AIMS: Pulsar back to the future pricing!

Nissan has gone back to the future not only with the name of its new Pulsar small car but with the pricing as well.

The base model ST sedan will go on-sale next February at $19,990 (plus on-road costs), a price its predecessor was pitched at as far back as 1996. In the process it has undercut most of its rivals including the best-selling Mazda3.

And Nissan has also confirmed the Pulsar hatch range, which will follow the sedan to market by about 100 days, will be topped by a hot hatch (badged 'SSS') powered by a direct injection turbo-petrol 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that will pump out 140kW and 240Nm. The SSS will star on Nissan’s stand alongside the Pulsar sedan at the Sydney motor show, which kicks off later this week at Darling Harbour.

The Pulsar will return to sale in Australia almost exactly seven years after the nameplate was controversially axed and replaced by the Tiida global small car. However, the Tiida proved to be an utter flop, eroding almost completely Nissan’s position in what has evolved into the dominant passenger car sales segment.

By contrast, the Pulsar badge still has 71 per cent name recognition in Australia, and the car is seen as a vital plank in Nissan’s ambition to become the biggest selling importer brand here. The Pulsar name returns only for local consumption. In other markets Nissan’s name for its new generation small car will include Sylphy and Sentra.

Here, the Pulsar sedan lineup will comprise the ST, the mid-spec ST-L and the flagship Ti. From ST, pricing climbs to $23,650 for the ST-L and tops out at $28,990 for the Ti (all plus on-road costs).

All three cars are powered by the same 1.8-litre 102kW/174Nm DOHC 16-valve engine. Standard transmission in ST and ST-L is a six-speed manual, with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) worth an extra $2250. The Ti comes standard with the CVT.

The top-selling Mazda3 Neo sedan starts at $20,330, the Holden Cruze CD $21,490, the Hyundai i30 Active $20,990 (as for the outgoing Toyota Corolla Ascent). There is no Volkswagen sedan at this price, although the entry-level Golf 77TSI hatch starts at $21,990.

The freshly re-priced Ford Focus Ambiente and ageing Mitsubishi Lancer ES match it, while the run-out Kia Cerato S ($19,390) is cheaper. Pulsar pricing is more expensive than Tiida, which exits at $18,990.

The elephant in the room is the 11th generation Toyota Corolla, for which pricing is announced tomorrow (Wednesday October 17).

To boost interest Nissan has announced a pre-sale offer that guarantees future value and a monthly repayment of $299 for an ST manual based on a 10 per cent deposit and a comparison rate of 7.50 per cent per annum. This offer starts at $399 per month for the ST-L and $499 per month for the Ti. Cash-buying customers will receive a $1000 Nissan voucher to spend on Nissan genuine Accessories, servicing, insurance or extended warranty.

Nissan is saying little about the SSS, which was last sold as part of the N15 Pulsar generation and was discontinued in 2000. It is also holding much detail about the Thai-built Pulsar sedan back until February. For instance, it has not predicted any sort of NCAP star rating.

However, Nissan did confirm all Pulsar sedans will come equipped with six airbags, four wheel disc brakes with ABS aided by Emergency Brake Distribution and Brake Assist, traction and stability control (VDC), five lap-sash seatbelts and front seatbelt reminders. Bluetooth, MP3 and iPod connectivity will be standard across the range, along with six-speaker audio and a multi-function steering wheel with reach and rake adjustment. The sedan's centre console houses dual cupholders and a bin with a sliding lid. Pulsar ST-L and Ti get a colour media screen, but only the Ti has dual-zone climate, satellite navigation, a reversing camera, an intelligent key and start/stop button.

Nissan claims the Pulsar’s interior space is class-leading, saying it surpasses some “family cars” (although it doesn’t name which ones). At 510 litres, the boot is certainly in the family car category.

Outside, all versions get LED rear combination lamps, chrome doorhandles and accent mouldings. The ST and ST-L roll on 16-inch alloys and the Ti 17s. The ST and Ti get turn indicators in the door mirrors and LED headlight accents.

At more than 4.6m long, the Pulsar is longer, wider and lower than the Tiida. It claims a 0.30 aerodynamic Cd (coefficient of drag). Fuel consumption is claimed to be amongst the best in class, which equates to an average in the low 6.0L/100km category.

The Pulsar’s new long-stroke engine includes twin continuously variable valve timing. However, both power and torque outputs are lower than most rivals.

The latest generation Xtronic CVT auto features a sub-planetary gearset which Nissan says provides more response at low speed while allowing lower revs at high speed.

CVTs are often criticised for tardy launch response and the drone the engine emits under acceleration. Nissan says the feature is like having a high and low range in the transmission. At 100km/h, the engine is only running at 1700rpm, which is very low for an engine of this size and should aid cruising fuel economy significantly.

It is expected the CVT will be more economical than the six-speed manual.

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