[UPDATE #2: The Nissan Latio is now available for booking in Edaran Tan Chong Motor showrooms nationwide. Click here for more details like prices, specs, etc.]
[UPDATE: The Nissan Latio will be launched in Malaysia sometime at the end of June 2006. Keep your fingers crossed and your money in the bank before parting with your cash on a new car in the RM80k to RM110k range and wait to see if the new Latio is a worthy choice. Click here for more details!]
These spyshots were sent in by reader Din. Finally, some signs of an all-new new Nissan model in Malaysia! Many of you have seen these two cars around with Singaporean number plates during the Chinese New Year festive season, as their Singaporean owners come back up to Malaysia to visit relatives. I’m talking about the Nissan Latio sedan and the Nissan Latio Sport hatchback.
Both a Nissan Latio sedan and a Nissan Latio Sport hatchback have been spotted with trade plates going around Genting with their Nissan badges covered with cardboard and sticky tape. This could mean our choices in the circa-100K and below market will be expanded by the end of this year with the introduction of these two models.
This shot is a little blur, but it shows the same black Nissan Latio sedan in the first photo, but there is also a greyish Nissan Latio Sport tailing it. If you look at the promo image after the jump from Nissan’s Singaporean website, you can see both cars clearly undisguised, with the same colours as the ones driving around in Genting.
In Singapore, both the Nissan Latio sedan and Nissan Latio Sport hatchback are powered by 1.5 litre engines – the new generation HR15DE making 109hp at 6,000rpm and 148Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. The relatively high RPM at which peak torque kicks in worries me a little, as it might cause the Nissan to have a very Campro-like driving experience, so if there are any Singaporean readers who have driven this car and would like to give feedback, you’re very most welcome to do so. In the USA, the same car is known as the Nissan Versa, and comes with a 1.8 litre engine mated to a CVT gearbox.
A new model in Nissan’s range is seriously quite overdue, as more than a year ago Nissan told The Edge Daily that it’s plans for 2006 was to launch a new luxury sedan and a luxury crossover SUV, and while some say the new Teana test drives are already available, there’s no official launch yet. It is 2007 now. Read this post dated 22nd February 2006 or this The Edge Daily article. This Nissan Latio sedan and hatch duo will most likely be the equivalent to the Toyota Vios and Yaris, or the Honda City and Jazz, which essentially are sedan and hatch versions of the same car.
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its about time Nissan refresh their product lineup..is this suppose to be direct competition with the honda jazz and toyota yaris?
As if the market in this segment not yet saturated… they wan to add more to it…. swt
Is it me or does the Latio Sport Hatchback rear brake lamps resemble one of Nissan's 2.0 Turbo Hatchback concept a couple years back?
Could be my imagination but I have to digress the similarities. It does seem a little worrying that the engine's peak torque is 148Nm at 4,400 RPM but I think the engineers would have thought of low end torque somehow to aid the car to reaching peak torque at 4,400 RPMs.
Now, if they would only bring in the Fuga, Maxima and Altima. That would be sweet.
wonder how much.. and if its locally assembled.
have to say, i think its slightly bigger than vios/city… so maybe abit pricier than those 2?
haha.. sems an answer to Toyota Vios !
Its not a secret that the models are to be brought in to msia for production.
The local Nissan brand is badly in need of a fresh line up in order to have its presence sustained, and felt.
Many Nissan fans outthere are just dying to get hold of some greatly made Nissans out there.
It is about time! Nissan's current models is getting stale. Hope to see Chevy, Suzuki and Nissan make a entrance in our compact sedan market this year.
The hatchback model looks like Kia Rio. I like the interior. Nice n simple.New comer to compete. Wait n see…
Well i knew some of the Nissan Salesman, they say nissan tiida latio sedan will have 1.6L and 1.8L New CVTC engine. while the tiida hatchback will only have 1.6L. Both will only have auto 4 speed not CVT used in Japan. The spec is like Thailand spec. If u want to know can go to Thailand nissan showroom and get one of the Boucher, cause i heard is almost the same. This car will be coming out after may.. the fastest.. or November.. Next year they will be coming out back the new bluebird and fuga.. They are coming out a new suv i think call also 1.6L and 1.8L, 8 seater car to stand between toyota avanza and innova, pricing below 100k within this year.
i think this car will do well.. nissan has always had a strong following in malaysia, and very loyal customers.
The hatchback certainly looks interesting, and if the price is right, the Jazz and Yaris are certainly gonna have have some trembling times. The sedan however, may fall a lil short compared to the best seller in the ASEAN region, the Vios. Though selling pretty well (in fact, it even outsold the City in Singapore), the Vios continues to deliver the goods mainly coz it's good the basic moves covered, and don't forget just how pleasurable the Vios can be when driven hard.
I drove a Latio not too long ago when my friend did come up to KL for a short trip, and the car seems to have a slightly better ride than the City and the Vios, not too soft nor too hard, just the right balance. The steering felt slightly better than the City's EPS unit and feedback was reasonably well, enough to transmit to the driver, conditions of the road.
Comfort wise, the car felt good along the Kesas highway, no complaints from the rear passengers but road noise was somewhat intrusive in the cabin, mainly due to the worn out tyres. Subjectively this car is roomier than the City and the Vios. The City has always been a tall car, but lacks width, while the Vios is somewhat lower with wider width from left to right, but hampered by its thicker doors and large seats. The Latio's legroom itself was almost comparable with the Civic's when viewed from the driver's seat though i may be wrong.
Performance wise, this car felt nippy enough, as the CVT unit was more than competent to match the Vios and the City's pick up…. we did a lil' test against my cousin's City and Vios.
Of course, our neighbours in Singapore will always get more bang for their buck, compared to our markets here where many luxury items are always omitted in the name of cost savings. I doubt our units here will be endowed with auto air con, auto light system, keyless entry and etc. But we may get the Plasmacluster air con as Nissan is really pushing this tech into their cars.
So, i guess with Nissan's often aggresive pricing, we might see a new best seller in this non-national 1.5cc cars. Interesting times ahead, but they'll need to move fast as the our Cefiros are about the match the Proton Saga's run of longevity.
Can't wait for TCM to bring the Bluebird & Teana. Hope they can also bring their mid-size American brands here: Altima, Maxima and Fuga (Skyline sedan).
The Bluebird will replace Sentra, and not sure about Cefiro tho. Teana is quite old already in Singapore but yet to TC failed to bring it inroads.
It's time Nissan give Toyota and Honda a run for its money.
Nissan has been laying low for quite a while now. It's time for them to RISE AGAIN and reclaim some of its glory NOW.
Nissan's engines are legendary – as many motoring enthusiasts knows.
And with the launch of the Latio Sedan & Latio Sport Hatchback, it will be an exciting match between the 3 main Japanese brands in Malaysia.
Cheerio!
Nissan doing a Clio? Obviously for the Asian Market. And in tune with the Golf, a stretched hatchback for a sedan. Hmmm interesting. Probably the engine is Nissan.
It would be really nice if it was the Renault Sport/ Megane Hatch though. But can't expect that to come with a 1.5l engine would you?
nissan's looks can't fight with vios or city. nissan come in i think is a bit late but is batter then nothing because nissan did not come out new car in malaysia for so long.
I followed a Latio Sedan as I was on my way to PD last year.
The car is kinda weird as it looked "narrow & tall" when followed from behind.
i guess this is the same thing as the australia's nissan tiida. it has the similar looks. well, this car drives well, for me. it's a good small car.
Drive along NSE and you'll come across the many Latio sedan from Singapore number plate,it's about the size of city/vios.Should price slightly below city/vios,just like their sentra vs civic/altis.
By the way when are they going to bring in the singapore cefiro version?It's big and elegant should be able to give accord a run for money(camry no worries cos it's relatively new-lexus look alike).
Overall i think people who bought a nissan car before should be happy cos their car design(sentra,serena,cefiro) last as long as the like of proton….hahah
same like our city, ugly
so, this Nissan Latio is the one size smaller than Sentra
exterior looks dull, like something new since 1990's….
interior is the best at its category! simple and looks classy too… wait till i have my hand on them to decide…. ones have to touch(feel) its quality and not by its appearance.. local made interior ?
Are they(TC) use the same TUV Certified Supplier's such from P1 ?
Anyone ?
YaTTAAA!!
Nissan Versa!
Finally…….anyone can remember the last model that Nissan introduced? All the models are aged old already. If this the Latio Sedan price around the Vios and City range then it will be a great fight. Since Thailand already launched the Vios replacement that is Belta, so is a fightback from Nissan.
thank you kington. Comparing your driving experience of vios, city and latio, it has some what change my mind to consider latio for my next car.
Paul, if you don't mind. Can we have a post for comparing Vios, City, Latio side by side? Just to see what spec we are getting on these 3 1500cc model.
Thanks in adv.
any sign of qashqai ?
or any other nice models like the cefiro ?
i think its time for a new cefiro already.
I'm a Malaysian working in Singapore and driving a Latio Sedan( 1.5 liter). Why I choose this car is because of the following:
– From the exterior it look small , but the interior is big. For my height 1.8meter, by extending the driver to the max to the back, if an another 1.8meter guy sit at the back , his leg space between the from seat and the knee is approx 5cm.
– The feature keyless entry with keyless ignition, plasma cluster digital control aircon, alcantara with half leather seat, auto head light, anti glare rear mirror.
– The base of the car is base on renault clio, the handling is good.( continental base with japan engine)
– CVT gear box to improve fuel efficientcy.
This car is more comfortable as compare to my previous JDM Corolla, and with all the feature is really value for money.
i saw it everyday ard segambut area. not so nice
rides not bad. quiet cabin. smooth drive comfy with cvt gb. but at 180kmh the car is like floating.
Well even a Altis can float at 180km/h.. This is 1.5cc not a 3.0cc car man! This is for the city! If i not mistaken it will be 1.6cc with 4 speed for Malaysia market.. Hp will be better but still using old transmission.. i heard trying to save cost… and price below altis. While the current Sentra they will try to made it lower then the current vios…
ohh well littlefire.. u'll know what i mean when youre really driving one.
The Latio is highly specced in Singapore: intelligent key, auto aircon with plasmacluster Ion, alcantara/leather uphostery, CVT, auto-light system and even an option for navigation system.
Although its engine is 1.5L, it's main competitor is the Altis and Mazda3. Latio is actually more expensive than Altis in Singapore and its selling very well.
One thing that stands out for Latio is SPACE. Interior space is simply amazing in its class.
Wow, is it really here?…saw the cars in Singapore last year… Where i am now, i have the opportunity to drive many cars which are yet to arrive in Malaysia (at least)… I'm driving this car in China where its called the Tiida which you all know by now. I bought a hatchback, automatic transmission, 1.4 (if i am not mistaken, or is it 1.6? hmm..)for approx RMB 130,000 (=RM60,000) for the lowest spec model.
It's rather popular in China. Its really spacious and roomy..I have to agree that it gives the Vios and City a run for the money. Personally speaking, i dont like the sedan version…its handling is really good and very smooth… but i did notice that it does guzzle fuel a little bit too much…but that is my subjective personal view…full tank lasts me like a week (approx. 300km)?? sumthing like that…it handles much better than a Renault Clio…Bottom line, i recommend buying it… the Tiida… value for money…if the gov doesnt slap high taxes on it…
i need to buy a car in Malaysia, what do you experienced & savvy people recommend? Wait for the new Vios (Belta) to come out (October 07?) or get a current City or Vios? What say you?
Boy… it’s plain ugly… a cross between a Xtrail and Sentra? Yucks!
If the Latio is CKD, that means TC is serious about using Latio as a Vios/City killer…
paul this car has been already running in AUSTRALIA from January 2006. lolX.. we r getting it very late.. as usual…… its called Nissan Tiida in AUSTRALIA.. check the website nissan.com.au… the basic model cost around AUD19,990…… im sure its gonna be 90 grand in our country…. dammmm.. im really sure that it cant compete with vios and city , jazz.. cause the design suckZZZ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVD5s-yjOgk
video of a Nissan Latio spotted in Gombak MRR2….
a bit bad quality video but can see the car lor….