Nissan Tiida 2006 Review

What we liked
>> Interior space
>> Fit and finish
>> Class-first six-speeder

Not so much
>> Centre rear lap-sash
>> No ABS on lower spec
>> Standard tyres

OVERVIEW
Booming small-car sales have given birth to the tightest, toughest-fought market on the planet. Small motoring no longer means budget motoring -- levels of sophistication, technical polish and driveability are off the charts. To be a front-runner in this segment takes a rare mix of abilities.

And it's with a blend of its own abilities that Nissan's crucial Pulsar replacement, Tiida, will enter the fray. With the help of Renault, Nissan has attempted to fuse a European approach to space efficiency, interior flexibility and driving dynamics with typically Japanese concepts of build quality, refinement and a deft touch. Tiida proves a (mostly) happy union.

FEATURES
Under the guiding hand of parent company, Renault, Nissan's Tiida attempts to bridge the gap between buyers seeking Japanese efficiency and those chasing Euro chic.

Don't underestimate the importance of this all-new model; since the Pulsar was introduced into Australia in 1980, more than 350,000 have hit the streets. The just-replaced N14 Pulsar sold more than 100,000 units. And Nissan Oz expects Tiida to outstrip the stalwart Pulsar, so the Japanese-cum-French small-car undoubtedly has some big treads to fill.

Available in five-door hatch and a four-door sedan, Tiida comes in several spec levels, kicking off at $19,990 for the entry-level, six-speed manual ST sedan and hatch (add $2000 across the range for the four-speed auto). The next rung up sees the ST-L models wearing a $22,240 sticker, while the range-topping Q hatch starts at $24,490 and the auto-only Ti sedan can be yours for $26,490.

Tiida is fractionally longer than Pulsar, but with a 65mm bigger wheelbase and obvious Renault touches throughout the car -– from the amazingly spacious interior, to the curvy, slightly-quirky styling, to the kind of ride polish you used to expect from a European. Japanese manufacturing strengths also shine with tight shutlines and a genuine feel of quality permeating the cabin.

Claimed official ADR81/01 fuel consumption is a competitive 7.6lt/100km for the six-speed manual and 7.8lt/100km for the auto.

COMFORT
Where the superseded Pulsar's cabin betrayed both its age and origin, the Tiida hatchback is like stepping into the Tardis. It's stunningly spacious inside for a small car, and almost a case of yell loud enough and wait for the echo (No, not the Toyota). The front seats are big enough to easily accommodate larger frames and are a very comfy place to spend a few hours. No numb-bum here, then.

Behind the seats there's more room than you'll find in some large cars, with head, leg, knee and footroom astonishing for a car of this stature. And in a quintessentially French twist, the unusual shape of the rear door aperture (broader at the top than the bottom) makes Tiida beautifully easy to get in and out of. Tiida also features a fore/aft sliding rear seat, which, because of the ample interior space, for once isn't just a showroom gimmick.

Plenty of boot space in both the hatch and sedan, too.

Interior fit and finish reflect the Tiida's Japanese origins and there's a real sheen of quality to the interior, although some switchgear reflects the sharp pricing, and the easy-to-read instruments are somewhat plain.

SAFETY
And so we come to Tiida's weakest link. In base ST guise, the ultra-competitive pricing sacrifices safety at the altar of value, which means no ABS brakes and no curtain airbags, although these are included in the mid-spec ST-L, and the range-topping Q hatch and Ti sedan.

The big (almost unforgivable) shock is the omission of a lap-sash centre-rear belt. No matter what spec you buy, your centre-rear passenger wears only a lap belt. When you consider this car was developed in conjunction with Renault, a marque that constantly boasts of its safety credentials, this is a glaring error.

It will also nix the Tiida from Wheels Car Of The Year eligibility. Nissan, we expect better.

MECHANICAL
Tiida is built on the Renault-Nissan jointly developed 'B' architecture. The strut-front suspension and compact, semi-independent torsion beam rear are typically European, and while not exactly cutting-edge, prove careful, conscientious tuning is equally as important as electronic wizardry.

The ride comfort is good -- it's not too stiffly sprung, nor is it overdamped. The result is a ride that is, well, rather European. In the way that used to mean good.

The 94kW/176Nm 1.8-litre, DOHC four-cylinder powering Nissan's latest little 'un is proof this car is a more rounded, mature effort at small motoring. It's a fairly smooth powerplant, and while above 4000rpm it bubbles away audibly and is a constant companion, the sound is reasonably cultured, not harsh or abrasive. It's nicely matched to the aforementioned six-speed gearbox, which we'll talk about more in a minute.

Tiida's brakes may seem a little anorexic on paper -- ventilated discs up front, but only drums at the rear -- but on the road they felt strong enough and fade-free.

COMPETITORS
Tiida lands in a market overflowing with talent from all over the world and its unique blend of abilities pitches it against competitors in both the Euro and Japanese camps.

The platform-sharing Mazda 3 and Ford Focus have the dynamic edge over Tiida: sharper chassis', more feelsome steering and harder charging four-cylinders create sporting characters the Tiida can't match, but the Nissan counters with better ride compliance and substantially better refinement over all surfaces.

VW's Polo heads the pack in terms of interior quality and an inherent sense of polish, while still being a solid steer and great value. Polo has a slight edge over Tiida in terms of ride and refinement, but lacks the (relatively) monstrous interior space and flexibility of Tiida.

Toyota's Corolla certainly has the runs on the board in terms of huge sales, but is inferior to Tiida and other class leaders in every respect. Ageing platform, suspect dynamics, hideously cheap interior. Shouldn't break down though...

French offerings from Renault and Peugeot in the Clio and 206 (and to a lesser extent the 307) respectively, offer differing takes on the Euro approach. Clio runs with the best from a dynamics point of view, but surrenders to Tiida in interior space, presentation and value. The Pug 206 offers a fairly sharp and dynamically competent package, but is over the hill in terms of refinement, interior quality, space and has a woeful ride over our rough Aussie roads.

Two Japanese offerings worth a look include the all-new eight-gen' Civic and Suzuki's Swift. Both are accomplished packages that offer a more sporting drive than Tiida, but in a fairly familiar story lose out to the Nissan for interior space and refinement.

ON THE ROAD
Wheels' John Carey writes: Handling is predictable, neutral and ultimately pretty satisfying. There's a natural tendency towards understeer, but a satisfying degree of lift-off oversteer is there for those who know how to exploit it.

Steering is sharp and accurate, though overly light and bereft of anything approaching true feel. It reacts quickly and faithfully to driver inputs and never feels like it's a fight to keep the car hustling along at pace. Excellent all-round vision is also a welcome sight.

The 1.8-litre four is tuned for mid-range flexibility, rather than high rev-action, providing good mid-range response, and a sporty little soundtrack.

One of Tiida's trump cards is the first-in-class six-speed manual transmission. Deliciously light and smooth, each gate is clearly defined and slots home with a satisfying snick. It's also a direct result of Nissan's Japanese heritage, European's never seem to be able to manage a truly cohesive gearbox at this level of motoring.

The six closely-stacked ratios (sixth is happy down as low as 50km/h) also make the best of Tiida's engine, meaning the driver is always able to make the most of the engine and transmission's abilities.

Refinement, including noise levels, is also reasonably impressive. Tiida's chassis manages to blot out most tyre-generated noise on smooth surfaces, but on coarse-chip bitumen there's noticeable rumble.

Tiida's shortcomings appear largely money related. Sharp pricing has led to specification sacrifices. Apart from the fundamental safety shortcomings, the differences between ST-L, Q and Ti are mainly confined to convenience and interior finishes, and all models run on the same skimpy, cheapskate 185/65R15 rubber as the base ST variant.

This is a shame because Tiida's engaging union of Japanese and European influences doesn't need to wear a Korean pricetag to attract your interest.