New Tiida sharpens up

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New Tiida sharpens up
Published: 22/04/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: Life
 
- So the Tiida is still going to live in Thailand?

Yeah, there were earlier rumours that Nissan Motor Thailand might axe the Tiida from the local line-up because it wasn't actually a success story _ not until it was eventually repositioned between the B- and C-segment with lowered prices some three years ago.

According to a reliable source, the second-gen Tiida _ as pictured here officially for the first time _ will continue to be made in the country in five-door hatchback form.

However, the other half of the rumour may be true: the Latio four-door saloon could be removed from Thai showrooms, according to our mole.

- Good, because it was never really a looker...

Yeah, we agree. The five-door always looked the better choice (explaining its higher popularity among Thais today). And the new Tiida seems to freshen up in the right direction with more wavy lines and a longer wheelbase length by 100mm to increase cabin length and improve stability.

Nissan is also boasting higher levels of comfort _ something important for Asian buyers _ such as lower vibrations on the move penetrating the cabin, cushier seats, softer armrests and longer legroom.

- I see there's a new turbo version...

Yes. The engine is the one powering the turbo'd Juke, that is, the 190hp 1.6-litre petrol-turbo with dual-injector technology and CVT automatic transmission.

Of more concern to Thais is the non-turbo version which, in current form, produces some 109hp. And now that Nissan has already hinted that all Nissan passenger cars and SUVs in Thailand will get the 'Pure Drive' concept, the new Tiida will receive that CVT in place of the old four-speed auto.

Whether a bigger 1.8-litre variant will still be on offer remains to be seen. We hear that Nissan desperately wants to find a proper C-segment saloon to replace the four-door Latio in this engine displacement range.

- When will the Tiida go on sale?

Although the Chinese get the car next month, that same source said that Thais would get a hold of one late next year, giving local parts supplier a good reason to rejoice.

However, that couldn't be considered that bad because Nissan says the Tiida will be a global hatchback that will eventually be sold all over the world by 2014.
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