The Nissan Teana has been around for some time and buzz surrounding it has died down. To get customers excited for the product again, Edaran Tan Chong has come up with a way to enhance its sportiness – by giving it a NISMO makeover.
Beginning last December, you could buy a Teana some pretty nice new accessories from NISMO. For RM6,201, you could get some purely cosmetic enhancements with the NISMO AERO Package. This includes a new front bumper, side skirts, trunk lid spoiler, rear bumper spoiler and an exhaust finisher all by NISMO.
The NISMO Performance package on the other hand really changes the dynamics of the car. Not only do you get the accessories named above, but you also get 18” LMX6 Alloy wheels, sport springs, and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres! For RM16,960 that’s a pretty reasonable deal, given that the tyres themselves take up about a quarter of that price. And yes, if you haven’t already heard, Pilot Sport 4 tyres are some of the best performing.
Our test car was outfitted with the works. The new setup certainly makes it a little more enticing. It looks and handles sharper than before. In fact, unlike other Japanese cars in this segment, the setup makes the Teana naturally more adapted to spirited driving, even if a CVT isn’t ideal for this sort of package. On the upside, there are plenty of “nice-to-haves” here that are, well, nice to have.
To make driving easier, you have Hill start Assist, a reverse camera, and auto leveling xenon headlights. You even get a couple of driving aids like Active Understeer Control that’ll keep this front-heavy, front-wheel drive sedan in check.
The electric sunroof will be a hit among families with children, just don’t let them stick their heads out of it unless the car’s parked.
You also get a 9-speaker Bose Premium setup to go with that 5” touch-enabled media unit.
So, yes, it’s well-equipped and it’s well put together. We have no doubts that the ownership experience of this cruiser will be painless, as the powerplant and engineering work is typical Nissan – which is great. But there’s a couple of things we just can’t ignore about the Teana.
Firstly, it’s not that old on paper, but the interior design is dated. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, these older designs tend to last longer as they’re less elaborate. Fewer trim pieces equals less squeaking over time. Fewer soft touch pieces equals less degradation over time. So, yes, it isn’t quite as fancy as most modern interiors, but by design it will probably be easier to live with in ten years.
Secondly, that the Teana is an excellent cruiser. The 2.5-litre is modern and smooth. Add a well tuned CVT to that and you have yourself a car that’s super easy to drive for hours – whether you’re in traffic or on the highway. With the zero gravity inspired seats in plush leather, you can imagine how comfortable the car can get.
So why the need for a NISMO performance upgrade with thinner tyres and stiffer springs? Our guess is it’s probably the only way they’re going to get you into a Nissan showroom for a test drive. The D-segment is a small chunk of the market and it’s saturated. And in 2017, you’ll be hard pressed to find a competitor that doesn’t claim to have sportiness on its side.
But Edaran Tan Chong has been very smart about how they’ve decided to package this added sportiness. Some buyers will prefer the look of the NISMO aero kit. Some will appreciate the performance advantage of the stiffer springs and great tyres. But others will see the Teana for what it is: a smart long term investment.
Those are probably the ones that will get it without the NISMO options just enjoy the hassle-free ownership experience.
Nissan Teana 2.5 XV Specifications
Engine: Inline four, DOHC, Twin CVTC, 16-valve
Capacity: 2488cc
Gearbox: 7-speed DSG
Max power: 173PS @ 6000rpm
Max torque: 234Nm @ 4000Nm
Selling price RM166,282
