Nissan Almera

Talk about versatility, and the Almera comes quickly into mind. Most people know the Nissan Almera as a subcompact car, although one look at it doesn't show its long and composite origin. While we may recognize it as the distinctive hatchback that it is, the Almera has come in many iterations in the past, including the Nissan Pulsar, the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy, the Samsung SM3, the Nissan Latio and the Nissan Sunny.

In terms of performance, the Almera has utilized a variety of drivetrains, too. From sporting a 1.4-litre GA14DE inline-4 engine in its first generation to a 1.6-litre HR16DE inline-4 engine in the N18 Almera later on in the fourth generation. 

1^st Generation N15 1995-2000

The Almera saw production in 1995 as the Nissan Sunny N15. It was uncannily similar in design to the Nissan Pulsar N15. It was a nameplate used for different models, including a 5-door hatchback, a 2-door sedan and a 3-door hatchback, although these variations did not come to appear in Australia up until 2012 in its third generation. 

The Almera featured several trims, viz.:

• 1.4-litre GA14DE inline-4 engine that made 74 kW with 116 Nm
• 1.6-litre SRi GA16DE inline-4 engine that made 84 kW and 146 Nm
• 2.0-litre GTi SR20DE inline-4 engine that produced 75 kW 
• 2.0-litre CD20 inline-4 engine that made 56 kW and 132 Nm 

The 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre came in 3-door and 5-door hatchbacks that were rebadged models of the Nissan Pulsar. Later on, the CD20 featured in a 4-door saloon, while the GTi powered a 3-door hatchback.

2nd Generation N16 2000-2006

In 2000, Nissan unveiled the Almera 2^nd generation as the Nissan Almera N16. It was still a nametag that included Nissan’s 3-door hatchback, a 4-door sedan and a 5-door hatchback. The N16 preceded the Nissan Tiida C11 that wasn’t to be featured in mainstream production until its introduction in 2004. The N16 came more curvy and sleeker. Despite the change from its predecessor, the Nissan Almera caught on worldwide with a massive amount of sales. The new Almera also came supported under the new MS platform that was co-designed by automobile company Renault.

The Almera came in the following engines: 

• 1.5-litre QG15DE DOHC inline-4 petrol engine
• 1.5-litre K9K inline-4 diesel engine 
• 1.8-litre QG18DE DOHC inline-4 petrol engine
• 2.2-litre direct injection YD22DDT 
• 2.2-litre turbodiesel YD22DDT 

This generation of the Almera appeared in the Australian market as the Nissan Pulsar N16, with Nissan's Bluebird Sylphy inspiring the design of the sedan. The Nissan N16 had better performance and excellent grip, which customers come to love. However, due to foreign changes in the MS platform, the N16 became shorter and had limited legroom at the rear compartment

In 2006, Nissan planned to replace the N16 with the Nissan Tiida.

B10

The B10 saw production launch in 2006 after being known as the Bluebird Sylphy. This Almera was improved and rebadged as the Nissan Almera Classic, which ran up until 2010.

3rd Generation N17 2011-2018

The 3^rd generation Almera came out in the year 2011. This generation was under the Nissan Sunny N17 design as a 4-door Eco sedan named as an Almera. This Almera was named the N17 and was produced under Nissan’s V platform. The N17 was fitted with a range of engines that powered different trims across markets. The N17 also came as a 5-door hatchback in other markets but still featured under the Nissan Almera marque. 

In terms of performance, the N17 came with a range of engines including: 

• 1.2-litre HR12DE inline-3 with 4-speed RE4F03C automatic transmission
• 1.5-litre HR15DE inline-4 engine that came coupled with either 5-speed RS5F91R manual gearbox or an Xtronic CVT RE0F11A transmission

In Australia, the Almera came to be featured in 2012 as the sedan. It was produced in three trim levels that were based on the 1.5-litre engine.

• ST automatic base that came with a 1.5-litre HR15DE inline-4 engine that was coupled with an Xtronic CVT RE0F11A transmission and made 75 kW of power and 139 Nm of torque
• ST manual base trim that featured a similar 1.5-litre HR15DE inline-4 engine that was coupled with a 5-speed RS5F91R manual gearbox that produced 75 kW and 139 Nm
• Ti automatic trim that came powered with a 1.5-litre HR15DE inline-4 engine that was coupled with an Xtronic CVT RE0F11A transmission and made 75 kW of power and 139 Nm of torque

The base trims featured standard amenities like air conditioning, brake assist, control locking remote control, engine immobilizer, phone integrated infotainment connectivity system, power mirrors, power windows, power steering, a trip computer, traction control and vehicle stability control. The luxurious Ti trim featured automatic air conditioning and climate control, 15-inch alloy wheels, bottom-placed fog lights, keyless entry and drive and a rear spoiler.

4th Generation N18 2019 – present

Nissan released a new Almera this year that comes as a sporty 4-door sedan. The Almera runs on Nissan V platform and features a variety of drivetrain combinations like 

• 1.0-litre HRA0 DIG-Turbo Inline 3 engine orientation with 5-speed manual able to produce 74 kW and 160 Nm
• 1.6-litre HR16DE inline 4 with a RE0F11A Xtronic continuously variable transmission that made 88 kW of power and 158 Nm of torque

However, this generation did not make it to Australia since the last generation to figure here was the third generation or N17. Despite this, we are hopeful that this new generation will still be cruising down the streets of Australia one day, whether under the Almera nameplate or as a rebadged version of Nissan’s other popular names as we’ve seen the company do previously. 

The Nissan Almera is a beauty to behold and a joy to drive. Despite its rather long and winding history, the vehicle has held up its own as the go-to car in terms of reliability and performance. It must be noted though that the Almera in Australia is currently the Sylphy-inspired third-generation model. 

If you need spare parts for your Almera, or if you’re looking to buy a secondhand Almera, look no further than Carpart. We are Australia’s leading auto parts website and your connection to the right car parts sellers. Find amazing deals today!

-RayKaz