Nissan Dualis 2007 Review - International

Things have started well for Nissan's all-new Dualis model, which is due for local showrooms later this year. The "segment breaker" crossover hatch has been awarded Euro NCAP's best safety rating yet for a passenger car, scoring highly in front and side impact, and pedestrian tests.

Interest in sales for the Dualis is also strong. Nissan happily admitted to six-month waiting lists in Europe during the Carsales Network's long-lead introduction in the UK earlier this month.

The Dualis is one of three new models including X-TRAIL and Micra to be rolled out by Nissan Australia later this year. It will be offered here with a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

Dualis is a city-only SUV-cum-hatchback available in two or all-wheel drive -- Nissan's carefully market-researched solution to the needs of a modern urban family which prefers a high ride on the road and opts for all-wheel drive to appease a sense of safety rather than any off-track travelling.

Australians are unlikely to get the choice of two or all-wheel drive when the car arrives. Our import tariffs favour all-paw vehicles so a front-wheel-drive Dualis could conceivably match or top the all-wheel drive in price. Expect a figure around $30K for Dualis.

Nissan Australia's marketing manager Ross Booth told the Carsales Network: "Dualis is longer and taller than a small car but shorter and more squat than a compact SUV, so it has advantages for its size. Importantly, our research shows people like an elevated driving position which is why they buy compact SUVs."

The Dualis line-up for overseas markets includes the new Nissan 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, rated at 103kW/200Nm, a 1.6-litre petrol four with 84kW/156Nm, and two turbodiesels: 1.5-litre (78kW/240Nm) and 2.0-litre (110kW/320Nm).

The petrol 2.0-litre 2WD and 4WD versions are offered with six-speed manual or 'M-CVT' as used in the new X-TRAIL (review here).

Nissan Australia has confirmed we will be offered the Dualis with the 104kW 2.0-litre petrol engine only. There's still some conjecture on transmission options, but we'd bet on the choice of manual and CVT arriving Down Under. Full details and pricing will not be announced until the Dualis' local launch at the Australian International Motor Show in October.

The vehicle is produced as the Qashqai at Sunderland, UK for overseas markets, with European tastes in mind. Dualis is the name Nissan uses in Japan and Australia. The US-only Nissan Rogue is similar but different! Confused?

The Dualis' fit, finish and ride dynamics are 'softer' than X-TRAIL, and designed to accommodate the wants of female buyers, says Nissan Australia.

"Dualis is softer than X-TRAIL with more padded armrests and seating, and extra cabin features," Booth told CN. "It's also easier to drive and park. Frankly, it was designed with a female skew, for managing inner-city driving duties."

Dualis has easy ingress/egress despite its SUV-like ground clearance, which was included to manage city speed humps rather than sand channels, remember. Large doors and a lightweight rear hatch also help access to the interior.

On the road Dualis is immediately comfortable and quiet, though there's some road noise from the tyres and wind noise from the large side-view mirrors. A good driving position can be found quickly, helped by tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment and multi-way adjustment for the driver's seat.

Stylists wanted to make a distinction between driver and passengers in the cabin, and aimed for a driver-focussed cockpit design. Instrumentation is housed in a narrow shroud and only the climate, window and audio controls are mounted in a raised centre console. The partition effect created by the high console will win softroader buyers not keen on Honda CRV's open-to-the-floor design.

All rear passengers get headrests and there's generous door pocket storage, however seating in the rear is best left to two passengers. Headroom is also at a minimum. Seating is is on the soft side but supportive. Sight lines are good from all points.

Dualis shares alliance partner Renault's C-platform with X-TRAIL, uses MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension and gets four-wheel disc brakes. The 4WD models use X-TRAIL's 'all mode' system (not the latest ALL MODE-i system -- see here) with 4WD Lock mode.

Our drive impressions are the result of a short intra-urban launch route from London. With that qualifier, we can confirm Dualis has a more compliant ride than its stablemate compact SUV yet its handling feels better tied down on the road. Steering response is more precise and it's less prone to understeer when you get enthusiastic. It's no hot hatch but its manners suit its crossover tag.

The 2.0-litre engine is orderly and quiet; easily up to the task for a city runabout. Considering Dualis' weight (around 1400kg with the 2.0-litre and 4WD), the proof will be in its economy which has yet to be tested in Australia. Nissan Europe's figures are 8.2lt and 8.4lt/100km for the manual 2WD and 4WD models respectively, and 8lt and 8.3lt/100km for the models with CVT.

So, is Dualis just the restyled X-TRAIL we didn't get?

"Dualis and X-TRAIL have similarities but they will appeal to different customers," Booth told the Carsales Network.

"Dualis has efficiency advantages over a compact SUV. We're offering the 2.0-litre engine because it's powerful and the fuel efficiency would be just above many small cars, and under compact SUVs."

Nissan says Dualis is different enough not to deprive X-TRAIL of sales and will instead find its buyers from other segments. We're still to be convinced.

"There will be some sales substitution, because we're bringing in another vehicle that's close [to X-TRAIL] but Dualis will find different buyers. I'd argue Dualis will bring in new people."

Nissan marketers even believe some small and light car customers will upsize, telling us they expect Dualis to overtake Micra sales in Europe.

Visit the Carsales Network later this week for our first drive impressions of the Nissan's return-to-Oz Micra.

To comment on this article click here