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Old 25th January 2012, 18:55   #1
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Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

The Nissan Sunny Diesel has been launched in India at a price of 7.98 - 8.78 Lakh (ex-Delhi).

What you'll like:

• Spectacular rear leg room and comfortable rear bench
• Excellent city driveability, great low end torque and the promise of diesel economy
• Mature and compliant ride matched by predictable handling
• Convenience & comfort features such as true keyless-entry & start, rear fan vents, folding mirrors etc.
• Interior quality & cabin fit / finish
• Safety kit is consistent on both variants (ABS, EBD, Brake Assist & 2 Airbags)

What you won't:

• Brakes feel slow to react and aren't confidence-inspiring
• Noticeable road-noise once you get up to highway speeds
• Vague gearbox isn't always keen to slot into gear
• No base (XE) variant offered on the diesel
• Rear head-room & under-thigh support are in short supply
• Nissan's dealer network is still fairly limited, most cities have just one dealer

The 2014 Facelift:

Link to Report


Last edited by GTO : 18th June 2014 at 14:35. Reason: Adding link to facelift report
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Old 25th January 2012, 18:55   #2
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re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Since the Nissan Sunny (petrol) has already been reviewed by Team-BHP, this report will only focus on the diesel engine & changes vis-a-vis the petrol. For easy reference, here are direct links to the full Nissan Sunny review:

Exterior Design & Build Quality

Interior design, space, practicality & features

Other Pertinent Points

The Smaller & Significant Things

Last edited by Rehaan : 25th January 2012 at 19:03.
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Old 25th January 2012, 18:55   #3
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re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Nissan launched the petrol Sunny 4 months ago, at a time when petrol prices were rising fast. The most common question at the launch and test drive event was “When is the diesel coming?”. Well, it's here :




Specifications

The Sunny's 1.5L diesel engine has 14 less horsepower, but 66 additional Nm of torque when compared to its petrol counterpart.

Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review-specifications.png


Pricing

Most of us are familiar with how the C-segment has bifurcated into several sub-segments over time. Well, expect the lines to continually blur as more and more vehicles are launched in the Indian market. The Sunny Diesel for example, price-wise, sits somewhere between the lower C1 and higher C2 segment. This has caused some confusion as to whether it’s an over-priced competitor to the Dzire, Manza, Etios and others in the C1 segment, or a well-priced competitor to the Rapid, Vento and rest of the C2 segment. Personally, I view the Sunny as being more of a C2 competitor due to its substantial rear space and interior quality that is superior to what competitors in the C1 segment offer. In the end, these are just fairly abstract groupings, so to each their own.

Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review-pricing.png


Variants

Unlike the petrol Sunny which has 3 variants, the diesel only gets 2 variants. The lowest trim has NOT been offered on the diesel. The good news is that the mid (XL) and top (XV) are given the exact same list of equipment as their petrol counterparts (unlike what happened with the Micra dCi).

Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review-nissansunnydiesel_features.png

Last edited by Rehaan : 7th February 2012 at 13:16.
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Old 25th January 2012, 18:55   #4
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re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review



The Diesel Sunny is powered by the 1.5L K9K common-rail engine. This 8-valve SOHC unit is the same engine found on the Fluence, Logan, and the Micra dCi. On the Sunny, the power has been bumped up an additional 20 BHP. The engine is rated at 85 BHP @ 3750 rpm, with a maximum torque of 200 Nm @ 2000 rpm. The Sunny manages to pull off an ARAI rating of 21.64 kpl (the Micra was 23.08). Pretty good considering the additional power it pumps out, as well as weight it has to pull along.

Now, this engine isn’t exactly what you’d call state of the art. It is however, a proven workhorse. Ask the driver of any commercially used Logan if he’s faced any engine problems in his 2+ Lakh kilometers of driving, and he’ll say no. This mill is tried and tested.

Crank up the engine, and there is a very noticeable shake. Instead of the side to side shake, it rocks the car in the front-back direction. It lasts for about a second or two at start-up, after which the car is vibration free. Even on a cold start, the engine is very quiet and refined on the inside. Surprisingly, its almost as quiet on the outside too. There is no metallic diesel clatter at idle.

Release the clutch, and the low end torque is instantly apparent. Most importantly (for city driving) there’s plenty of torque even before the turbo really spools up. Minimal turbo lag. You can even lug quite comfortably at a surprisingly low 800 - 1000 rpm in most gears. Just like the Micra it will lug at 40 km/h, 4th gear @ 1200 rpm – this is probably made possible by the ECU’s anti-stall feature which opens up the throttle slightly (you’ll feel a bit of acceleration once the revs drop closer to 1000 rpm). Cruising along at low RPM with light throttle, it barely sounds like a diesel. Even at 10 – 15 km/h in 2nd gear, you don’t hear any of that “loose” mechanical clatter. When driving, there is a noticeable purr from the diesel engine. It sounds almost like a petrol engine with a bit of a sore-throat (that too, audible only when you’re on the accelerator pedal).

2nd and 3rd gears are so versatile, that you never need to shift into 1st gear unless you’re at a dead halt. Power is fairly linear throughout the range, other than the slight jump in the power curve just past 1,800 rpm - when the turbo gets spooling. Make no mistake, the malleable nature of this engine does not mean that the Sunny is a particularly involving drive. It's still nothing like the Vento’s 1.6 TDI in terms of being fun to drive. In fact, for some strange reason, I felt like I enjoyed driving the less powerful Micra dCi more than the Sunny – perhaps the gear ratios and vehicle size at play?

When going up the revs the engine gets a little less eager at 4,200 rpm, but its still not at a point where its screaming at you, or really struggling to carry on – power tapers off very gradually. Even though the redline is marked at 4,500 rpm on the dials, the car will pull to about 5,100 rpm before the ECU actually cuts off the fuel supply smoothly. Windows open, and you can hear the turbo spooling away - as well as a whistle when you lift off the throttle.

From our drive, it seemed like the gear ratios were spread out a bit unevenly. The difference between 1st and 2nd is quite small, or rather, it seemed like 2nd gear was quite short. 1st gear would top out at 40 km/h, 2nd at 80 km/h and then 3rd all the way at 125 km/h. This isn't something that will cause any sort of inconvenience, but it did seem a little strange.

Given that the Sunny isn’t aimed at enthusiastic drivers, and more so at the average driver and back seat passengers – does the engine do the job? Yes indeed. It’s quiet, refined, has enough power & driveability and should have the same proven reliability & fuel-efficiency we've seen in its other applications (e.g. Logan)

What works against the Sunny Diesel? Well…

The brakes are not confidence inspiring. They do a decent job of stopping the car once they start to engage, but the pedal feels very dull and unresponsive for the first part of its travel. This isn’t free play in the pedal, the brakes just seem somewhat slow to react, and there’s no feedback from them.

Also, just like on the petrol Sunny the gearbox was still far from pleasurable to use. 1st and 2nd gears were definitely very notchy. Occasionally, getting the lever into gear would take some convincing.

Lastly, the engine’s NVH was well in control, however, road and tyre noise was quite noticeable. Naturally this is greatly dependent on the choice of tyres (Bridgestone B250s) and the road’s surface quality – but the noise levels seemed consistently high across a variety of surfaces, and started to get noticeable at speeds of 60 km/h and above.

The Sunny Diesel & Petrol are identical on the outside:


The higher-end XV variant that we tested


"Pure Drive dCi" badging looks nice


The huge rear legroom is apparent from the outside too


The tried and tested 1.5L K9K engine is fairly linear and doesn't suffer from turbo lag


The air intake sits well within the engine bay, thankfully the radiator is not in front of it (its offset to the side)


The battery has the "Renault-Nissan" badging

Last edited by Rehaan : 7th February 2012 at 13:23.
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Old 25th January 2012, 18:55   #5
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re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Other points

• Though there's no official reason given by Nissan on why they excluded the base variant on the diesel, it is possible that they weren't keen on the Taxi fleet owners going gaga over the diesel Sunny. Perhaps they want to start the Sunny off with a more premium image at first, and then bring in the lower XE variant later in the game.

• Don’t forget that the Micra lost ABS, EBD and the passenger air bag in the switch over from petrol to diesel. The Sunny retains these features, and the equipment list between petrol and diesel variants is identical. Is this preferential treatment for the higher segment, or has Nissan realized that Indian buyers now expect a full suite of safety features?

• Nissan Micra <==> Renault Pulse. Should we expect a re-badged Sunny from Renault soon? Or will they bring in their own competitor for this segment...

• Considering a Sunny? Think about whether Electric folding mirrors, Alloy wheels, a more premium instrument cluster, true keyless entry, engine start/stop button, front fog lamps and a few other minor differences are worth the 80k premium between the XL and XV models.

Thanks to jalsa777 and parrys for helping with the review points and pictures

Last edited by Rehaan : 25th January 2012 at 19:03.
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Old 25th January 2012, 19:19   #6
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

WOW ! There comes the much awaited review. Looks like Nissan plans to play with that one single diesel motor thru out their range. As expected, the car is identical with its performance to the Nissan dci from the engine perspective. Minimal turbo lag & a neat cruising. Guess people have accepted this car and what I heard last was Bangy dealer has around 300 bookings and 2-3 months waiting for the diesel version.

Edit
:: Well, I would love to know how would it perform under cornering & also comfort on undulated road sections?

From the bonnet pics, I don't see any carpeting at all! Is the motor supremely refined?! Guess a tyre upgrade would take care of the road noise?

Last edited by swiftnfurious : 25th January 2012 at 19:22. Reason: Adding "Edit" portion
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Old 25th January 2012, 19:39   #7
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rehaan View Post
Most of us are familiar with how the C-segment has bifurcated into several sub-segments over time. Well, expect the lines to continually blur as more and more vehicles are launched in the Indian market. The Sunny Diesel for example, price-wise, sits somewhere between the lower C1 and higher C2 segment. This has caused some confusion as to whether it’s an over-priced competitor to the Dzire, Manza, Etios and others in the C1 segment, or a well-priced competitor to the Rapid, Vento and rest of the C2 segment. Personally, I view the Sunny as being more of a C2 competitor due to its substantial rear space and interior quality that is superior to what competitors in the C2 segment offer. In the end, these are just fairly abstract groupings, so to each their own.
Quite true and very well put.
I believe, Nissan created the confusion themselves by staging the petrol variants in competition with the Manza/Dezire/Etios (C1) and then positioning the diesels in direct competition to Rapide/Vento/Verna etc (C2).

Rehaan, thanks for the review!
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Old 25th January 2012, 19:45   #8
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Thanks a lot Rehaan for taking out the time and making that report. It is exactly what I needed ( or was it now that I had decided to go for the Vento? ).

How did you find the Clutch in your TD car? It was very very light in the car I drove. Also the NVH levels did sound a tad bit higher.

Overall this is a great VFM car. I feel both the XL and XV variants make a lot of sense. Ofcourse one may not want to spend that extra 80k since the XL is fairly well kitted but you do get equipment worth 80k for sure in the XV.

Last but not the Least: Having driven it properly, what would you advice me? You know my dilemma I guess. Should I go for the Vento HL or the Sunny XL?
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Old 25th January 2012, 20:45   #9
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Great crisp short review Rehaan!! Nice to see addition of Key Feature list on the review. It should be included in all future reviews too.
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Old 25th January 2012, 21:40   #10
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Thanks Rehaan for this review. I can't believe i missed this one.
1. The suspension must have changed to handle the heavier diesel engine. How has that changed the handling over bad roads and under cornering?
2. How is the steering feedback?
3. Did you get a chance to drive with 3 passengers in the rear?

Last edited by GTO : 30th January 2012 at 15:37. Reason: Removing unnecessary COLOUR tag
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Old 26th January 2012, 00:07   #11
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Thank you for the review Rehaan. Great job.

Am considering this car so had a couple of questions for you:

1) Which one would you rather drive everyday in the city : Sunny or Vento ?
2) Which one has the better ride: Sunny or Vento ?
3) What are the extended warranty options Nissan is offering on the Sunny Diesel?
4) Any idea about Nissan's spare parts and servicing cost?

Last edited by AbhiJ : 26th January 2012 at 00:11.
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Old 26th January 2012, 00:41   #12
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by drmohitg View Post
Thanks a lot Rehaan for taking out the time and making that report. It is exactly what I needed ( or was it now that I had decided to go for the Vento? ).

How did you find the Clutch in your TD car? It was very very light in the car I drove. Also the NVH levels did sound a tad bit higher.

Overall this is a great VFM car. I feel both the XL and XV variants make a lot of sense. Ofcourse one may not want to spend that extra 80k since the XL is fairly well kitted but you do get equipment worth 80k for sure in the XV.

Last but not the Least: Having driven it properly, what would you advice me? You know my dilemma I guess. Should I go for the Vento HL or the Sunny XL?


I am also in a fix. Choice is between Vento D HL and Sunny D XL. My concern is which one is hassel free as I don't want to go to service stations for niggling issues. Also I heard that Vento D needs engine oil top-up??

My problem is that the car will be driven by driver, most of the time. So need help.

Also any idea about Sunny D - AC performance, keeping in view the huge cabin space.
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Old 26th January 2012, 00:53   #13
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

The engine is the strongest point of Micra and now Sunny. However, what the Micra lacked was:

- underthigh support on the rear seat.
- short and slick gearshift, its kind of rubbery.
- inadequate brake feel.

and my main grouse with the Micra was,

- uninspiring steering feedback on highways( it just doesn't weigh up at all).

It seems that Nissan hasn't improved/worked upon on these for Sunny. Its just seems like a CAAAAAAR that is Micra with a boot.

BTW,how was the steering response on high speeds?
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Old 26th January 2012, 07:10   #14
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

This car is one of the main contenders for my Dad's next run-about! Could you please add an inside shot of the rear seat? Thanks for a very good review, Rehaan.
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Old 26th January 2012, 07:28   #15
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Re: Nissan Sunny Diesel : Test Drive & Review

Nice review Rehaan. I TD-ed this car over the weekend and came away pleasantly surprised overall. That diesel engine with no turbo lag is Wow! I am a die-hard "petrol"head and the linear acceleration really appealed to me.

Was not at all happy with the NVH once I hit the highway, though. Probably a factor of me being used to petrols, because my friends assure me the Vento Tdi and others are more noisy!

I found your observation about inadequate brakes spot-on: in fact I think you've been fairly charitable to them; my instant reaction was: WHOA! These brakes suck!

Renault-Nissan surely have more of an engine repertoire? How many more cars are they gonna plonk this old workhorse in? Even the "premium" Fluence shares this engine.
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