Cars to look out for: Nissan Tiida

08 Sep, 2019 - 00:09 0 Views
Cars to look out for: Nissan Tiida

The Sunday News

Lovert Mafukure

THE Nissan Tiida is slowly winning the hearts of many in Zimbabwe and beyond. One of our readers must have taken interest in it as well and would like to know more about the Tiida. Is it good on fuel, is it a hard worker and can it really live up to expectations? 

The first thing I have to mention about the Tiida which I very much like is the interior space. Forget how it looks on the outside, the Tiida has a lot of space inside, enough to fit hulk and his family. Its got the type of space you’d find in a larger car. It’s almost as if it was made for VIPs because there’s a lot of leg room at the back and back-benchers can seat like kings. It’s not something common with most of the smaller cars, bigger people always have to cramp up and the back because of little space.

The dashboard isn’t out of this world and somehow looks like an upgrade from the NISSAN March dashboard. The electronic power steering is very light, it’s actually lighter than light, like the wheels aren’t even on the ground. It doesn’t really give the driver that feeling of really being in control of the car. 

On the outside, it’s got these boxy looks that make it seem like it’s from centuries past. It’s not that bad however, but at the same time it’s not exactly what you’d call 21st century beauty. It is quite apparent that Nissan wasn’t exactly looking at making the best looking car with the Tiida but a car that’s more functional than it is pretty. They managed to score 5 stars on functionality according to my rating. 

It’s offered in hatchback form or sedan form. Both trims offer very large amount of space right upto the boot. This is what makes it different from other cars in its segment. It’s somewhat a low spec executive car. Seats are executive and large, the boot can accommodate your wife’s makeup bags with ease.

Most of the Tiidas are powered by the Hr15-de engine which is 1,5l and has not had much of negative reviews. In Japanese fashion for small cars, the engine drives the front wheels via a Continously variable transmission. These continously variable transmissions are a breeze when they are still in top form. They offer good fuel economy which everyone can appreciate in trying times like these. The only downside like with all CVTs is that they tend to whine a lot and require expensive oils to service. 

On the maintainance side, the Tiida engine isn’t fussy, regular engine service will guarantee years of trouble-free driving. It’s got a timing chain unlike other cars with timing belts that require changing after every 100 000km. The gearbox however, isn’t as forgiving, it requires frequent service with special Nissan CVT fluid. It is not recommended to tow with this type of transmission. In fact, this gearbox isn’t made for hardwork at all, it can just die prematurely so no towing, no harassment and no overloading if you intend on driving it till kingdom come. 

There are not many cars that I’ve seen that are well-insulated like the Tiida. There is minimal road and engine noise inside the cabin and it cruises effortlessly. It absorbs road bumps with ease.

The Tiida really is something to look out for given the advantages it has, that is, space and comfort which are luxuries most cars in its segment won’t have. The only downside is the CVT gearbox which if not maintained well can give issues in the short-run. So, in a nutshell, it is a very practical car, lots of room, has a powerful engine that doesn’t use that much fuel but it isn’t exactly a hard worker neither is it that durable. With upmost care however, it will push you the extra mile. Till next time, happy motoring! 

@lovert116 — Automart Used Spares Centre — Quality Used Japanese Spares — +263 772 33 99 38 — [email protected] — Facebook: @automartusc

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