Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM), at a recent CNY lunch, announced that it will be introducing several new models this year. They are a B-segment sedan, a “few interesting CBU models” and the electric-powered Nissan LEAF. This comes after the Navara Single Cab and NV200 Vanette that was announced last weekend.
Asked to comment on the prospects of the automotive sector this year, here’s what ETCM’s executive director Datuk Dr Ang Bon Beng had to say: “2012 will not be a rosy year for the automotive sector. The first quarter remains challenging, because supply interruptions caused by the Thailand flood continue to persist. Apart from this, the stringent loan conditions for hire purchase of vehicles in Malaysia may affect our sales too. Moreover, consumers are cautious on the global economic outlook.
“The market will only pick up in the second half of the year, with MAA forecasting that TIV will grow 2.5% to hit 615,000 units this year. We are confident that Nissan sales volume will exceed industry growth with the introduction of new models in segments which Nissan is currently unrepresented.”
The B-segment sedan in question should be the Sunny, although it’s not certain if that household name will be reused (we were at the car’s world debut in China, click here for more), while the March and Juke could be on the CBU menu. As for the LEAF, it’s a pilot programme, not commercial sales.
Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.
They named it Sunny again?
if new Honda Civic is ugly, then how do you describe the new Sunny above?
The new Sunny (or Almera in SG) must be the uglist and most poorly built, equipped econobox evert to come out of Nissan in recent history. So horrible in fact that the Juke somehow looks better by comparision…
The Almera is so bad that only 2 were sold in SG since its intro late last year and Tan Cheong SG is desperate for sales for this POS and its hatch cousin, the equally POS March… from which the Almera was based on.
Seriously, when you park the Almera next to the Elantra and the Forte, can you honestly say Nissan build better cars than the Koreans?!
Is there anything the Nissan offers that’s not available in the Elantra that you die die must buy from Nissan?
I dare say that the new Sunny/Almera should be compared to Potong instead of the Koreans and much less Europeans.
It’s amazing how much the Japs have degraded in the name of cost cutting.
I thought POS stands for point of sale. I’ve to re-read several times to understand that it’s …….. *faceplam*
Anyway, I thought dark interior will make it look better…. but based on the Almera’s images… it didn’t. *sigh*
I won’t say that the design is “bad” or “ugly” … I believe that people have their own taste/preference…. but for this Sunny, I totally don’t get it. At least I know that the Juke is being wacky… and it does look wacky … and some people (me included) like it.
But… but… this Sunny/Almera/Versa… it came out as wacky while trying to be “classy”.
Ah abang, you must visit SG more often la.
In SG, POS can mean Point of Sale (aka cash register machine), or Piece of s**t…. 
Obviously I’m refering to the latter right? LOL
The trouble with this new Sunny is that it shouts CHEAP, CUT COST, BASIC everywhere you look. The whole car doesn’t give you the feeling that you’ll be getting a great deal for your $$… and here in SG, the Elmera is priced virtually the same as the top spec Elantra 1.6 GLS Elite… so it doesn’t make any sense at that…
And with such long rear overhangs (to create that so called big boot), it sure looks like a sagging butt supported by 2 tiny 15″ wheels… Yes the rear end do looked like its sagging when it is actually not. Visual impression is very impt for a car, and Nissan just about blew every aspect of it here in the name of cost cutting.
In Thailand where this Sunny is built, you can order the base 1.2L 3 cyln engine from the March if that modest 1.5L proved too exciting for you. Sigh… WTF is this…enuff said..
so will GTR in the list??
Juke !
Junk !
If they bring Juke in, I wonder what the price going to be? RM 90 k?
Parallel importers are selling Nissan Juke for RM175k (on the basis of “only one in Malaysia,bla,bla,bla”).I wonder what the price of the Juke will be from ETCM.But to be below 100k is impossible lah.
RM104k++ for the 1.5 and
RM 134k ++ for the 1.6 Turbo
BORING , sums up the first impression .Nissan please employ better designers to forge ahead
They should junk this new POS Sunny and the March and try again on a clean sheet of paper.. But wait, Nissan don’t have the $$ to do that these days.. And people won’t mind since there’s a N badge up front…
Note, our SE Asia Sunnies/Almera DOESN’T have rear seat aircon vents as shown in the China market Sunnies. And you can forget about getting rear discs brakes no matter how much you’re willing to pay for the car. Wheels are tiny 15″ only.. but frankly with that dugong-on-steriods kind of side profile, even 17″ wheels can’t make the car any better looking.
6 airbags? In your dreams people. Dual airbags is all you can get. And if you insist on a 5MT, you loose passenger side airbag as a punishment for spending on a lesser model..
Hmm… it’s 2012 right? And we’re talking about Nissan right?? :p sigh….
Nissan need to learn from Proton how to design segment B car.. the new Sunny looks like Dugong great grand mother..
Proton is world no.1 car designer.. good job..
ETCM Dato looks so sleepy.. no wonder all product also come in late, very late.
Danny,if you noticed,in mudah.my there’s a brand new Nissan Elgrand 3.5 latest model for sale for RM384k,and the description said all the warranty will be under ETCM.Do you think it might be one of the CBU model ETCM will be bringing in??
they claim it the king of MPV. really? how about Alphard & Vellfire?
Personally,I think the latest Elgrand looks more luxurious than both Alphard and Vellfire.However,the interior,I still think the high spec Alphard/Vellfire’s one is better.
ETCM is officially selling the Elgrand. It was shown at the recent Nissan-Renault roadshow at BSC
LEAF is finally coming, first ever electric car….??!!!
And just for fun Nissan Leaf can complete the century sprint in only around 9 seconds…!! Around the same as Honda Civic 2.0L, faster than Lancer/Inspira 2.0L (CVT version). Faster than what I would expect…….
Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7SzVyMjBcM&feature=related
well, they bring back some nogistic sunny here again, i had my first sunny back in the 80′s, that time use to chase girls lah…very reliable car, workhorse n no major fault, cause not much technology inside. wonder wat changes now, if they bring in the new sunny. just curious lah. can’t n wun compare to my beemer…. totally different league
Can’t compare with Ferrari also… totally different league than your beemer. (See, I’m trying to say that I own a Ferrari… but for all you know I probably can’t even afford a Kancil).
Sorry I don’t usually do this kind of post but I got tired of people posting irrelevant comments insinuating they own this car or that car
Nissan Versa aka Nissan Sunny ranked 26th best selling car in US (Jan 2012), Versa@Sunny is also the best seliing B segment outsold Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent & Kia Soul.
Good Job Nissan !! Give those Kimchi Fanboy/Lackey a Rude Awakening.
That Versa is Tiida a.k.a. Latio right?
If the Latio is priced like a Sunny in Bolehland… I have no doubt it can be a best seller.
But this 2012 Sunny…. *sigh* ….
Versa Sedan is Sunny
Google it yourself !
So Korean car selling well in US must followed, Japanese car selling well in US must NOT followed ?? munafik isn’t it ?
Anyway Sunny is going to be rival for Vios & City in Canland.
Oh no. Maserati twin bro is here… LOL
Whoa… talking about car …. “munafik” came out….
*sigh*
*bye*
@Hyundai de la junk: I agree with u Nissan Sentra/ Sunny/Versa is quite huge in The State. Can easily tapao other manufacture. Do u ever wonder why?
I just have 1 question: Have u ever scroll down the US spec Nissan?
FYI the spec is jauh panggang dari api with what we get in our beloved land. Not to mention Tiida 1.8l hatchback manual, sunroof/ moonroof (cant remember) control swich at steereng wheel etc etc. There was also Sentra 2.0 on the market long time ago.
ETCM: balik pi juai the new Vennette saja la~
We know the Sunny/Versa is a good car when it comes to A-B transport, but your attitude or demonising the Koreans as if they have hurt you bad is really nauseating. Had a bad experience with one of their cars? Maybe, but your attitude here is really damn sickening to other readers here.
Trying to be another troll commenter here isit? Get a life please, or get yourself a lolly.\
Anyways, back to the Sunny/Versa thing, the main reason why people in the States buy it in droves is this:- It’s spacious, basic transport (which apparently has leg room as much as the mid-sized sedans on the market) which starts only at USD 11k. Now, it may be the basic model, but it still has the usual safety kit (airbags, ESP, the lot), except air-conditioning. And, for a few extra thousand dollars, we can get a better equipped one, which also includes satellite navigation!
Looks ugly, but effective in a good way. Not THAT bad after all.
Finally saw the JUKE in the list. Hope the price not dissapointed!!!
I want Juke and Qashqai please!
The new sunny should get global award…. Don’t get me wrong, it should be name The Damm Ugly car of the year!!!
The car actually looked worse when you see it in person.
Don’t believe? Drop by any Nissan showroom and see (or should I say, laugh:D) the POS for yourself the next time you visit SG..
The dash is utterly utilitrian and the plastic used are hard, and rough to tough. Nissan kept saying the boot volume is big, but what good would that serve if the boot OPENING itself is small? ANd when you have such deep boot and a small opening, you may end up crawling into the boot just to retrieve some items at the far end.
Well its not a problem if you’re a pretty girl in short miniskirt la.. ^_^
But for us guys, it’s totally uncool and totally frustrating… 
FYI, the Sunny/Almera doesn’t even have a central console armrest.. Some kind of luxury ya? And the Latio based 1.5L has been DETUNED for some reasons… and it still uses a 4AT…. no Nissan CVT box is offered…
Well… Nissan outlook r kinda ‘old’ for youngster… Even da interior aleso looks like too simple.. Hopefully they will change da style…
those who buy nissan cars from ETCM are old nyanyuk fools… there are better cars to choose from but i juz cant understand why they still pick for nissan ETCM… the Leaf is coming and i hope it can survive the tropical weather here since we always have floods around annually…
Hey! That’s not nice. I’m not old yet!
Hi Genius Albag,
Pls tell me which car model in Malaysia can survive the floods around annually please … ???
a pick up will save ur day
Leaf might interesting. However, ensure u charge it overnight before driving it as local parking don’t have EV facilities.
this 2012 nissan sunny is uglier than vios…nuff said
Why is it that in Malaysia cars are introduced always much later than in our Neibhouring countries? I was in Thailand in January and saw plenty of those driving around.
Frankly l rather prefer ETCM do not offer Ugly Sunny for our market. Better design car than inside out ugly Sunny needed. Just bring March and priced around Myvi or ten grand dearer at worst. RM70-80,000 March is suicidal since hybrid Prius Co$t Cutting mere RM97,000.
Bring Chinese Latio/Tiida hatchback instead of stretched March-Sunny.
Datuk Dr Ang Bon Beng , make LEAF a commercial sales pls …. we want something green