Nissan Versa Sedan facelift – an Almera for the US

2015 Versa Sedan

The Nissan Almera is not just limited to developing markets. It’s available in the US as well, known there as the Nissan Versa Sedan. And like its ASEAN counterpart, the booted Versa has just received a mid-life facelift.

In the US, the sole engine is the HR16DE, a 1.6 litre normally-aspirated engine producing 109 hp and 145 Nm of torque. The engine has dual-CVTC variable valve timing, and is fitted with a dual-injector system to deliver a finer fuel spray. Three different transmissions are available depending on trim level – a five-speed manual, a four-speed automatic, or an Xtronic CVT gearbox.

Although the exterior looks largely similiar with differences such as alloy wheel design, the interior has a completely different centre dash stack compared to design in our Almera. While the facelifted Almera gets a gloss black curved centre stack, the Versa Sedan’s is more angular and has no gloss.

Safety specs include a full suite of six airbags, as well as Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and Traction Control System (TCS).

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Maserati(Original) on Apr 13, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    Yucks!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 48 Thumb down 5
    • kzm (Member) on Apr 13, 2014 at 10:33 pm

      This how japanese car maker treat ASEAN country especially thais..first world get 6 or more airbag

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 40 Thumb down 4
      • Car Enthusiast on Apr 14, 2014 at 2:56 pm

        When I was in US last year, this car RRP was USD9,999. I followed my friend to buy this car, after heavy nego and promo, managed to get a brand new CBU Japan Made Auto with 6 airbags for USD8000 (RM24,000)

        We here got caplang CKD made for RM65,000. Nearly 3 times the price, less spec and Made In Malaysia.

        Long live the AP cronies of Malaysia!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 33 Thumb down 0
    • abuya123 on Apr 14, 2014 at 12:31 am

      Kenapa aku tengok facelift rasa mcm nak menyumpah seranah…. Buruk…..

      Underpowered but a savior for fc mania

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 3
      • Macai on Apr 14, 2014 at 12:08 pm

        Nanti supplier bodykits tarak bisness lah…mesti design ugly dulu…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
      • Otak Udang on Apr 14, 2014 at 3:38 pm

        If this is the facelift for the Almera, expect this to come to Malaysia after 5 years when the Almera model is no more in the US.

        Because that is how tortoise slow ETCM is. Launch models 7 years later and launch facelifts 7 years later.

        Pariah company with no sense of duty to Malaysians.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
      • Anti-Toyota on Jun 10, 2014 at 1:18 pm

        Just love reading some of the comments here. I am not surprised at all that this Almera has been voted among top 10 ugliest car. Nissan has to understand that practicality and reliability do not equal to ugly. Thank God design wise Proton is not considered as ugly but of course reliability is a different issue with Proton.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Motorhead (Member) on Apr 13, 2014 at 9:09 pm

    Well at least the lamp look abit masculine. . A bit only.. Almeera look is too feminine. ( from my eyes).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 17
  • come on lah Nissan

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 3
  • daniel on Apr 13, 2014 at 9:18 pm

    It had been on sale in US since the pre-facelift model!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
  • ramasamy cheng jusoh on Apr 13, 2014 at 9:42 pm

    ini kereta ker apa ni…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 1
  • roti canai (Member) on Apr 13, 2014 at 9:57 pm

    honestly no idea who buys this in USA

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 7
    • 4G63T DSM on Apr 14, 2014 at 10:38 am

      Some will buy but they wont sell very many of them. But they are very cheap. Starting at 12,000. Making it perhaps one of the cheapest car in the market, if not THE.

      It even undercuts the Kia Rio. As for a basic auto, it has most things you will need, like the mandatory 6 airbags, and enough toys to not look completely striped out.

      It will be no doubt going to be showroom fodder, trying to get people to go one step up.

      With the lease rate of 150/mth, you can flip burgers part time and still easily afford this.

      But yes, if you look at this at face value and what they are going for here in Bolehland, yes, i agree with you, someone would be mad to buy something like this.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
  • tujupakale on Apr 13, 2014 at 10:11 pm

    it is still ugly! even preve nampak lagi smart..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 47 Thumb down 12
    • Same Lorr on Apr 14, 2014 at 2:13 pm

      Preve looks even smarter in garage, when parked side by side with its siblings: Iswara, Saga, Wira, Exora etc.

      Where the Almera doesn’t need to visit garage regularly.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 8
    • alldisc on Apr 14, 2014 at 3:41 pm

      try selling preve in the USA. or better still – the UK. wont dare trying in such a competitive open market where corolla auris/ford focus/vauxhall astra/golf/fiat punto is priced more or less the same.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • Allen toyota subang on Apr 13, 2014 at 10:17 pm

    Definitely no LENGLUI will ride this car…life is soo boring for almera owner…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 18
  • 8772s on Apr 13, 2014 at 10:21 pm

    What an ugly car? Do you need a designer to design such an ugly car? The designer ought to be shot.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 2
  • tkhengong on Apr 13, 2014 at 11:00 pm

    The car was featured and driven by Jessica Brody in Season 3 of Homeland!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
  • spongewai on Apr 13, 2014 at 11:06 pm

    will Malaysia spec get an improve 1.5 with CVT as well too??!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
  • Nissan on Apr 13, 2014 at 11:35 pm

    How come the interior design is much nicer than Asia version?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • NISSpengAN on Apr 14, 2014 at 6:04 am

    Nissan for life!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 4
  • I pity those among us who always see grass is always greener on the other side.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 8
  • what the….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
  • loose (Member) on Apr 14, 2014 at 9:11 am

    unbalance in everyangle : just my opinion

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
    • alldisc on Apr 14, 2014 at 3:44 pm

      designers woke up on the wrong side of the bed and went straight to work.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • 109 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque for 1600cc engine?? a 1500cc iVtec can produce 11 horsepower more than this junk

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • Usha-Usha on Apr 14, 2014 at 9:49 am

    does this car picture distort or indeed so…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Timba on Apr 14, 2014 at 10:04 am

    The only i like about the brand is the R35, fullstop

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
  • Same UGLY…..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Silent Reader on Apr 14, 2014 at 10:17 am

    Looks like crap…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Joker on Apr 14, 2014 at 11:02 am

    errrr……. i seriously dun tink American will end up buying this… It’s essentially under power by American standard and it’s just plain ugly…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • obat pelangsing cepat aman on Apr 14, 2014 at 11:14 am

    kelas sedan memang disukai

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Almari tetap Almari…..no matter how high the spec go…this model will join Suzuki…RIP

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 6
  • iskhalifah on Apr 14, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    Surpised to see much haters’ comments over here. I suspected that they never had driven the Almera before.

    The Almera (also known as Versa/Sunny) is one of Nissan top sales model globally, even more successful than the model it replaces, the Latio (also known as Tiida/Versa). As a BASIC FAMILY SEDAN MODEL, it does its job pretty well. Despite its ‘Dugong-like’ appearance, ‘short of brisk’ engine and ‘unsporty’ handling, it does excellent job in terms of overall NVH refinement, ride comfort, fuel consumption and generous legroom. Its aluminium engine is going to last long with proper care, and maintenance cost is not going to be an issue.

    I recently bought Almera for my wife. I preferred this over the new City & Vios. With the same amount of price including 5K TCM rebate(RM75K), I got full spec VL instead of getting the basic version of the City/Vios (S & J), with comfort & refinement that is nearly similar to that of Nissan Sylphy (best in class prior to new Altis). I never regretted buying the Almera despite the newer City looks more sleek & rich in feature. IMHO, the Almera is a perfect buy for a family with little kids like me.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 2
    • I bet your wife same the Almera, same Fugly.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 26
    • Jebonr on Apr 14, 2014 at 3:31 pm

      I agree with You on the performance and comfort. It is just enough for daily use. I know because I’ve driven one for 2 week, a friend of mine that is. But, it’s the look. something is just not right.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
    • alldisc on Apr 14, 2014 at 3:53 pm

      rebate from tan chong? wow. that just shows ETCM is also struggling to move its stocks.

      fyi, Toyota also has rebates and discounts up its sleeve, if one is clever enough when talking with the Sales Advisors.

      Honda does give rebates in a form of free maintenance (parts & labour).

      remember – Nissan almost went bankrupt (meaning the cars were not selling. not selling meant not good enough in terms of looks, reliabilities, build quality, driveability etc).

      its almost the same team designing the almera.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • FUGLY…..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 5
  • Aku tengok owner Almera tambah skirting tampak menawan juga. Jika ditetapkan 6 beg udara untuk semua varian ianya pasti berbaloi untuk dimiliki.

    Mungkin jika dilihat secara terus, tidak sehodoh didalam gambar. Model ni tak fotogenik gamaknya.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  • Jebonr on Apr 14, 2014 at 3:21 pm

    The front looks OK. But from the middle to the rear, it’s just so NOT OK. I guess Nissan design team was drunk at the end of their design session.So came out such look.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Peter on Apr 14, 2014 at 9:41 pm

    Everything shipped to US is nicer & cheaper. Same model but cheaper + higher spec compared to local version … even the aircond knob looks nicer than those fr TC, not mentioning the stearing! WTF!!?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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