Overview:
Nissan will enter the premium midsize car segment with Teana in March. The segment is currently ruled by Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Skoda Superb and Mercedes C class.
Nissan has great plans for India it is willing to postion India as its manufacturing base; it has joined hands with Renault and Mahindra to produce cars. As its sister Renault has decided to enter India in a bigger way with car like Logan, Nissan also wants to join the fray.
Nissan Teana is sold as the Cefiro in Singapore and Hong Kong, as the Teana in Thailand or as the Maxima in Australia and North America. The name Teana comes from a Native American word meaning “dawn.” This model name was selected because it is suitable to the dawn of an all-new luxury sedan and because it has an elegant ring befitting the car’s appearance.
Engine and Powertrain:
Under the hood of the Teana is the 2.3l V6 naturally aspirated gasoline engine. The DOHC (double overhead camshaft) gasoline engine with CVTC – continuously variable timing control delivers an impressive power of 127KW exactly the same as the segment leader Toyota Camry. This VQ23DE power plant comes from Nissan’s VQ engine series that made Ward’s 10 Best Engines list 12 years in a row. VQ engine is said to be one of the quietest engines in the industry certainly a tough call for Skoda Octavia (Octavia’s engine is the noisiest in its class).On the performance side, 2.3l engine will offer 7.3kpl as against 8.9kpl offered by Mercedes Benz C200k. It will be faster than Skoda superb it takes only 10.4second to reach 100kmph and the engine is said to be smoother whether in stop-and-go city traffic or at speeds exceeding 100kmph. But the maximum speed is limited to 198km/h( the performance figures here estimated are based on Thailand Teana, since Teana will be bring to india as completely Built down(CBU) unit or knocked down unit I believe actual figures will be close to the estimated figures)
Design:
Exterior prestigious styling by harmonizing between European and Japanese style, the roof line arches conformable with fenders and wheels by superior design. Hood and grille were integrated, luxury feature with chrome molding. Teana knocks out Toyota camry, Honda accord, skoda superb, Mercedes C class and even Mercedes E class when comes to interiors. Pearl suede (also seen in Mitsubishi Montero) covers the upper surface of the instrument panel, seats, door armrests and center armrest. This technique of inserting a third colored material into the basic two-tone color coordination scheme gives a fresh expression to the interior.
Driver’s zone:
The 4-speed E-CAT (electronically controlled automatic transmission), 5.3-meters minimum-turning radius (lowest in its class) and rear-view reversing camera that displays on the dashboard monitor, make this executive sedan easy to drive and park. With the ground clearance of 135mm you may feel hard to drive Teana in Indian roads. Teana provides disc brakes on all four 16-inch alloy wheels. Teana looks modern with position memory driver seat eminent with welcome seat system that will automatic sliding up to 40 mm. Highlighted by the bold use of wood-grain trim, the instrument panel resembles a furnished piece of high-class furniture. Electronic Throttle Chamber (ETC) system is controlling the throttle valve without cable (or called “drive by wire”) and hence improved response for Teana drivers. Powerful Xenon headlamps, which provide more intensity than conventional halogen lamps, offer improved visibility for safer night driving.
Passenger’s zone:
Teana’s quiet engine together with the spaciousness of the passenger cabin afforded by the Teana’s size, plus the independent suspension at the front and rear with stabilizer bars, results in exceptional ride quality for all occupants. Teana is taller than Toyota Camry and Honda Accord hence only very tall people may find roof limiting the rear headroom, but otherwise all passengers will enjoy good space in all direction. Teana has only 476litre boot space to fill your cargo. Though Teana’s air massage Seats – the two front and two rear air-massage seats that are designed to fit comfortably with the shoulder and backbone to offer a relaxing back massage to relieve stress and tension as Nissan claims, the seats are flat and fail to support in corners as the vehicle reported by most Teana customers in Thailand. The center console, connecting the front- and rear-seat areas in a gentle arch, is like a side table that facilitates lively conversation among those around it. Inside, the genuine leather upholstery and trim, memory adjustment for the driver’s seat, matte-finished wood panels on the dash and jagged-design gearbox, Human Machine interface with 7-inch color display, power sunroof, dual climate control air con, six-disc CD changer and audio system with six speakers and remotely controlled rear power sunshade contribute to the luxury class ambience and raise the riding comfort level
Safety and special features:
Safety features in the Teana include the usual specs found in cars in this class, such as airbags, ABS with EBD, brake assist, dual front pretensioner seatbelts, three rear 3-point seatbelts and a VDC (vehicle dynamic control) programme that automatically controls engine output and braking power on each wheel to help keep the car steady under demanding conditions. To make things even easier for the driver, the Teana offers keyless “smart start and entry” whereby you can unlock the car and start the engine simply by pushing buttons as long as you have the Nissan Intelligence Card Key in your pocket. Teana also comes with the theft proof immobilizer -security device to prevent thieves from stealing a car even if they gain entry. An electronic immobiliser is part of the engine control unit (ECU), and prevents the car from being started unless it recognises signals from a transponder in the key. Auto-levelling feature for the Teana’s headlamp helps to improve the straight-line visibility, thereby enhancing the safety standards.
Price and service:
Definitely, the car has edge over the camry and accord when comes to appeal, Teana tops the JD power APEAL (automotive performance, execution and layout study) in the premium midsize car segment. Teana’s pluses are
• An elegant interior reminiscent of a modern living room
• Stylish and attractive body proportions
• amply powerful and comfortable driving performance for sophisticated drivers
If you want comfort then Teana will be your choice. Teana will be priced at around Rs 21-22 lakh this is where the new Honda accord scores with a price tag of 16 lakh. Also the hi-tech Teana will face another loss when comes to service. Expensive spare parts and very few dealer networks are the other drawbacks.
Further launches:
Currently Nissan offers X-trail an SUV which is sold over 200 units.X-trail is offered in diesel version. Nissan has announced business collaboration with Suzuki, including sharing manufacturing facilities. Nissan has also joined hands with Mahindra and Renault to produce cars in India. Nissan has great understandings about the Indian market, YOSHIE MOTOHIRO Managing Director Nissan Motor India Pvt. Limited said“People in India know about Nissan as a global company and about Mr. Ghosn, but they don’t really know we’re selling cars in India yet”. But Nissan has great plans for India she also said “We want to enter higher-volume segments, meaning the more moderately priced A, B, C and D segments”. Believing her words we will see some great Nissan cars in India
Useful links:
Nissan India’s dealers
For Nissan Teana’s Technical specification Nissan Thailand home page
For Nissan’s report on India.