Nissan Dualis 2009 News

Although almost 500,000 Dualises — called Qashqai in the UK — have been sold in Europe the crossover has been overshadowed locally by the X-Trail, Navara and Murano. However, the refresh, which should arrive locally early next year, gives the baby off-roader some much-needed visual clout.  Among the changes are a new, more aggressive front-end, revised tail-lights and upgraded interior.Nissan has also focused attention on the suspension to improve the car's ride, as well as lowering cabin noise.  The biggest change is ahead of the A-pillar, where a new grille, headlights, bonnet and mudguards give the car a dramatic lift. At the back, the overall shape of the lights carries over but they now include an aerodynamic feature to reduce drag.  The brake and tail lights also use LED lights and there is a more transparent lens design.Visually, two new five-spoke alloy wheel designs have been introduced for Europe.  Inside, the Dualis gets new up-market dials and more storage space. A redesigned trip computer is now positioned between the speedo and tachometer.  Its white LCD screen shows instantaneous and average fuel consumption, mileage, time, cruise control and speed limiter settings.Low-level lighting has been added around the front footwells.  More insulation around the front bulkhead has reduced the transmission of engine noise to the cabin.The Dualis also gets an acoustic windscreen, which helps reduce wind noise. There is also better window sealing on the front doors.  In Europe a new model has been added called the 1.5-litre dCi Pure Drive, a model than emits just 129g/km of CO2. Pure Drive gets aerodynamic wheel covers, blank out foglights, low rolling resistance tyres and the higher final drive ratio for better economy.  The Dualis is built in the UK at Nissan's Sunderland plant.Nissan Australia spokesman, Jeff Fisher, says the new wagon will arrive around June. “We’re also looking at a seven-seater version,” he says.  However, Fisher says the company is still working through pricing and whether it will be available in ST or Ti form. 

The bottom line on the baby all-wheel drive crossover is slashed by $6000 today but, more importantly, the starting sticker is down to $24,990 with the addition of a front-drive model to open the action.The result, Nissan says, will be a near tripling of sales in Australia, from 2500 in the car's first year to around 7000 with the 2010 model which is about to hit the road.Very few Dualis buyers will notice the loss of the all-wheel drive system. The front-drive model drives virtually the same, with solid city performance, a compliant ride and commendable quietness. Nissan also trumpets five-star ANCAP safety."We think this will be another home run for Nissan," says Dan Thompson, the managing director of Nissan Australia.The price-driven attack comes as Nissan continues a new-model onslaught which has worked incredibly with the Murano, Maxima, 370Z and GT-R supercar. And it will continue early next year with the local arrival of the Z roadster.The eventual aim is to overtake Nissan as Australia's favourite import- only brand ? Toyota is comfortably best of all, but is also a local manufacturer - by the end of 2012 with a 10 per cent of annual sales down under.The new Dualis arrives after intensive price negotiations with Nissan's head office in Japan, even though the Dualis is built in the UK."We get the car from the UK, and the Aussie dollar has strengthened quite a lot against the Euro and the Pound. We're quite positive about what we ended up with," Thompson says.There is no skimping in the specification or finish of the front-drive Dualis - which Nissan prefers to call the 'two-wheel drive' model - which still comes with a 2-litre petrol engine, six-speed manual or CVT automatic transmission, and standard equipment including six airbags and ESP stability control.It sits between the Tiida and Maxima in the Nissan family and, ranged against cars including the Mazda3, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf in the heart of $20,000-something small cars, has plenty of potential.Its strongest points are an elevated driving position and a rear end which is more like a small wagon than its hatchback rivals.And now there is the price."We have re-positioned the Dualis brand. We expect the two-wheel drive model to establish Dualis as a genuine alternative to a conventional five-door hatch," says Nissan's Dualis brand manager, Adrian Givoye. 

It intends to turn its Dualis SUV into a front-wheel drive to cut the price and boost potential sales.The car is coming in August, and based on the current $28,990 starting price for a two-litre all-wheel drive model the front-runner Dualis should be in the $25,000 range."Why are we doing a front-drive model? Because we think the Dualis has got potential to do better than it has, and to do that it needs to be pitched more at the small hatch market," says Nissan Australia spokesman, Jeff Fisher.“The positioning will be different. It makes sense. It's a small 2-litre hatch with an elevated driving position, a nice place to be."The price and specification is still being set and Fisher is not giving much away on the price. "It will be a little cheaper," he says.But Nissan believes it could be a good choice for a lot of 20-something Australians."Dualis is currently selling around 150 a month. We would like to double that number. There is potential to at least double that rate," Fisher says.

But it will be officially launched at the Tokyo Motor Show, which starts on October 26.