punto. If it can influence people like us who have some idea about cars, it can be a huge deal maker or breaker for those who arent that knowledgeable and are undecided between models.

Originally Posted by oxyzen

For starters, there is a significant amount of body roll during lane changes and corners. Then at high speeds it feels light and floaty. Well to be fair, the suspension is tuned completely for ride and the height / width ratio wont give you figo/polo like handling.However I dont have any complaint against the steering. It may not provide feedback but it is pretty direct and agile.

All in all most of the moders hatches handle way better than Micra. Be it Punto, be it swift, polo, fabia, figo.

There is slight body roll, agreed. Never felt any problems during cornering on normal roads. Can you mention the speed and type of corner when you felt too much roll?

Also, the car is extremely stable even at 140km/h. I felt safer in it than in a Polo or Swift. Both those cars have stiff rides and comfort is compromised, without much gain in handling. Thats why I rate Micra a better overall package. Punto is the best, and is priced differently so lets not compare

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by mobike008

After the test drive was completed, apart from its subjective looks and not too impressive engine we really had a hard time trying to think of more negative points that can turn out to be a deal-breaker for Sunny. Honestly speaking, we didnt find any !

Actually, I don't mind the design. For me, it looks good, some portions here and there are not pleasing but not bad either. It's a big car for it's price. Engine performance(not majorly though) apart I really don't think there's any dealbreaker.

Originally Posted by mobike008

The low-end and top-end torque is very nice but, I personally didnt like the 3rd gear which as mentioned is key in most cars for a balance mid-range and with 4-occupants in the car it was struggling to pick up speed and to just convince myself tried the 3rd gear accelaration from different speeds a few times and results were similar.

Wow!! is it so bad!! the 3rd gear doesn't respond on any rpm values?
So city driving is going to be a little pain. But tell me, if you are on highway on 5th gear at around 2500rpm and you need to overtake, you downshift to 4th and floor the pedal, will it respond ?
I mean, trying to revv up to gain speed would take the rpm to 3k approx in case of downshift. So wondering whether it will affect the highway performance too?

Originally Posted by mobike008

Your forgetting Fiesta C current pricing is a result of introduction of the new fiesta. If you compare it with its "when it was released pricing". It makes Sunny still attractively priced.

True, but that was the past!!
Was talking in reference to the current positioning of the Fiesta Classic.
Nevertheless, I think people will easily pay up for Sunny,considering that it features ABS +airbag even in the base model, plus it has class leading cabin and boot space, a feature that's mostly on top of list for majority of buyers!

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by good.car-ma

I disagree. It depends on your driving style. Also please read the post below, mobike says its a personal feeling (and only 3rd gear's mid-range). That doesnt mean that we can just conclude that the car is a dud and above 100km/h it will squat. I suggest we take a test drive before deciding for ourselves rather than interpreting from comments.

If we have to do drive every cars ourselves and come to our own conclusions, then what are TD reports for? Kinda beats the purpose, aint it? Nah, TD reports are available so we can read it and understand the characteristics of the car. And TBHP reports emphasizes the driving characteristics, done by experts.

Yes, It depends on your driving style, you will like the car if you have a sedate style and all you want to do is cruise. The fact about Indian highways is that there are lot of slow moving vehicles and you need to overtake. And if you are looking for quick overtaking maneuvers, the car is not suitable. There are much better cars in the range which gets the job done.

Btw, i never said the car is a slouch. Low end is very good, so i am sure 90% of the typical users, especially city users would love this car and would deem it Peppy. I am sure i would choose this car over most competition in city traffic. And as i said in my original comment, its a good car, good space and good build quality.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Wow!! is it so bad!! the 3rd gear doesn't respond on any rpm values?So city driving is going to be a little pain. But tell me, if you are on highway on 5th gear at around 2500rpm and you need to overtake, you downshift to 4th and floor the pedal, will it respond ?I mean, trying to revv up to gain speed would take the rpm to 3k approx in case of downshift. So wondering whether it will affect the highway performance too?

Perhaps, it would be best for me to slightly re-phrase the 3rd gear situation. As per my experience, most of us usually downshift to 3rd gear to overtake a slow moving vehicle on the highway primarly due to the sudden surge of power and urgency that you experience in that gear for you to be able to successfully overtake as quickly and as safely as it's possible. However, in Sunny, say your at 60kmph and downshift from 4th to 3rd and slam on the gas, I didnt find the flood gates to open but, found the power delivery to be rather linear. It may not make a difference to sedate drivers but, that would not be the case for remotely enthusiastic drivers.

Another important factor cannot be overlooked is that we were 4 occupants in the car ( Two 6ft+ guys, Two 5.8ft guys)

Maybe the engine can respond better with 1-2 people in the car. We didnt get a chance to experience that though!

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

True, but that was the past!!
Was talking in reference to the current positioning of the Fiesta Classic.
Nevertheless, I think people will easily pay up for Sunny,considering that it features ABS +airbag even in the base model, plus it has class leading cabin and boot space, a feature that's mostly on top of list for majority of buyers!

Though I am a huge fan of the Fiesta C, which unfortunately is chosen mostly by enthusiasts and population of which is always in minority but, pit that with base model of Sunny for the average indian buyer and there is a fair possibility, he'll pick up a Sunny ( if brand recognition is not brought into the picture)

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

Yes, It depends on your driving style, you will like the car if you have a sedate style and all you want to do is cruise. The fact about Indian highways is that there are lot of slow moving vehicles and you need to overtake. And if you are looking for quick overtaking maneuvers, the car is not suitable. There are much better cars in the range which gets the job done.

Similar to my thoughts. I drive a Cruze and used to insane power and there could be a remote possibility that I may be slightly biased in my comparison of the 3rd gear

Originally Posted by good.car-ma

I disagree. It depends on your driving style. Also please read the post below, mobike says its a personal feeling (and only 3rd gear's mid-range). That doesnt mean that we can just conclude that the car is a dud and above 100km/h it will squat. I suggest we take a test drive before deciding for ourselves rather than interpreting from comments.

I am quite sure everyone will have a different opinion about how the engine responds as its largely depends on as you rightly said on an individual's driving style. However, our conclusion still holds good is that the engine does not like to be revved and gets noisy and feels strained after 3500rpm

[vikrantj]

Looks are good and rear space seems impressive. But I am not at all impressed by lack of storage space, glove box space and bottle holders in doors etc. This could have been easily improved.

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Similar to my thoughts. I drive a Cruze and used to insane power and there could be a remote possibility that I may be slightly biased in my comparison of the 3rd gear

Cant blame you - compared to Cruze, in any car under 20L could be a disappointment in performance . And when that turbo kicks in...

[RadiantKarma]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

Nissan Versa (same as Sunny with a diff engine) is one of the cheapest cars available in US (Kia used to be the cheapest, but becoming pricey with the new designs). It is comparable with Toyota Yaris. But Versa is more popular in US than Yaris and considered as the ideal vehicle for school/college going kids. One of the automags describe Versa as "New car at used car price".

Nissan cheaper than Kia?! Wondering about brand perception of Nissan! You also mentioned that Nissan Versa is comparable with Toyota Yaris. Is it pricewise? Are the specs also comparable for three cars? Please throw some light.

Originally Posted by vasanthn21

Just curious, isn't the Indian passenger car scenario very different from the US market? Can we draw parallels? (Pardon my ignorance)

Apart from brand managment, the actual product itself has significant impact on brand perception. If a particular brand is perceived poorly across several countries, pretty likely there is some problem with the product quality. So, brand perception is a useful, though not definitive, historical indicator of product quality. U.S., being a mature market, was just a case in point, as product quality was under discussion. Hope I am able to clarify.