2013 Nissan Pulsar Reviews

June 30 is D-Day. The end of the financial year is the best time to buy a new car because there are always special deals in showrooms. As carmakers and dealers aim to clear their outdated stock, Toyota uses a June push to cement its showroom leadership. Some of the special deals are on cars that have done demonstrator duty, or were built in 2012, or are just not selling as well as expected. So they're not the tastiest fruit in the bowl.But there is great buying across the board as demand for new cars fuels one of the longest growth periods in motoring. The bottom line is that you can save money -- and lots of it. So here's a look at the June sales, with Carsguide's assessment of the best deals on wheels.CITROENThe new importer is pushing hard so the Aircross SUV starts at $31,990 drive-away front-wheel drive or $33,990 with AWD, a saving of $3800. There's $5000 off the C4 Seduction turbo diesel auto hatch at $25,990. Carsguide says: The Aircross isn't great, but the C4 discount is tasty.FORDThe death notice for the Falcon and Territory has not helped buyer confidence but a 2.9 per cent finance push on Fiesta and Focus still looks good. The superseded Kuga SUV from $31,990 drive-away is a $10,000 saving. You can save about $3000 on a 2012 Escape SUV from $27,990 drive-away.The Territory gets a $6500 tickle, the TX seven-seater at $38,490 drive-away (third-row seat usually costs $2500). The impressive Mondeo liftback starts at $29,990. Good buying on Falcons, thanks to the arrival of the VF Commodore, from $33,990 and better if you haggle.HOLDENAs the VF Commodore creates queues, the outgoing Z-Series starts at $34,990 with five years' warranty and roadside assist. That also applies to the SV6 at $35,990 and the Cruze SRi and SRi-V at $23,490 and $26,990. Last year's Barina CD hatches are $15,990 drive-away with a sunroof. The Colorado is $39,990. Hard to see past the excellent Cruze SRi.HONDAClipped prices and free on-roads. The City VTi sedan is $17,990 and the (slightly) more lavish VTi-L automatic version starts at $21,990. The bigger Civic sedan is being cleared from $21,990. Free auto on the Jazz VTi at $19,990. The Civic is worth a look at $2500 off.KIAFree on-roads, discounts and $1000 gift vouchers on many models. A five-door Rio S is about $3K off at $15,990 drive-away with a $500 gift card; the three-door Rio is $14,990 and the five-door Si is $18,990. Runout Cerato TD sedans start at $17,990 for the S, saving about $5000, the Si sedan is $23,990 and hatch at $17,990. All get a $1000 gift card. Cerato SLi and SLS have drive-away pricing but miss the gift card. All Optimas have free on-roads. A 2012-build Optima Platinum is $37,990, saving about $4000 with a $1000 gift card. Most Sportage SUVs include on-roads and a $1000 gift card. Carnival and superseded Rondo pricing is drive-away. The Sportage diesel and Optima are top-notch.MITSUBISHIThe manual Lancer gets an old-school value pack on the Special Action Model for $19,990 drive-away. The Mirage is $12,990 drive-away for the ES manual, with a $500 cash-back that also applies to the auto.Driveaway prices also for the compact ASX at $24,990 for the 2WD manual, the Outlander LS 2WD auto at $29,990, Pajero GLX-R auto at $54,990 or $59,990 for VRX. Both come plus $3000 cash-back, saving about $6000.The Triton ute is now tackling Great Wall from China at $19,990 drive-away for a GL single-cab 2WD with alloy tray, or add luxury for a GLX dual-cab 4WD diesel at $31,990 drive-away with $2000 cash-back, saving about $14,000. The utes look good at those prices.NISSANA 2.9 per cent finance package, with agreed value after three years, makes the Pulsar ST sedan look good at $49 a week or $19,990 drive-away. The X-Trail ST 2WD petrol manual cops a $4000 reduction to $25,990 drive-away, while the Navara RX 4WD dual-cab manual is cheaper than ever with a $9500 cut to $30,990 drive-away. The Pulsar sedan deal is attractive.OPELThere are drive-away deals across the range. The basic Corsa is down by about $2500 to $16,990 drive-away, the Astra is from $22,990 drive-away for the 1.4-litre turbo petrol hatch with three years of free servicing, saving about $5500. The top-line Insignia sedan is from $39,990 drive-away with heated leather seats. The Astra is easily best of this breed.PEUGEOTFree on-roads at Peugeot on most models but not the cool new 208. The 4008 SUV cops a $1500 saving from $29,990 drive-away and there are deals on the outgoing 4007. Nothing to see here.RENAULTA Koleos from $26,990 drive-away looks even better with interest-free finance. The Megane hatch is from $22,990 drive-away with finance pegged at 1.9 per cent. The slow-selling Fluence and Latitude sedans are available with 2.9 per cent finance. The Megane CC convertible goes from $43,990 including on-roads. The sporty Clio RS is from $34,990 drive-away and the hotrod Megane RS has 2.9 per cent finance.Commercial deals start with the short-wheelbase Kangoo petrol manual with dual sliding doors from $20,990 drive-away, moving up to the Trafic short-wheelbase manual for $29,990 and the long-wheelbase manual for $32,990, while the Master large van starts from $46,990 drive-away. There's a five-year/200,000km warranty on all light commercials ordered in June. Hard to argue against a $3000 bonus on the Koleos but stocks are tight.SUBARUDrive-away pricing -- for savings of $3000 to $4000 -- is the bait, with Impreza pricing from $23,990 (excluding the WRX, of course). The Tribeca from $54,990 now includes on-roads but you need to visit a dealer to get the full story. Nothing outstanding.SUZUKIThe front-drive SX4 gets a Navigator pack with voice-controlled 6.6-inch satnav with Bluetooth for $19,990 drive-away for the manual and $21,990 auto. That also applies to the 2WD auto Grand Vitara at $29,990 drive-away, including reversing camera and satnav with Bluetooth. The Alto GL manual also gets satnav for $11,990 drive-away for the manual, with the Swift GL manual at $17,490 drive-away including cruise control and Bluetooth. The Grand Vitara is a polished piece.TOYOTAThere's 2.9 per cent finance on Aurion and Camry with the Camry Altise looking best at $29,990 drive-away. Other drive-away deals include $15,990 for the Yaris YR five-door, $21,490 for the Corolla Ascent automatic, $39,990 for the Kluger KX-R 2WD five-seater, $60,990 for the Prado GXL turbo diesel auto and $39,990 for the HiLux SR 4WD dual-cab ute. The right time for the cabbies' new favourite, the frugal hybrid Camry.VOLKSWAGENDrive-away pricing on passenger cars and zero finance on commercials. The Polo is $16,990 on-road, the Jetta is down to $25,990 and the Passat $36,690. The Polo is Carsguide's 2010 COTY.VOLVOFuel and servicing for three years or 60,000km plus roadside assistance. There are conditions -- with a pre-paid BP card based on 15,000km a year and $1.50 a-litre pricing -- and the latest V40 hatch is excluded. Clever twist on bargaining but a pity it doesn't apply to the V40.Paul Gover's 10 COMMANDMENTSYou must still do your homework. You must still check the fine print. You must still be prepared to haggle and compromise.But do it right, crunching the numbers and running right to the dealer's deadline, and you can drive away in something special at a special price.The starting point is all the deals, from sticker specials to cheap finance and steak knife-style free extras, being offered by most of the 60-plus brands in showrooms today.If something you want is on special, go for it. But check that the car was built in 2013, and is not a geriatric old-timer from 2012, and ensure your target is exactly what you want - not a stripped-out stocker, perhaps missing an automatic gearbox - that will cost thousands to get the way you want it.Once you lock down a target, don't think the advertised special is the end of the deal. You also need to negotiate for a better price on delivery and on-road costs, and avoid the trap of buying over-priced extras such as paint and upholstery protection, window tinting and extra-long warranties.No-one can expect to go into the ring with a showroom professional and expect to win, because buyers only get a new car occasionally and sales staff are dealing every day. But, by concentrating on the real bottom line - the changeover price - and being prepared to compromise, you can come out ahead.The best tips are the simplest. Run as close as you can to June 30 to sign the deal and get the car, because dealers are all aiming for targets that can mean tens of thousands in bonus money from headquarters. Also be prepared to take a car they have in stock, even if it's not your favourite colour, because dealers are aiming to clear everything they have on the lot.And have your finance in place before you arrive, especially if you're taking up a special deal, because that makes things quicker and you'll also be spared any hassle and potential extra costs.Watch out for 2012 cars because the warranty clock has already been running, don't forget that a big discount today will also mean less at changeover time, and remember that a demonstrator car could have had a hard life already. 

A feeling of warmth pervades the very middle of the small car class. Barely discernible at the year's outset, the sensation spreads slowly but surely.We speak of the warm hatch - a sub-species to be found pretty much at the mid-point between the $19K economy five-door and the $40K hottie, a la Volkswagen's Golf GTI. As yet there's not a lot of competition in this league - the three you see under “rivals” are almost the field - but the return of a badge to which boy racers once aspired is a sure sign that the game's afoot in the middle ground.The SSS is, for those of a certain age, synonymous with a hatch less ordinary. Discontinued in 2001, it was the model that informed then big-car-loving ‘Strayans that a small car could come with a satisfying serving of performance and a soupcon of fun without being a Subaru Impreza.It's to the middle way that the revived SSS returns, with a slightly lesser ST-S variant to keep the price nicer.Nissan's new hatch range starts from a cheeky $18,990 for the ST manual, a symbolic but meaningless $500 under the far better equipped entry Cruze.ST-S is a new model name, one that includes all the bits found in the mid-grade ST-L but with the turbo engine of the SSS. At $24,490, this is in almost every respect a direct rival for the Cruze SRi, with the expected step above entry kit including front fog lights, rear spoiler, small colour display plus 17-inch alloys and auto adds $2500.From $29,240, the SSS cops intelligent xenon lights, front spoiler and skirts, bigger screen with satnav, rear-view camera with distance guidelines, leather trim and keyless entry and go. This is a shade north of the SRi-V version of the Cruze but the latter lacks satnav, so the triple-S makes the running in this still new terrain.Direct fuel injected four-cylinder turbo petrol engines are de rigueur in European cars, driven by the push to lower emissions. It's been long acknowledged in that part of the planet that a 1.6 or even 1.4 turbo engine can out pull a much bigger and heavier naturally aspirated engine while returning far superior economy.It's a rule that applies beyond affordable small cars. The entire engine line-up of BMW consists of direct injected turbo engines. Take the humble Falcon (please - someone take it): the four-cylinder direct injection Ecoboost loses nothing in performance to the ancient straight six while sipping and emitting far less. Yet among Japan’s makers, Nissan is almost alone in grasping let alone implementing this.This example of the species puts out a nice 140kW/240Nm, placing it firmly in the thick of the warm hatch milieu. Naturally a six-speed manual is the standard transmission but the Pulsar's auto option - uniquely in this sub-segment - is a continuously variable jobbie with manual presets.The Pulsar sedan, released earlier this year, is among the better selling small cars. You could be forgiven for being unaware of this, so utterly anonymous is its design. Possibly there have been cars of less inspiring appearance but the Nissan four-door is nigh on invisible.The hatchback, of which two milder versions are released this week in addition to the turbo twins, is going to be easier to find in a crowded carpark.It's very much of the moment stylised lights, sharp creases and high sill line, which does little for the little ones who want to see out of the back.That incremental price increase between grades - some $5000 between ST-S and SSS - is fair enough given the step up in quality. Still, this is no Audi, nor even a Golf - though at the moment that could be a good thing.But seriously, folks, you might get leather and bigger satnav screen in the SSS but you're not unaware that this is (like the Cruze SRi-V) a mildly embellished econo-car. Yet there's plenty of air in there. As it stands a smidge taller than most small cars, grown-ups won't hate being in the back.Pulsar's sedan was smashed into the wall by ANCAP earlier this year, earning the maximum five-star rating. The local crash test authority made particular mention of advanced seat belt reminders fitted to the front seats.“In the frontal offset crash test,” it found, “driver chest protection was acceptable and upper leg protection was marginal. Passenger chest and leg protection was acceptable. In the side impact crash test, driver chest protection was acceptable. Head protection in the side pole test was good.”So there you are.The legend grown in the telling? Or was it not much of a yarn in the first place? Who can remember? And who, today, cares?Suffice that on the road, the story of the resurrected SSS has been adapted for our times, a narrative of urban utility and family friendliness enlivened by a spicy B-road subplot.You can't say this otherwise worthy but unremarkable Thai-built small car has been transformed per se but it's certainly been enhanced. A modicum of suspension and damper tautening, and no more than that, abets a talented little engine that delivers torque almost immediately north of idle and keeps it coming hot and strong.This engine works in the city, where the need to work the manual shifter is largely removed, as well as on amusing stretches of road, where it nevertheless revs cleanly to 6000rpm without protest.It would have been informative to sample the CVT/turbo combo (none was available so we'll bring that to you soon) but for once it's not merely an auto hack's indulgence to extol a manual. Yes, fewer of you want to swap cogs for yourself, but if ever you've derived satisfaction from this simple but fulfilling act here's a manual well worth trying. A silken shift marries happily with this clutch's progressive take-up.Again though, this is about a nice warm feeling rather than stove hotness, and the SSS's notable body roll and comparative softness serve to arrest back-road banditry. These characteristics would be grievous faults in a GTI or Focus ST yet they serve here to inform the drive and make tolerable the ride.An unusually spacious car for its type seems to shrink around you when driven with intent, a neat trick and just the double act required.  Lesser in terms of kit and price, the ST-S loses nothing on the road. The Cruzes against which these Pulsars are positioned are that bit more adept and can be optioned with one of best six-speed autos around. The comparison awaits.You need no longer drop $40K for a fun-to-drive small car. The SSS and sibling confirm the arrival of the warm hatch, the car that comes in a family-sized serving with individual satisfaction.

The name ‘Pulsar’ is back in the Nissan fold, replacing the much-unloved ‘Tiida’ tag to the delight of just about everyone in any way connected with Nissan in Australia - be they owners, buyers or sellers.The subject of this road test is a top-of-the-line 1.8-litre Pulsar Ti sedan. Four doors are the only body type on offer at this time. Pulsar hatch, including the sporty SSS, powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged, direct injection engine is due downunder mid year.The five new Pulsar sedans range from just $19,990 to the $28,990 Ti we drove, and there is plenty to choose from both in features and price. The new Pulsar comes in three specification levels: ST, ST-L and Ti.The Pulsar Ti has all the advantages of hands-free Bluetooth and MP3/iPod connectivity, six-speaker audio, touch-screen colour display, reversing camera with guide lines and satellite navigation.Pulsar’s 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine develops peak power of 96 kW and maximum torque of 174 Nm. It’s mated with a CVT, resulting in a quiet, continuous delivery of power. They can be ordered with either a six-speed manual gearbox or Nissan’s new Xtronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) offering smoother acceleration and broader gear ratios than a conventional automatic. The Ti we tested comes only with the CVT.Smart Revolution Control keeps engine speed constant even if a driver operates the accelerator pedal roughly under gentle acceleration, while it also smoothes irregularities of vehicle speed on undulating roads. Without the driver noticing, it all adds up to minimising fuel consumption and enhancing drivability.During extended open road cruising ‘our’ Nissan Pulsar Ti used five to six litres per 100 kilometres. In town it recorded nine to ten litres per hundred. While most of the automotive world measures fuel consumption in litres per hundred kilometres, the Japanese do so in kilometres per litre, which is shown in Australian import’s dash displays of current Pulsars. Hopefully, Nissan Australia will have this corrected on future models.The Pulsar has Nissan's new style trapezoidal radiator grille and large wraparound headlights. Riding on 17-inch alloy wheels, the Pulsar Ti’s low stance and belt line add to its appearance of length.Interior space is impressive. New Pulsar has a longer cabin than its main rivals, making for extensive rear-seat legroom than can carry two adults in comfort.Pulsar has a co-efficient of drag of just 0.30, this is partly due to the attention paid to the vehicle’s underbody, with air flow funneled by a large front spoiler past the front and rear wheels via strategically-placed deflectors.A stiff body structure is designed to maximise occupant protection and minimise vibration, while mechanical and road noise have been isolated by sound absorbing materials.Soft-touch segments – dashboard and driver’s door armrest - plus leather seat accents imbue the cabin with a feeling of quality, while the Ti must have close to the most comfortable seats in class. Not nodding off comfy, but long-distance comfy.Gauges, set out on an instrument panel that curves outwards to the doors, are backlit, even in daylight, making them easy to read.Safety systems include front, side and curtain airbags; ABS brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist; traction control and vehicle dynamic control.The CVT transmission has what Nissan calls Smooth Start Assist control. This irons out any accelerator pressure imperfections, which makes the car accelerate in a smooth and fuel-efficient manner.During extended open road cruising ‘our’ Nissan Pulsar Ti used five to six litres per 100 kilometres. In town it recorded nine to ten litres per hundred. While most of the automotive world measures fuel consumption in litres per hundred kilometres, the Japanese do so in kilometres per litre, which is shown in Australian import’s dash displays of current Pulsars. Hopefully, Nissan Australia will have this corrected on future models.It’s still early days, but it’s already looking as though dumping the Tiida and reintroducing the Pulsar is paying big dividends in sales. It’s not just the name change that’s doing the work, our week in the Pulsar has impressed us with its competence in many fields.

It’s the car Nissan buyers have been waiting a long time for after the Japanese maker's failed experiment with the odd French-Japanese Tiida sedan and hatch.Nissan took a huge risk to drop the widely known and respected Pulsar tag for the quirky Tiida. But buyers stayed away in droves with sales last year down to 3059 from a high of 13,756 in 2007. In its hey day the last Pulsar sold about 20,000 a year.However, Nissan is expecting much better from the new Pulsar with sales in its first full month in February of 1275 placing it sixth on the sales chart and ahead of Volkswagen's Golf and the Ford Focus . . . and that's just the sedan, with the bigger selling hatch to come later this year.Interestingly, Westco Nissan sales manager Pete Dodds said half of their sales so far had been previous Pulsar owners, and not Tiida drivers, with the last Pulsar selling here eight years ago. He said Pulsar owners were loyal and patient.VALUEThe ST-L CVT auto is $28,990 drive away and is packed full of gear, including 16-inch alloy wheels with a full size steep spare, a single CD player with MP3 capability, auxiliary input jack, AM/FM radio and USB/iPod connectivity, a 4.3 inch colour display, six speakers, air conditioning, cruise control with steering wheel controls, remote keyless entry, power windows, leather steering wheel with audio controls and a Bluetooth handsfree phone system.It also comes with height adjustable driver's seat and tilt and telescopic adjustable steering column, LED daytime running lights (not automatic), trip computer, stability and traction control, engine immobiliser, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), six airbags, front fog lights and a rear spoiler.TECHNOLOGYIt gets a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 96 kilowatts and 174 Newton metres of torque. Drive comes through the front wheels and owners have the added addition of a CVT transmission in this particular model.DESIGNFirst impressions of the Pulsar four door are the mini-Maxima looks and a roomy interior and boot.The Pulsar's dashboard is simple and well presented with the speedo and rev counter and other dials refreshingly clear and easy to read.The multi-function display between the dials is frustrating because it does not show more than one type of information at a time, nor the selected cruise control speed and has an old-style digital clock display.A height and reach adjustable steering wheel makes finding a comfortable driving position easy, although the back angle adjuster is a fiddly lever instead of a better rotary knob. All the main switchgear falls naturally to hand and there is a solid feel to the ventilation controls.A nice soft-touch surface atop the dashboard and, while some cabin plastics feel and look a bit cheap, there is an ambience of quality and robustness about the Pulsar's interior. The kevlar-like metallic plastic on the ST-L's centre console and door trims is a pleasant contrast to the smatterings of black.As well as a bin beneath the front armrest there are a couple of cup holders and an ashtray-like covered recess. The glove box has a deep storage area.There's stacks of room in the rear with lots of knee room, a large central arm-rest, a pair of air vents and a quarter-light window improving the outside view.The enormous 510-litre boot is class-leading, better than some bigger cars such as the Holden Commodore but there's no folding rear seats for larger objects and a lump in the floor by the full-size spare wheel. Old-style goose-neck hinges will impinge on a tightly-packed boot.DRIVINGThe Pulsar is easy to drive and park. I'm not a fan of CVT automatics but this new generation is much better and only becomes annoying when you give it full force acceleration. Otherwise in moderate driving it is quiet and unobtrusive. There's a lack of manual changes with just a low ratio and the Sports mode giving the driver a say on proceedings.It feels reasonably nippy round town and solid on the open road. The Pulsar is built for comfort, not speed, and is a bit soft when pitched into corners, gets a bit floaty and ultimately runs wide or understeers. There was no point pushing its limits on the Rex and Kuranda mountain range roads.It is safe and competent enough, with well-weighted, direct and accurate steering, but does not inspire enthusiastic driving. The hatch, especially the SSS hot hatch, should appeal to press-on steerers.The Pulsar proves that automatic continuously variable transmissions or CVT are getting better and the unit in the Nissan ($2250 extra on the ST and ST-L, standard on the Ti) features innovations that give it a good spread of ratios and make it one of the best operators in its class.The Pulsar's brake pedal has a light, progressive action that results in a smooth everyday driving experience. Despite producing a below-average 96kW from its 1.8-litre engine, the CVT Pulsar delivers adequate performance and never felt struggling up hills.The trip computer of the test cars on the launch showed fuel consumption in kilometres per litre instead of litres per 100 kilometres, which apparently can be changed in the settings.Astonishingly, the ST-L test car on a drive which included around Cairns, to the Northern Beaches, up the Kuranda Range to Mareeba, Mt Molloy, Julatten and down the Rex Range to Port Douglas and Cairns displayed a figure that translated to 6.8L/100km, just .1L less than the official figure. Incredible.How much the CVT contributes to the Pulsar's efficiency can be compared to the manual's official combined consumption figure of 7.2L/100km, a 7.5 per cent increase.The return of the nameplate brings value for money, reliability, roominess, comfort and economy. If you want a sporty drive, look elsewhere or wait until the hatch and the SSS arrives mid-year. The Pulsar sedan is a practical, fuss-free daily drive. Pluses are a spacious and well-presented interior, value for money, a good CVT auto, economy, clear instruments, quietness and smooth cruising.VERDICTPulsar owners will love the new Pulsar and Tiida drivers will wonder what they have been missing out on.Nissan Pulsar ST-LPrice: from $25,900 (plus onroads)Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmSafety: not testedEngine:1.8-litre 4-cylinder, 96kW/174NmTransmission: CVT auto; FWDThirst: 6.71/100km, on test 9.2; tank 52 litres, 91RON ULP; 160g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.6m (L); 1.8m (w); 1.5m (h)Weight: 1265kg

It might only be seven years since the small car market had a Pulsar among its contenders, but it feels like longer. The little-Nissan-that-could slid out of the local range after almost 30 years here, in favour of the oddly-named Tiida, which was supposed to replace it but never pulled it off - not even with the cougar-esque Kim Cattrall salaciously spruiking the new breed.At its peak it sold 13,756 (in 2007), but by 2009 it had dropped to 10,059 - less than a quarter of the Corolla's sales. It nearly halved the following year to 5491 (in 2010) but last year managed only 3059 sales - even the Patrol outsold it.The Pulsar name recognition was strong enough to warrant its return and we're back in its mid-spec ST-L sedan.The mid-spec ST-L ask $23,650 for the manual or ups the ask to $25,900 for the CVT model.For that you get room for five rumps in decent comfort, bootspace for the associated cargo, air conditioning (but not climate control), a USB/auxiliary-equipped six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth (for the phone only), a leather-wrapped tilt-and-reach adjustable steering wheel with phone, cruise and audio controls, 16in alloy wheels, power windows, what Nissan calls "premium" cloth trim, LED maplights and a trip computer.The 1.8-litre engine is nothing spectacular when it comes to new technology, sporting variable valve timing on both sides of the spark.The continuously-variable transmission offers some clever bits to smooth out the take-off and engine rev changes to help keep the journey serene, but the fundamentals aren't new.It promises better fuel economy over the manual - 6.7 versus 7.2 for the six-speed manual - but it still feels like driving a manual car with a slipping clutch that puts some off.There's more than a bit of the bigger Altima as well as the old Maxima in the Pulsar so pundits will pick the Nissan heritage and with nameplate recognition that tops 70 per cent, the Pulsar has much in its favour.It's inoffensive to look at - after the Tiida's tilt at the worst-dressed title it would want to be - and the styling hides its roomy interior, just don't let the rear lip spoiler goad you into believing the S of ST-L stands for sport.Even at 190cm I can get into a comfortable driving position and venture to the backseat without fear of crushed lower limbs, with only limited headroom a concern in the back. Cabin width on the Thai-built machine would limit it to four full-sized adults but it would be of no concern for space.Performing the duties of a family hack, the Pulsar performs well enough, with more than enough bootspace to swallow the school and sports bags easily as well as accommodate the rugrats in the back seat.Cargo capacity is good despite the presence of a full-size spare - 510 litres is considerable in the large car class where Commodore sedan makes do with 496 litres and no standard spare, but neither the Pulsar or the Commodore can do splitfold rear seats? There's only a ski-hatch but no more, why?While ANCAP are yet to smack the new Pulsar into anything - or vice versa - it has the staple amount of safety gear. Dual front, side and curtain airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock, brakeforce distribution and emergency brake assistance systems, stability and traction control.All occupants get lap-sash belts and there are LED running lights on the front and LED tail lights, but you'll have to ante up for the top-spec Ti sedan to get a rear camera or reversing sensors - gear that would be worthwhile given the high rump.Having just driven the new Corolla in CVT form, the Nissan's similar transmission felt like it hooked up quicker and flared a little less under load than the Toyota, however there was odd small jerk or shudder - not enough to be bothersome but something perhaps that needed attention.The drivetrain is no neck-snapper - again, they've left plenty of room for the SSS to wow crowds when it arrives - but it does the job at a reasonable pace without too much (normal CVT flaring aside) fuss until well up the rev range.The CVT gets a Sport mode as well as the lower-gear L option via the selector, but no more choices for the driver beyond that. The engineering boffins have left plenty of scope for the SSS - the steering in the ST-L is feather light and an easy twirl around town, with a useful turning circle too, but anyone wanting details from the front wheels is going to have to wait for the sports hatch.Ride quality is something of a selling point - there's not masses of body roll in corners when pressing on either - but the seat comfort and suspension are admirable. So is the refinement when it comes to cabin and engine noise, or the absence of it, at least until the revs are heading towards the redline; but the new sedan feels solid and has a quality feel to the interior.To quote the Eagles, there's a peaceful, easy feeling to the new Pulsar and that's just what many want in this segment - fuss-free from A to B.

Someone has been teaching Nissan about mean, mode and median. No matter the chosen values, the new Pulsar sedan occupies the middle ground in the small car class. That’s a major lift on the Tiida that came before it and the Pulsar’s mix of comfort and space makes it a small car worth considering.At $28,990 the top-line Ti is competing with the likes of the Mazda3 SP20, Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus and Holden Cruze.Nissan’s approach has been to craft a plush, accommodating vehicle. It compensates for a lack of sporty looks or handling - that role will be filled by the SSS hatch later this year - by taking four adults and major urban road obstacles in its stride.On top of that, it is packed with gear including dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth with audio streaming, a touchscreen with satnav and a reversing camera.The Pulsar may be a new car, but there’s not much new in the way of features. The CVT is calibrated for fuel economy and, unless the accelerator is on the floor, is far less prone to emit the booming drone that blights similar transmissions.It’s a fairly refined ride at 100km/h, where tyre noise is the biggest intrusion in the cabin. Click the sport button on the gearshift, though, and the perceptible lift in engine response brings a matching rise in noise.A refined look with clean lines and LED running lights on the outside is matched by an easy-to-operate interior. The instrument panel uses a traditional two-dial approach for tacho and speedo - there is no digital speed display - and the audio controls are mounted on the steering wheel, along with the cruise controls.Chrome highlights add upmarket bling and there are smart touches like the well-padded front door armrests. The centre bin is set too far back to be easily accessed by front-seat occupants, though. And the default setting on the fuel consumption is in km/litre, not litres/km.ANCAP hasn’t deformed the Pulsar’s panels yet, so there’s no official verdict on how the small sedan will perform. It has a regulation six airbags and safety software and, with a bigger, stiffer body than the Tiida, should rate as a four or five-star car.The Pulsar excels as an upmarket shopping trolley. It is competent in just about department without being a standout in any of them.The sedan is well-mannered at urban speeds, uses just on seven litres/100km of petrol in real-world driving and the steering is lightweight without being vague. Load a pair of adults in the back and they won’t complain about leg space or headroom.The boot is huge at 510 litres and you’d really have to be packing a load to be limited by the gooseneck hinges. The absence of a port or folding rear seats is a drawback to carrying long items, though.On twisty roads the lack of power and outright handling starts to show as the CVT tries to hold peak torque and the soft suspension induces a touch of cabin-wobble through the left-right turns. Trivial stuff, given most owners won’t be aspiring to chase 370Zs through the hills.The Pulsar is a genuine rival to the Toyota Corolla as a utilitarian vehicle designed to do everything well. It may be “whitegoods on wheels” but the Nissan gives the impression you’ve bought one of those European labels.

It took Nissan more than six years to redress a brainsnap it had when discarding the Pulsar name in favour of Tiida....eeuuw! Good sense has prevailed and Pulsar is back for 2013, initially in sedan form with a hatch following in three months.Keenly priced from a starting point of $19,990 - the same price as the Pulsar 16 years ago. New Pulsar is styled like a scaled-down Maxima and is actually quite a large car for the class.Three grades are available; ST, ST-L and Ti. All three get alloy wheels, air conditioning multiple wheel controls, cruise, six air bags, Bluetooth phone, power ancillaries and a full size spare.Audio streaming is only on Ti which also gains satnav, leather, 17-inch alloys and other goodies - in CVT only. CVT adds $2250 in the two lower spec' models and metallic paint is an extra $500. Competitors are Corolla, Cruze, Lancer, Civic, i30, Focus and numerous others in the "small car" segment.Components from Tiida have carried over into the Pulsar - tweaked or refined to suit the new car. But there's not a lot of new technology in the engine, transmission or chassis or any driver assist features for a tech-savvy customer. It's all pretty straight forward, tried and true stuff.The 96kW/174Nm engine is a heavily revised 1.8-litre petrol twin cam from Tiida with a longer piston stroke and other changes to improve drive feel and possibly fuel efficiency.There's variable valve timing on inlet and exhaust sides and friction reduction inside the engine for incremental gains to performance and efficiency. Two transmissions are offered; a six-speed manual and CVT "auto".The latter has no sequential shift mode at all but is modified for better overall performance and cruising. Best fuel economy for Pulsar is 6.7-litres/100km for the CVT and 7.2 for the manual.It rides on a strut front and torsion beam rear suspension - same as Tiida but the stiffer chassis features a longer wheelbase and wider stance that yields benefits in terms of ride comfort and interior room.Though the rear seats don't fold in the Pulsar sedan, it has a large boot - possibly the largest in class. The critical rear seat legroom measurement is generous - once again, possibly best in class.We drove the ST-L manual and Ti and found the car to be pretty much as expected - the new order family sedan. It has little sporty pretence and is calibrated for comfort above all else. That's a plus for everyday driving on our rough roads.The 140kW Pulsar SSS hatch coming will take care of the sporty angle. Pulsar sedan makes a bit of engine noise under acceleration but is quiet cruising. The longer stroke engine feels slightly breathless once revs exceed 5000rpm. But there's plenty of punch lower down for driving in traffic or everyday conditions. The interior looks good with multiple materials and textures and a modern attractive design. We feel the lack of folding rear seats is a major oversight even though the boot is large. Wait for the hatch perhaps. We like the styling that's accentuated by clever use of LED lighting front and rear.New Pulsar should have wide appeal and the name has currency even after seven years. It's a bit nondescript but that's how many buyers want their car. Go for the CVT every time.

It seems to be the season for the return of old automotive friends. In the last few weeks we have attended the relaunches of Infiniti, Mirage, Astra, Barina (now called Corsa) and Beetle – and now the subject of this review, the all-new Nissan Pulsar.It’s likely that over a million Australians have owned Pulsars – 250,000 as proud new car buyers and the balance buying them as used cars as they changed hands several times over the past four decades.Nissan Pulsar has had a mixed history in Australia; though Japanese sourced it was once built in Melbourne and shared parts with Holden’s Astra. Most were fully imported from Japan. Some were called the Nissan Tiida instead of Pulsar – much to the disgust of those charged with the task of selling the car with the bizarre name with the double ii.Now called the Pulsar again, and this time around made in Thailand, the all-new Nissan looks set for the long haul in Australia and even stands a chance of becoming the number one selling vehicle in this country.Don’t believe us on that latter statement? Consider this, the biggest selling car in Australia for the last two years has been the Mazda3, one of the Pulsar’s closest competitors. The Mazda3 is getting on in years and the all-new Pulsar and its arch-rival Toyota Corolla wouldn't mind nudging it aside.The biggest selling point of the new Nissan Pulsar is that it’s priced at $19,990 – the same price as listed way back in 1996. Since then the Pulsar has grown in size and now comes with far more in the way of luxury and safety equipment than it did 17 years ago. The high value of the Australian dollar comes into the equation but the aforementioned tough tussle at the front of the sales race certainly comes into play as Nissan chases buyers.Even the lowest cost model, the $19,990 Pulsar ST manual, has 16-inch alloy wheels; cruise control; a six-speaker stereo with MP3, and Aux jack; keyless entry; and power windows and mirrors. This is far from being a stripped-down model and may have all the fruit that many buyers need.Paying an extra $3660 puts you into a Pulsar ST-L which has front foglights: a rear spoiler; different 16-inch alloy wheels; and daytime running lights. Inside, there’s a higher level of cloth trim; leather details on the steering wheel; USB connectivity; a colour screen for the infotainment system; and fancier facings on the dashboard;The topline $28,990 Nissan Pulsar Ti adds 17-inch alloys; leather trimmed interior; satellite navigation; and dual-zone air conditioning. The Ti comes as standard with a CVT automatic transmission, whereas you have to pay $2250 extra to get that unit over and above the price of the six-speed manual in the lower grades.On-road costs have to be factored into all these prices.Probably the biggest feature of the all-new Nissan Pulsar is its interior space. There’s excellent legroom in the rear and my six-foot frame was quite comfortable when sitting behind itself – if that doesn’t sound too Irish. Most cars in the next segment up from the Pulsar don’t have that much rear space and this Nissan could easily act as a full-size family car even if the kids have hit the huge-teen stage.The boot is very large at 510 litres, again making the Pulsar more than suitable for use as a family sedan.Power comes from a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine developing up to 96 kilowatts of power. Peak torque comes in at a sky-high 4800 rpm where it’s an impressive 174 Newton metres.The high revs required to get the maximum grunt out of the engine are somewhat misleading and during our introductory road testing out of Melbourne we found the engine pulled strongly from 2500 rpm and even worked smoothly at just 1500 rpm if you didn’t want it to accelerate hard. It’s happy to hold onto gears when climbing all but the steepest of hills.Primary safety gear in all Pulsars includes VSC and ABS with brake assist and electronic distribution. Secondary safety sees the fitment of six airbags.Ride comfort is pretty good, though the Pulsar did get bumped around by some poor quality Aussie back roads. Tyre noise on all but coarse-chip surfaces was minimal, with the Nissan being particularly smooth and quiet on good quality motorways.Handling is competent enough, without actually having any pretensions to sportiness. Those wanting the latter will have to join the queue of keen drivers waiting for the return of the Pulsar SSS late in 2013. This will have a turbocharged 1.8-litre engine developing 140 kW, as well as sports tuned suspension and steering.At this stage all new generations Nissan Pulsars have a four-door sedan body, five-door hatches will begin importation in May or June. Prices and specs on these haven’t yet been made public.A car with a full-sized interior, reasonable performance and good build quality for only $19,900? We can see the new Nissan Pulsar selling up a storm.

The Nissan Pulsar is back after a six-year absence – with a 16-year-old $19,990 price. The company has wound back the clock and pumped up the level of equipment in its biggest effort yet to reclaim the small-car crown.It may seem a distant memory but the Pulsar was Australia’s favourite small car in 1996; now the company wants a chance at the top spot as the biggest selling car in the country.The Mazda3 knocked the Holden Commodore off the podium two years ago, but the Toyota Corolla is favourite to win this year’s new-car sales race given that a new model has just been released and the Mazda3 is in runout.Enter from stage left the new Nissan Pulsar and we have a small-car scrap on our hands. The Pulsar made a welcome return to showrooms this week after the boring box-shaped Tiida hatch that failed to meet sales expectations – despite a steamy TV ad by Sex In the City’s Kim Kattrall.Nissan dealers were so furious the Pulsar name was dropped that it pleaded with Japan to reverse the decision. But the Tiida name stayed and sales tanked, so it became a rental car fleet favourite, generally known as the last resort for car sales.By Nissan’s own admission, 71 per cent of small car buyers still remember the Pulsar name. Why it was ever dropped in the first place will remain a mystery.In the meantime, Nissan has high hopes for the Pulsar. The company wants to quadruple sales – but in fact it will need to sell 15 times as many small Pulsars as it sold Tiidas last year if it is to overtake the Mazda3 or Toyota Corolla. Good luck with that.The last time Nissan sold a Pulsar for $19,990 it was considered a luxury to have one airbag, a CD player, air-conditioning and central locking (although no remote control button).As a sign of the times – and how much buyers get for their money these days – the new Pulsar comes loaded with six airbags, stability control, cruise control, Bluetooth phone connectivity, remote central locking – and alloy wheels instead of plastic hubcaps.“Australia is the most competitive market in the free world,” the boss of Nissan Australia, William Peffer, says. “At this price, the only inflation is in the tyres.”But the Nissan Pulsar is not perfect in its most basic “ST” guise. It inexplicably misses out on a couple of key features. On the $19,990 headline act there is no USB connection, no Bluetooth audio streaming, and no rear parking sensors. Metallic paint is a $495 option.The back seats don’t fold and the exposed “goose neck” hinges impinge on boot space. At least there is 510 litres of cargo capacity, and Nissan deserves kudos for retaining a full-size spare tyre in an era of space-savers. Oh, and it’s an alloy wheel.The mid-grade model adds larger alloy wheels, rear sensors, a colour audio display, a USB socket and a few other touches. But you have to climb to the range-topping model to get Bluetooth streaming, a rear camera, leather upholstery and sensor-key start.Meanwhile, Nissan still has one of the dearest fixed-price servicing campaigns; each service is dearer than the industry average and requires a visit to the dealer every six months.The Nissan Pulsar isn’t a technology showcase. Its engine lacks direct injection, and idle stop-start. There is no digital speed display. Instead, Nissan has spent money on some bright-work and soft-touches to give the Pulsar a slightly upmarket feel.The big chrome grille on all models is bordered by LED daytime running lights; there are LEDs in the tail-lights as well. At least the CVT auto is a highlight, with a wider ratio than others of this type for better acceleration at low speeds and fuel economy at high speeds. It adds $2250 to the price.The Pulsar is roomy, especially in the back seat which has plenty of kneeroom and a flat floor. The fabrics have a plush feel but seem hard wearing. Most materials have a quality feel, even though they look plain compared to the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30.For example, the elbow pad on the door handle is fabric, there is also soft padding on the centre console. Oddment storage is minimal, however, and the Pulsar could do with bigger door pockets, a bigger centre console and more storage forward of the gear lever.Visibility all around is good thanks to large windows and convex mirrors on both sides of the car. Unfortunately, access to the boot is only a ski port, the back seats don’t fold flat for a larger load space.Independent authority ANCAP is yet to publish a crash safety rating for the Pulsar, and it would be unwise to assume five stars because Nissan has disappointed before (the current generation Nissan X-Trail was four stars when its twin under the skin Dualis was five).But all the early signs are good: six airbags, stability control and a big body should equate to relatively strong crash protection. Check the ANCAP website in a couple of months for an updated score. In a word: good. The steering is light and smooth, with a relatively tight turning circle. The engine is responsive, especially when matched to the CVT auto. The suspension soaks up bumps and thumps from the daily grind with ease. The steering feels predictable and secure in corners – whether on the open road in the suburban sprawl.In general terms, the Nissan Pulsar is not astounding – but it’s more than competent. Call it above average. Based on a brief preview drive I would rank the Nissan Pulsar ahead of the Toyota Corolla and the Hyundai i30 – but not ahead of the Mazda3. Check back later for a back-to-back test.The new Pulsar is a welcome return to form for a familiar name, but Nissan needs to address some of the missing necessities in the standard car – their absence takes some of the shine off the sharp $19,990 headline price.

Hooray. The dismal days of the Nissan Tiida are finally over and the Pulsar is back. Even the SSS is returning to local roads, although not from the start of the Pulsar's return.For now, the Pulsar program is all about a compact four-door sedan that is very Corolla-ish in the way it feels and drives, and also carries Toyota-style value pricing starting at $19,990.The born-again Pulsar is slightly more conservative than the new Corolla, and definitely the Hyundai i30 which topped the small-car contenders in our 2012 Car of the Year run-off, but feels solid and sensible.Nissan has big plans for its comeback car and knows there are plenty of Pulsar people - more than 300,000 cars are still on the road and the name rings a bell with 70 per cent of showroom shoppers - who never bought into the failed Tiida experiment."They said this day wouldn't come...," says Bill Peffer, the livewire new boss of Nissan Australia, introducing the car. "We're replacing the Tiida with this car and it's the right decision. The Pulsar is back and it will spearhead our product renaissance. This is the key to our future growth."The Pulsar sedan is being closely followed by the overdue and very welcome Patrol heavyweight and the funky little Juke, as well as a Pulsar hatchback including the SSS. The rollout means something new every two months, with a total of 12 arrivals, over the next couple of years.The $19,990 sticker is the right start in showrooms, particularly as the Tiida was overpriced from the beginning and $20,000 is a serious barrier for value contenders in the small-car class. How good is that bottom line? "It's the same price the car was, 16 years ago," says Peffer proudly.Not just that, but Nissan has built a purchase plan that includes a $299-a-month deal on the Pulsar ST that guarantees the car's future value. At the end of the deal, buyers can leave the key and walk away, pay an agreed balance and own the car, or trade into a new Pulsar."We really think this is the way of the future," says Peffer. There are three Pulsar grades ST, ST-L and Ti, with a predictable walk-up through the standard equipment. Even the ST gets lots of stuff, with alloys, cruise control, led tail lights, a full-sized spare and three years of roadside assistance."This is no entry level car," says Peffer, although the Bluetooth system is only for a phone and not audio streaming. Moving up to the ST-L - from $23,650 - brings a leather wheel, colour for the audio system, front fog lights, LEDs in the headlamps and more.Going all the way to the CVT-only Ti - think $28,990 - means a reverse camera, satnav with eco routing, leather seats, 17-inch alloys, Xenon lamps, and Bluetooth audio.The Pulsar is nothing special by small-car standards, and definitely not by the all-new Volkswagen Golf that lands in Australia this year, but it ticks the right boxes. "The concept of this car was to go, bang, right back into the mainstream," says Grahame Cornforth, chief engineer of the car.He says that - surprisingly - the new Pulsar has a lot of the old Tiida beneath its skin. But there has been lots of tweaking. "We've got wider and lower proportions. We've enhanced the comfort and perceived quality," he says, never referring to the Tiida but instead calling it the "predecessor car"."We're going to a class-up approach with this car. There is a theme of comfort coming through." So there is a lot of attention to detail on the tyres, suspension and sound proofing to make it more like a new Corolla than a Tiida.The engine is a 1.8-litre four cylinder with a longer stroke than previously, as well as things like diamond coating on some parts and variable valve timing. And the car gets electric power steering, as well as a lightweight constantly-variable transmission - the standard choice now for carmakers chasing efficiency - to make 6.7 litre/100km economy.There is a six-speed manual, but probably only for genuine bargain buyers who want to avoid the extra cost of the auto. To zipper the technology, the 6.7 is way better than the 7.8 of the Tiida. "Our concept is to provide a car that's comfortable and competent. We want it to be stress-free yet deliver smooth handling," says Cornforth.The Pulsar looks like a Pulsar, which is a good thing. It's more rounded than many of its rivals, but has a bigger-car look and feel. Inside, it's conservative - it reminds me a bit of some 1980s Nissans in the shapes and styles - but the good thing is that the layout works.Nissan says there is measurably more space for rear-seat passengers, with more leg and shoulder room, and the big boot is claimed to trump a Camry with 510 litres. There is also plenty of soft-touch plastic inside and good attention to detail on the controls and final finishing.Everything points to a five-star ANCAP result across the Pulsar line, thanks to six airbags, front-belt reminders and ESP. The car also feels solid and substantial and, pushing hard through corners, it feels safe and secure.The new Pulsar is bang on target. It's going to be bought by people who want relaxed and predictable motoring, and they will get a big bonus in the cabin and boot space. The original Pulsars were compact funsters, which is what we expect in the upcoming hatch and particularly the SSS, but the sedan is a compact family car. I come to the Pulsar after time with the new Corolla and i30 - as well as the Golf 7 in Europe - so it is facing a bar set pretty high. The preview drive is also short and limited to the artificial roads of a proving ground at Anglesea in Victoria.But several things make an immediate impact. The Pulsar is very, very quiet and it also steps away much more smartly than a Corolla. The first proves that Nissan has done a lot of work on refinement and the second shows that its engine is strong and well matched to the CVT.I find the cabin a bit old-fashioned in design, but there is nothing wrong with the way it all fits and works. And the back seat is nicely roomy. The Pulsar cruises easily at 110km/h, sits firmly on the road, and is predictable and solid - without much enjoyment - through corners. It also brakes well and there is good feedback through the steering.In short, the return of the Pulsar is good news. It's not a landmark car, but it ticks the right boxes and it definitely buries the Tiida. Job done. Now we're looking forward to getting back into a SSS. A car that promises an easy life, affordable motoring, and solid family values. Not the best in the bunch, but definitely worth a look.