2023 Nissan Almera 1.0L Turbo VLT Review

In Malaysia's B-segment sedan market, economic practicality and balanced features have long been the core needs of family users. The recently updated 2023 Nissan Almera 1.0L Turbo VLT, with its youthful design and comprehensive smart features, has become a popular contender in this segment. As the top-spec version of the Almera series, it not only continues the advantage of fuel efficiency but also adds multiple advanced safety features. In this test drive, we will focus on verifying its overall performance in daily commuting and family outings to see if it meets Malaysian consumers' expectations for a high-value sedan.

In terms of appearance, the 2023 Almera VLT continues Nissan's family-style V-Motion design language. The front features a smoked V-shaped chrome trim complemented by sharp LED headlights on both sides, giving it high recognizability. The side of the body adopts smooth fastback lines, with a waistline stretching from the front fender to the rear enhancing its muscular presence. The combination of 16-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and 205/55 R16 tires ensures both visual harmony and stability during daily driving. The rear LED taillights feature a through-type design connected by a black trim in the middle, offering remarkable recognition when illuminated. The chrome trim below the rear bumper enhances the sense of refinement, giving the overall style a youthful yet stable appearance.

Inside, the Almera VLT's interior features a predominantly black color scheme. The dashboard combines soft-touch plastics with piano black trim, offering a texture that ranks above average in the same class. The steering wheel adopts a three-spoke multifunctional design, with the left side integrated with buttons for volume control and call answering, while the right side controls cruise control functions, with a clear operational logic. The instrument cluster features a 7-inch semi-digital display, with a traditional analogue tachometer on the left and a digital display showing speed, fuel level, and coolant temperature on the right, making information easily readable. The central control screen is a 7-inch full-color touchscreen that supports Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone mirroring. Although the size is not particularly large, its functions meet daily needs. Below it, physical air conditioning buttons remain, with toggles providing moderate resistance for easy operation without looking.

In terms of space, the Almera offers a wheelbase of 2620mm. The front seats support manual adjustment, and with a 175cm tall passenger seated, there is a fist’s worth of headroom and ample legroom. The rear space is a highlight—with a passenger of the same height seated, there is two fists’ worth of legroom and four fingers' worth of headroom. Even with three passengers fully seated, it doesn’t feel cramped. The central floor hump is low, ensuring the middle passenger's comfort. In terms of storage, the door pockets can hold two 500ml bottles; there is also an open storage compartment under the central console that can hold phones or wallets. The trunk offers a standard volume of 470L, and the rear seats support a 60:40 split fold, extending space to accommodate large luggage, meeting the needs of family trips.

As for power, the Almera VLT is equipped with a 1.0L three-cylinder turbocharged engine, delivering a maximum power of 74kW (100PS) and a maximum torque of 152N·m, paired with a CVT transmission. During daily driving, the engine can output most of its torque around 2000rpm, giving it a light start and timely acceleration response. When the accelerator is pressed hard, the transmission simulates gear shifts, with the engine speed rising above 4000rpm, maintaining consistent power output. Overtaking requires only a slight press on the accelerator. In ECO mode, power output becomes smoother, making it suitable for congested urban traffic, effectively reducing fuel consumption.

In terms of handling and chassis performance, the Almera adopts a combination of front MacPherson independent suspension and rear double-wishbone non-independent suspension, with a tuning that leans towards comfort. When driving on urban roads, it filters out most small bumps, and the body doesn’t bounce significantly when passing over speed bumps; while driving at high speeds, the chassis remains stable without a sense of floatiness. The steering wheel is light and has minimal play, making U-turns or parking into tight spaces very agile; when cornering, the body roll is controlled within a reasonable range, ensuring passengers feel comfortable.

Safety configurations are one of the core strengths of the Almera VLT. It comes standard with six airbags (front dual airbags, side airbags, front and rear curtain airbags), and active safety features such as forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, and lane departure warning. During the test drive, the forward collision warning system was responsive, issuing timely alerts when the car got too close to the vehicle ahead, and the autonomous emergency braking function effectively avoided low-speed rear-end collisions. The 360-degree surround view camera provides high clarity, coupled with rear parking sensors, enabling clear visibility of surrounding obstacles during parking, making it easy even for new drivers to operate.

In terms of fuel consumption, the official combined fuel consumption is 5.4L/100km. During our 50km drive on congested city roads, the displayed fuel consumption was 6.2L/100km; after driving 100km on highways, the displayed fuel consumption dropped to 4.8L/100km. On average, the combined fuel consumption came to about 5.5L/100km, closely matching the official figures, showcasing excellent fuel efficiency.

As for driving comfort, the seats of the Almera VLT are made of fabric material, with soft padding and adequate support, making long durations of sitting less tiring. Noise control performs well; at speeds below 60km/h, engine noise is almost inaudible inside the cabin; at 100km/h, wind and tire noise increases slightly but remains within an acceptable range. The automatic air conditioning offers quick cooling, and the rear seats are equipped with air conditioning vents, which quickly adjust cabin temperature and enhance comfort for rear passengers.

In summary, the 2023 Nissan Almera 1.0L Turbo VLT’s core strengths are its well-balanced space performance, comprehensive safety configurations, and excellent fuel efficiency. Compared to the same segment’s Honda City 1.0T, the Almera VLT boasts richer safety features (such as lane departure warning and a 360-degree surround view camera) and a more spacious rear space; compared to the Toyota Vios, its turbocharged engine offers more responsive power delivery with equally good fuel efficiency. This car is highly suitable for consumers focused on family practicality, especially those needing a vehicle for daily commuting and occasional family outings. Priced at RM95,800, it showcases outstanding value for money among top-tier configurations in the same segment.

Overall, the 2023 Almera VLT is a B-segment sedan with “no significant weaknesses.” It balances power, space, safety, and fuel consumption. While its interior technology may not be top-notch, the practical configurations and reliable performance are sufficient to meet the needs of most family users. If you are looking for a well-rounded and high-value family car, the Almera VLT is worth considering.