Nissan Almera on the way

Nissan has confirmed a compact sedan will be offered alongside its commendable Micra hatchback next year. The new Almera was first shown at the China International Automobile Exhibition in 2010, badged as the Sunny (pictured).

Nissan will obtain the small four-door sedan for the Australian market from its production facility in Thailand. The Almera is based on the same V (for ‘versatile') platform as the hatch and uses the higher-spec Micra model's 1.5-litre engine and continuously variable transmission.

Nissan Australia's Managing Director, Dan Thompson told motoring.com.au his company was still considering the price difference, if any, between the sedan and hatch versions of its light segment offerings. "We're aware some [competitors] charge extra for a sedan and others charge the same," said Thompson.

Competitors currently offering sedan models in the light car class include Toyota (with Yaris), Holden (TK-series Barina) and Ford (Fiesta).

Specification levels will be very different between the models, he suggested, allowing the brand to position the hatch at entry-level prices and the sedan as a premium small car option. They share a platform but appear poles apart: the new Almera's interior treatment resembles the Micra's but its exterior styling is a lot more conservative than the hatch's trendy, bulbous lines.

The Almera sedan is one of four new models intended for roll-out during 2012, including the Patrol, updates for Navara and LEAF. Nissan's associate brand Infiniti will also release four models; expected here by 2013.

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