Test Drive: 2012 Nissan Versa SL

By Kevin Harrison

With a potential transit strike looming in Halifax, the idea of car ownership may now on some level seem like less of a burden. Since many in the city seem to think our transit service is non-existent in the first place, perhaps a strike will seem like any other day anyway. But for some people like my friend Erin, having absolutely no transit means absolutely no work or social life. She just can’t afford to lose it.

Likewise, she can’t afford a new car either. While she may be able to get a decent second hand car which would have someone else eat most of the depreciation, there’s still that unsettling feeling that something could go wrong with her ‘new-to-her ride’ at any moment. The question then remains, will she have the money to fix it?

With close to zero knowledge of cars in the first place makes car ownership for Erin more anxious than Charlie Sheen at a drug testing lab. Luckily for her, her friendship with yours truly has many advantages not least of which is someone to help her pick out a good reliable used car.

But why ‘settle’ for a used car when a new one is actually within Erin’s grasp? Nissan has just redesigned the Versa sedan and they’re boasting the lowest MSRP of any new car in Canada in the process.  It certainly makes for an interesting new versus used argument.

Has Nissan come up with just a cheap car or a good valued car? I tested one to find out.

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Oh Hi: 2012 Nissan Pathfinder ‘Concept’

 Looks like Ford’s Explorer is going to be getting some steep competition in the form of the new Nissan Pathfinder….concept. Yes, despite its production ready looks, Nissan is still dubbing this one a concept.

Despite this, Nissan is giving a few details. Probably the biggest change in the new Pathfinder is its unibody platform which, as Nissan points out, reduces weight significantly. This, in addition to a new V6 mated to a CVT, means that the Pathfinder will be more efficient than the outgoing model. 25% more efficient in fact.  While there are no official fuel economy numbers just yet, a 25% reduction in fuel usage for a 7-passenger CUV is fairly impressive.

“Nissan is in a great position today.  Sales are up, market share is increasing and our dealers have a great selection of 2012 Nissan cars, trucks and SUVs in inventory,” said Michael Colleran, Regional Vice President of Field Sales and Sales Operations, Nissan Canada Inc.  “This new Pathfinder Concept is just the beginning of a far-reaching wave of new products on the horizon for Nissan.  By the end of 2012, more than 70 per cent of our sales volume will be all-new or redesigned.”

Indeed, big things are happening at Nissan and it’s a bit risky to change over the platform of a tried tested and trusty model such as the Pathfinder, but Nissan hopes this will generate into more agreeable reactions to city driving all while keeping the Pathfinder’s offroad prowess.

Once the Pathfinder is revealed in non-concept mode, there will likely be more specs to report and Car Driven will have all the details. What do you think of the Pathfinder Concept?

[Nissan Canada]

2013 Nissan GT-R Gets Power Boost

One of the best bang for your buck super-cars is now going to be even more powerful.

The GT-R will get a 15 horsepower bump to 545 horses as well as an increase in torque to 463 pound feet from 448 pound feet. There’s no mention of an increased 0-100 time yet, but this will likely shave a bit of time off the current GT-R’s official time to be sure, which will translate into a more agile Godzilla on the track.

Also helping out with lap times will be the GT-R’s re-worked suspension along with a handmade dry carbon spoiler for the Black Edition model. The new GT-R will also get an updated transmission that promises to be more refined.

The 2013 GT-R will hit certified Canadian dealerships January 2012.

[Nissan Canada]

Nissan Partners With Province of Nova Scotia & Nova Scotia Power

With the leaves starting to change colour and steadily falling to the asphalt, this seemed like a fitting time for Nissan to introduce another kind of leaf to Nova Scotia’s roads: their all-electric LEAF 5-door hatchback.

It was announced yesterday that Nissan Canada will partner with the province of Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Power to introduce the electric vehicle to the province.

“This announcement adds the Province of Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Power to a growing list of like-minded partners equally as committed as Nissan to promote and encourage the adoption of zero emission vehicles as a way to combat climate change,” said Allen Childs, President of Nissan Canada Inc. “As a manufacturer we provide innovative vehicles that Canadians love and want to drive, but our partners play an important role in helping build the infrastructure support for electric vehicles that will make a roll-out of the Nissan LEAF, and other electric vehicles in Nova Scotia possible.”

Indeed a key partner in promotion and building infrastructure is Nova Scotia Power who also announced their purchase of 10 Nissan LEAF’s for its ShareReady Electric Vehicle program. The program will help NS Power to study and understand the impact of electric vehicle use in Nova Scotia.

Here’s hoping I can snag a LEAF sometime soon for a review!

[Nissan Canada]

Ultimate Drag Race

Have you ever wondered what would happen if someone pitted a drag race between a BMW 1-Series M, a Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca, a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, a Chevy Corvette Z06, a Ferrari 458 Italia, a Nissan GT-R, an Audi R8 GT, a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, a Lexus LFA, a Porsche Cayman R, and a Lotus Evora S? Of course you have. And so apparently has Motor Trend because they actually had the pull to make it happen.

All 11 vehicles are definitely among the best of the best in terms of performance vehicles that are currently made. With that said, they all excel at different things. For instance, there’s no question that the 1-series M is going to lose to the 458 Italia. So, why bother doing it? Because each one of us has a 5 year old boy in us that’s why. Without giving too much away, it’s clear that Motor Trend arranged the obvious front runners to be in the middle of the starting line and then worked backwards. The result is a spectacular flying ‘V’ made up of American, Japanese and European brilliance. The symphonic notes coming from each of the exhausts comes together exquisitely.

Click the above video to see it all unfold.

[Youtube]

Spied: 2013 Nissan Altima

Fresh off the heels of my complaining that the current Nissan Altima looks dated, comes some spy pics of the next generation.

This new Altima will get a revised front facia with more styling headlights, grille and fog lights. Yes, even the rear of the Altima will get a refresh with the new generation.  The rear tail lights look to be more attention grabbing along with a higher deck lid.

The new Altima is expected to get a new 2.0 litre turbocharged four replacing the aging (and sometimes whiney) 2.5 litre naturally aspirated four cylinder. The range topping 3.5 litre V6 will stick around with a likely power boost. Manual transmissions are expected across the line, not just on the base model like Toyota and Hyundai have done with their family sedans. Thanks for that, Nissan. If, for some reason, you prefer the automatic, Nissan’s slick shifting CVT is the order of the day.

Expect the 2013 Altima to bow next year and it can’t comes soon enough with the new Camry hitting the streets soon along with the hot-selling Sonata and Optima nipping at the heels. Not to mention credible product in the form of the Ford Fusion. Hit the jump for a rear snap.

[Autoblog Canada]

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Test Drive: 2011 Nissan Altima 2.5 S

By Kevin Harrison

The last Nissan I reviewed was the Sentra and it got me thinking about Nissan’s specifically, the odd overlap between models. I wondered why the Sentra was necessary since it is quite an old design and seemingly lagging compared to its competition. Besides, the new Versa is just as big and is thousands cheaper. I later came away from the Sentra concluding that the Sentra was much more refined than the Versa and that that alone might be enough to convince some people to plunk there money down for it as opposed to the Versa.

Well here we are again with the same sort of conundrum. The Nissan Altima has gone from an after thought to a credible contender in the mid-size (which really has become full-size) segment. So, why would anyone pay more for a Maxima when the Altima is just as big and just as stylish? Wouldn’t the most value be found in the form of a base Altima as well?

I took one out to find out.

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2012 Nissan Versa Gets Lowest MSRP in Canada

Nissan Canada has just announced pricing for the redesigned Versa sedan and it comes in at $11,798. That makes it the cheapest brand new car you can buy in the country.

The new Versa sedan will be powered by a 1.6 litre four cylinder mated to either a manual transmission or a CVT. Notable options include Bluetooth, a 5 inch navigation touch screen and XM satellite radio.

This is particularly interesting because the Hyundai Accent has long held the cheapest-new-car crown. With its redesign, it offered even better value, but now Nissan has raised the bar in short order. The new Versa sedan is actually closer to being mid-sized that compact which makes that compact price even more desirable. It also reinforces my questioning the existence of the 2011 Nissan Sentra. Perhaps it will be a question of whether people want value or refinement.

Oddly enough, the Nissan Versa hatchback, which is arguably the more desirable variant of the two by Canadians, will continue on unchanged for 2012.

In Canada the Versa sedan will come in three trim levels:

• 1.6 S 5 MT starting at $ 11,798,
• 1.6 SV 5 MT starting at $ 13,798
• 1.6 SV CVT Starting at $ 15,098
• 1.6 SL CVT Starting at $ 16,298

[Nissan Canada]

Test Drive: 2011 Nissan Sentra 2.0

By Kevin Harrison

I never understood why anyone would buy canned goods. Price advantage aside, the ‘real’ version of peaches, mushrooms, chicken, and tuna etc can all be found in the very same grocery store. It’s all just one aisle over. So buying canned goods is not a convenience thing. Some people apparently just prefer to buy canned versions of above mentioned items. And I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that, however, I prefer my food to be more, shall we say, pure.

This sort of discrepancy sometimes happens with car manufacturers too, and I’ve noticed it with Nissan especially. While the Maxima may be marketed as being of a more sporting nature, and it’s design perhaps more compelling, the Altima is almost identical in size, available power, sharp looks, but costs way less.  This is true of the Versa and the Sentra as well. Why would anyone take a Sentra over a Versa when you get just as much space, more versatility (that’s probably where the Versa gets its name from), better fuel economy and costs less? Does that not make the Sentra redundant? But the public is preferring the Sentra to the Versa. In fact, the Sentra sells approximately two thirds more Sentras than they do Versas.

So, what’s the big draw? I drove the latest version of the Sentra to find out.

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Top Gear is Back June 26th

Top Gear will be back to creating awesomness on June 26th, according to finalgear.com. There isn’t much info as to what we can expect other than an adventure with May, Clarkson, the Nissan LEAF and Peugot iOn (that’s Mitsubishi i-Miev in Canadian speak).

I would imagine that the bloakes will take a few shots at Tesla for filing a lawsuit against them, May and Hammond will take a few shots at Clarkson for an alleged affair and a falling out with some locals and everyone will take shots at Hammond for being short. Also expect lots of crazy challenges, reviews of your favourite exotic supercars and of course stars in the reasonably priced car.

The only rumour right now is that the McLaren MP4-12C may have taken the top spot on the leader board for the fastest lap around the Top Gear track.

Can’t wait!

[Final Gear, photo credit: Daily Mail]

Top Gear Tries Electric Cars Again, Fails

I must say, Top Gear might very well be the best show ever made. Seriously. No car show has ever received the viewership or fanbase that they have and no car show has ever been able to lure people otherwise uninterested in cars before. With that said, a good chunk of the reason why Top Gear is able to attract such a wide variety of viewers is because of the dynamic between hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, but also because it’s wildly entertaining.

The latter should be considered when watching the above clip. Clarkson and May decide to have a go at the Peugot iOn and the Nissan LEAF – both full on electric vehicles. However, to ensure that it’s still entertaining they decided to see if they could trek across the country is said vehicles. Since most electric vehicles are designed to be city dwellers, this is obviously an attempt at entertainment. And knowing them, they succeeded.

May and Clarkson found themselves at the University of Lincoln as they stopped to ask where they could charge their cars. Inevitibly no one could point them to a charging station because there weren’t any. So then the duo decided to just drive around looking for a charging station until the cars ran out of juice and had to be towed.

This really seems like more of a middle finger to Tesla, who has filed a lawsuit against Top Gear and the BBC for allegedly rigging the test of their roadster which gave the impression that the car is useless because you have to charge it too often. Even though Tesla wasn’t involved in this video, it’s clear that Top Gear are not fans of the electric car industry in general. However, James May has actually written a column saying that electric cars aren’t all that bad and can work in certain instances. Obviously in this instance, they aren’t ideal.

[The Lincolnite]

Ultimate Comparo: Nissan 370Z vs Mexican Chicken

Ah, where would we be without marketing? Probably way better off, but every now and then those marketing kids come up with something entertaining and funny. Case in point, Nissan decided to pit its 370Z against a Mexican chicken.

Random? Yes. Funny? Yes. Should you try to race a chicken too? No. I know that probably goes without saying but considering I saw a guy on the highway attempting to secure the canoe on his roof using his, wait for it…. arm, I suppose human beings think almost anything is a good idea.

Check out the chicken take on a 3.7 litre V6 in the video above.

Shots Fired: GM Takes Aim at Nissan LEAF

The race for the best selling electric vehicle is starting to get a bit messy as GM is throwing a few shots Nissan’s way.

Mark Reuss recently spoke out on his opinions of the Nissan LEAF.  Says Ruess:

“[The Leaf] has a finite range and requires infrastructure and charging to run it, where the Volt is really an extended-range electric vehicle. The Volt can really be the only car you own. You better be living within a certain range for the Leaf. … It’s a lot different market, a lot different car and a completely different driver.”

Not too bad, right? A well thought out, logical answer. But Reuss unfortunately didn’t stop there when maybe he should have. He continued:

“I’m not sure if I’d put the Leaf in the hands of my three kids. Say, what if they can’t charge it? What if they get to school and can’t charge it? The Leaf is a single-purpose car”.

Not good enough for his family? Ouch. Reuss’ comments come on the heels of the recent sales release stating that the LEAF outsold the Volt in the month of April. Coincidence or carefully timed remarks?

This isn’t the first time GM has stacked the Volt up against another fuel miser. Their CEO recently said he “wouldn’t be caught dead” in a Toyota Prius and that it was a “geek-mobile”.

Sticks and stones, or will this turn people to GM showrooms?

[Nashville Business Journal]

Green Wars: Nissan LEAF Edges Chevy Volt in April

The electric car race is getting tight between the Nissan LEAF and the Chevrolet Volt. The duo have been on sale for a few months now and in March it looked as though the Volt was taking a very early lead with 608 units sold compared to the LEAF’s 298 units sold in North America.

Last month, however, it seems Nissan has gained some sales as the LEAF beat the Volt. Nissan sold 573 versions of the LEAF and GM sold 493 Volts. That brings the total count to 1,044 units sold for Nissan and 2,029 Volts sold for Chevrolet since their respective debuts in 2010.

The Volt and the LEAF aren’t officially on sale yet in Canada, however both have already been taking orders. The Volt’s Canadian pricing was also recently announced at $41,545. If you live in Ontario you’ll qualify for an $8,230 rebate from the provincial government and if you’re in Quebec, the provincial rebate is expected to be $7,769.

[Nissan, General Motors]

Forbes Releases Top 10 Worst Vehicles on the Road

Forbes, the people obsessed with making top 10 lists about, well everything, has just released its list of the worst vehicles on the road. How do you make such a list without accusations of being biased or opinionated? Well with the way Forbes did it, they essentially compiled six studies done by Consumer Reports on the most reliable, best and worst safety, best and worst fuel efficiency, best and worst value, and highest cost of ownership. They then compiled a top 10 list made up of seven American makes, two European makes and one Japanese make.

The Cadillac Escalade embarrassingly took the top score for least value, highest cost of ownership and worst safety scores. I’ll throw in that the Escalade is probably the easiest to steal for good measure.

The Chrysler Town & Country took worst reliability and faired pretty badly for cost of ownership. The Jeep Wrangler and Liberty scored for poor reliability and fuel economy while the Dodge Nitro and Dakota shared in those honours failures as well.

Along with the Escalade, GM took some hits with the Aveo, Colorado and Tahoe Hybrid making the list. All got marks for worst reliability, high cost of ownership and worst safety results.

The two Euros to make the list were both from Mercedes-Benz. The S-class made the list for high cost of ownership and low fuel efficiency scores while the Smart Fortwo was dinged for poor reliability and value.

The lone Japanese vehicle on the list was the Nissan Titan for poor fuel efficiency, reliability and cost of ownership.

With the exception of the three imports which are low volume sellers, people still seem to not get that the above mentioned domestics don’t excel in much. Yet they still sell in large numbers. Are there just that many stupid people out there? But before anyone starts on an anti-domestic vehicle tirade, it should be noted that not a single vehicle from Ford made the list.

[Forbes]