Reliable, sensible vehicle
Nothing.
This is the fourth Nissan that I've had since I started driving, and they were all very, very reliable. Comfort and appeal may not be great, but reliability is exceptional.
I am not sure that reliability is the same with cars that share the same platform with Renault. Be aware!!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 10th November, 2014
Rear brake caliper - replaced after 2 years driving with a faulty caliper.
Nothing else.
Japanese reliability – the car is not fast or comfortable to drive like other vehicles in the same category, but its outstanding reliability puts it up there on the top of the table.
I generally change vehicles every year, which means that I had tried lots of cars, from the unreliable temperamental Peugeot to the more prestige BMW’s that use cheap spare parts, and Nissan has always proven to be a gem. Easy to maintain and very reliable car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 10th January, 2013
Fun, different, reliable
Slight misfire - remedied for free and instantly by the dealer.
Brake calliper was seizing a bit, dealer resolved this at service.
Other than general replacements of belts and bulbs nothing else.
Almeras get a slating in the press. But then you never know exactly why. They say it's not as "dynamic" as others. Well what does that mean?
So I ignored all that nonsense and bought a used 3 door Almera Sport and it's terrific. Despite being a "Young Male Driver" I chose it for reliability, good NCAP score and value (up to £1k cheaper than alternatives). And I've not been disappointed.
The reliability is superb, starts every time first time and it's fun to drive (always more fun to drive a car when you know it won't break down). OK, it says Sport on the bootlid, but it's not that fast. However the 1.8 is nippy, easily cruises at motorway speeds and for its size it's not bad on fuel.
An Almera is different and for me it looks great. Admittedly some Almeras look a bit dowdy in certain colours and trims. But the Sport's got a little roof spoiler, smart wheels and that. Shallow, I know! But so much better than the ubiquitous Focus.
Brilliant seats, up there with Volvo seats for me and the dash is an ergonomic dream. The reports say it's "plasticky". Yep it is, but all the buttons work and aren't falling to bits. And if I was bothered about the look of the dashboard then I would be very sad.
To sum up, don't believe the reports, if you are not swayed by image, but want a reliable comfortable small family car the Almera fits the bill.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 17th July, 2006
Reliable, good-to-drive car, but thirsty in traffic
Brake caliper seized (96000 miles)
That's it.
Not a hot hatch, but the occasions when more power is needed are few and far between. Road-holding excellent.
Comfortable seats.
Wind, road and engine noise present on motorway, but far from intrusive.
33mpg in town/traffic, 37-40 on motorway.
Interior better than Nissans of yore, but still too much plastic.
6-CD changer very neatly into console: no extra unit in boot or under seat. Slow to change discs though.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 21st November, 2005
I look forward to the day when we change it for something better
The glove box catches keep breaking off, causing the lid to fall onto the passengers legs when opened.
The plastic trims around the front window switches are loose.
The seats stain very easily.
The performance feels very poor; the engine needs to be worked very hard to make barely adequate progress.
The steering has no feeling whatsoever and is too light.
The turning circle is dreadful, parking at the supermarket (or any car park) involves lots of three pointers.
The build quality is not as good as our previous Micra which we bought from new. For example, the glove box keeps breaking off which may be due to the fact that this has to be completely removed to change the air conditioning pollen filter, according to our local garage.
Although the driving position is comfortable, you get the feeling that the dash and side panels are too high, even with the seat fully raised.
For a car that does not feel particularly fast, the fuel economy is disappointing. Admittedly, we use the car for the school run, but do not thrash it and yet we struggle to get more than 30 to 32 m.p.g.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 1st August, 2003
I took an Almera for a test drive, opened the glovebox and it fell on to the floor, must be a design fault.
If the two lugs on the rear of the glovebox are not in the correct position, the glove box will drop out. Open the lid, check by turning them that they are engaging the surrounding frame.
Not defending a weak design, just something to check if you were suffering the same problem. If these tabs are broken they are available from Nissan for very little.
The design generally is bomb proof, interiors wear relatively well by comparison although 3 door seat belt recoil mechanisms are generally weak within 30,000 miles because of the extension arm.
I notice that one recurring comment is about the almera's turning circle. I have never had a problem, but then again I have driven coaches on roads that are narrow for cars, taken 28 foot long by 8 foot wide access buses into council estate culdi sacs. Maybe the problem exists with the driver.
29th Aug 2006, 11:40
Totally agree with you. Great reliable cars.