Nissan ALMERA   Women's view

Vanessa Hinkley warms to the thoughtful touches of Nissans Almera

Im tired of hearing car makers go on and on about how family-orientated their cars are. As far as Im concerned, the proof comes not in the showroom but in the day to day school run, something Ive recently been experiencing in Nissans Almera. Thankfully, the quirky looks and plasticky feel that marked out the original Almera have been consigned to history. That car was supposedly designed in Europe for Europe but you wouldn't have known it. The new car really is more European, with a sleeker shape that I liked, a style which is proving much more appealing for Western buyers, particularly those who find the class-leading Ford Focus too extreme or Vauxhalls Astra too bland. Prices are super-competitive of course (in the £9,000 to £16,000 bracket), as are equipment levels (ABS, twin airbags and air conditioning on most models). Ultimately of course, it depends on your choice between five trim levels - S, SE, Flare, SVE and SXE and your choice of engines.

With two diesels and two petrol engines available, theres a fair amount of choice.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
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Equipment
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Inside, the Almera has moved up a class, with a quality feel reminiscent of something much more expensive. That isnt what I remember, however, after my time with the car. No, its that 'super utility' interior which is filled with clever touches. Not all of them are new, but in my view, the way they're executed is better than almost anything family buyers have seen to date. There's the sunglasses holder by the rear view mirror trimmed in fabric so as not to damage the lenses with constant use. The centre console glovebox with a tissue holder built into the lid. A 12v power socket mounted on the console is as easily accessible by the kids for their Gameboys as by Dad for his 'phone. A 'curry hook' in the front passenger footwell for your takeaways that retracts when not in use to avoid snagging your legs. Storage spaces abound I counted over 20 around the interior ranging from a washable rear garbage holder for sweet wrappers to sill trays sculpted for a can of de-icer and front door pockets designed to take thick atlases along with huge bottles of fizzy drink. There are two 'secret boxes' for valuables (one hidden under cup holders in the centre console and another beneath the rear floor) and a compartment for colouring books and pens built into the rear centre armrest (which also includes two more cup holders). The Almera features a control system nicked from its big brother the Primera. Whereas the Primera features a horizontal shelf that juts out from the centre console atop which are the N-FORM controls, the Almera merely installs said controls in the vertical slot where the old knobs and buttons were. Still, it looks a good deal neater and works a treat.

The shape's practical too, with plenty of headroom and decent space for three across a comfortable back seat that split-folds to reveal 355 litres of space (25 litres more than a VW Golf). In the front, provided you specify the optional side airbags, the seats can be fitted with Active Head Restraints that reduce whiplash injury if you're hit from the rear. Which is a possibility because the braking performance has been much improved thanks to a 'Brake Assist' system that reduces the pedal effort required to activate the ABS by around 30% in an emergency.

On the road, the car's very good to drive - a quality promoted in the latest model by a body that's 30% stiffer than before. The gearbox is positive but a bit notchy I thought, a pity since all three engines feel very willing. The 2.2-litre dCi diesel is the star of the show, and until the 350Z sports car started arriving in showrooms t was the quickest Nissan on sale.

This is capable of making rest to sixty in 9s yet will still return nigh-on 48mpg.

Prices start at £8,995 for the entry-level three door, rising to £15,650 for the flagship five-door 2.2-litre dCi 136bhp diesel model I tried. All models get a strong warranty package, with a three-year/60,000-miles parts and labour guarantee. If you need a more versatile interior, theres a mini-MPV Almera Tino range at prices starting from £10,995.

I must admit to liking all the clever little touches. Nissans engineers admit to spying on supermarket shoppers to find out how they actually used their vehicles before developing this car. The effort has paid off.