Nissan Almera or Honda City: Which one to buy?

The competition in the sedan segment in the country is hotter than ever before. With more and more car companies bringing in more products in the market, it’s becoming a bit difficult for the participants to present themselves to lure in more customers. Today we’ve got two interesting vehicles to talk about - Nissan Almera and Honda City. Let’s see what do each has to offer and which one should you buy.

Looks and styling

Well, we all know who’s the clear winner here. Yes, the Honda City is far better looking than the Almera. It has got Honda’s signature broad chrome grille with the brand’s logo in the centre. The LED headlamps look sharp and get even more appealing thanks to the LED daytime running lights. The side view of the City is very sporty and the creases on the body keep things afresh. We also like the alloy wheel design and the sleek LED tail lights along with the ducktail spoiler. The Honda City color options include - White Orchid Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, and Dark Ruby Red Pearl.

The Nissan Almera appears to be outdated. It has been a while since Nissan gave it any serious upgrade. To be honest, it didn’t look that great even when it was first launched in Malaysia. Today, the Almera price starts at RM 64,639. The headlamps are big but somehow don’t demand a whole lot of attention. There is a pair of LED daytime running lights on the front bumper. The side profile is a bit dull maybe because of the curvy roofline. Nissan offers a few accessories to help you make your Almera a bit stylish. These accessories include a Nisma Aero Package, an Elegance Package, and a Nismo Aerokit. There are other accessories available as well. But mind you, these come at a cost.

Interior and features

The all-black scheme in the new Honda City is spot on. The interior feels luxurious even at this price point. The leather seats are very comfortable and provide a good amount of support. The fit and finish are pretty good. The steering wheel feels sporty to hold. The meter cluster is not the latest that we’ve seen but it isn’t a deal breaker at all. There are eight cup holders in the entire cabin. To make sure the passengers at the back are comfortable, Honda has even provided rear AC vents.

One thing that’s the Almera is appreciated for is its capacious interior. Nissan has worked brilliantly to utilise the long wheelbase of the car to provide a plethora of space for each occupant. Accommodating even five people shouldn’t be an issue. On the downside, the quality of the interior of the Alemar isn’t that great when compared to that of the City. The circular layout of the automatic climate control looks very immature. Nissan tried to add premiumness here by providing chrome door handles, engine start/stop button, and a 6.5-inch display for multimedia and navigation.

Engine and performance

The Honda City specs include a 1.5-litre petrol engine that produces 120 PS of max power and 145 Nm of peak torque. There’s only a single transmission option - CVT. We would have loved to see a manual gearbox. Anyway, the engine has got the punch and efficiency.

On the other hand, going through the Nissan Almera specs you’d find that it also comes with a 1.5-litre engine but has got lower power and torque figures (102 PS and 139 Nm). For the transmission, there’s a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic. The Almera tends to give a slightly better fuel efficiency than the Honda City.

Ride quality

Honda tried to enhance the performance of the City by firming up the suspension a bit. This resulted in a bit hard ride quality. The City performs brilliantly in the ‘city’ but it will toss you around when encountered potholes. The Almera provides a slightly better ride quality thanks to its softer suspension setup.

Safety features

Honda City comes with various safety features like Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), ABS, Hill Start Assist (HSA), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), and Hond’s G-Force Control (G-CON) system. On top of that, you can get 6 airbags.

Nissan disappoints in terms of safety as there are only dual airbags even on the highest trim level. Other safety features include ABS with EBD, Brake Assist (BA), Reverse Sensor, etc.

Verdict

Every car has got its pros and cons. The City offers a lot more that attracts people than the Almera. While the City does look good, the Almera has got a better fuel efficiency figure and comfortable ride quality. It also provides a good amount of interior space but loses to the City in boot space. So, if you can ignore the bumpy ride quality and live with a slightly low fuel efficiency then you should go ahead with the City. The Honda City price starts at RM 73,836.