Friday, September 28, 2012

COMPACT SUV MAHINDRA QUANTO



 COMPACT SUV FROM MAHINDRA and MAHINDRA QUANTO.





Mahindra and Mahindra who is known for manufacturing SUVs for the Indian car bazaar have turned its way a bit. Seeing the demand in the market, Mahindra is ready to tap into the small car market with the shorter version of its most prominent MPV, Mahindra Xylo. The new mini Xylo, codenamed ‘U203’ which was later on christened as Mahindra Quanto is Mahindra’s new armament against the B+ hatchback segment and entry level sedans. Mahindra Quanto also gets the honor of becoming the first ever sub-four-meter MPV in the country. The basic design of the car is pretty similar to Mahindra Xylo which the car is spawned on. The similar ladder-frame body frame is seen in Quanto as well. Under the bonnet, the compact SUV holds an altered version of diesel motor along with same suspension system and analogous interiors. The 1.5L diesel engine here is be coupled with five speed manual gearbox that would pushes the car in delivering an awesome performance on road.

The looks of the car are be as appealing as Mahindra Xylo MPV and gives the middle row passenger same happy legs feeling that Xylo offered. Mahindra Quanto borrowed the body-on-ladder chassis from its sibling Xylo and the chassis was compacted suitably to make it fit under the 4 meters in length, which makes the car take advantage of the excise duty subsidy Indian government has allotted to the sub-four meter vehicles. The wheels have also gone smaller to 15” from the 16” wheels seen in Mahindra Xylo MPV. The ride and handling of Mahindra Quanto is  enhanced and would give great acceleration and pickup. The interiors of the new Mahindra Quanto will be comfortable and loaded with numerous advanced features. The car would be able to adjust seven adults with utmost ease. The car might appear to be a bit cramped, but seven people will be happily adjusted into the car. The seats would be upholstered with high quality fabrics, while the power steering would make the driving absolutely easy for the driver. The power windows will also be present along with high performing air cooling system with AC vents that are well-spread. With such competitive price range and appealing looks, the car certainly has a big competition that it is going to face in the Indian car bazaar.  The major challenger of Mahindra Quanto will turn out to be Maruti Ertiga, which has been roaring with success these days.


It is very important for any car to deliver high mileage. Every manufacturer in India very well knows that India is a mileage driven country, therefore one has to be sure that their cars manage to deliver a decent mileage. The Mahindra Quanto, which is a shortened version of Mahindra popular MPV, Xylo is blessed with 1.5L twin turbo-charged CRDi diesel mill known as mCR100 which is able to produce about 100bhp of peak power along with 240Nm of torque. The engine comes coupled with a five speed manual transmission that would assist the car in delivering 17.21kmpl of whooping fuel economy that makes the car low-maintenance and gives this compact SUV a value for money quotient.
Mahindra Quanto appears to be an impressive vehicle. Mahindra was infact very hush hush about this vehicle before the vehicle was launched in the market the world was just speculating about its specifications. Mahindra Quanto is bestowed with a toned down version of mHawk diesel engine which is comparatively lighter in weight and manages to churn out decent power of 100bhp power and 240 Nm of torque. The five speed manual transmission united with this engine delivers good performance on road.
Quanto which was earlier known to the world as Mini Xylo as the name suggests is the compact verison of Mahindra India’s MPV Xylo. Mahindra Quanto is designed and developed on the Mahindra India’s sturdy, tried and tested as well as highly successful Ingenio platform which it shares with Xylo MPV. The Quanto is spawned on the body -on-ladder chassis that the Indian auto major reduced to fit the bill and get this utility vehicle under sub-four metre vehicle zone. Getting the vehicle under 4 meters has helped Mahindra to get the excise duty benefits which has helped the company to price it pretty competitively to take a dig at the diesel hatchback buyers as well as entry level sedan consumers.

Now since this compact SUV is built on Xylo’s platform, no doubt it will make you remember its inspirer and to be true the front fascia is just a pinch different from the facelift version of Xylo, one can say that things have just been refined to appeal to the potential consumers. One look won’t be enough to realize the difference, only when you dig deeper you get to notice that the ‘V’ bonnet has been retouched and there is a new lip that has been added above the toothy smiley grille. The front fascia has been turned modish with trendy fog lamps and sporty roof rails. Although the wheel size has been decreased from 16” to 15” in Quanto, the car still sits tall and gets a bit inelegant, seems like Mahindra was looking for comfort than design and appeal. The Quanto gets all new D pillars, wrapped around tail lamps and the there is spare wheel that is surmounted on the tail gate at the rear end which fulfills the mini-SUV philosophy. Moving towards the rear end the similarities between Xylo and Quanto are numerous, just the tail of the compact SUV is different where the Xylo’s large rear windows and bumper has been replaced with the quarter glass and the overhanged spare wheel tyre.

The engine of Mahindra Quanto is one of the most interesting engine of today’s time. The sub 1.5L diesel engine is not a newfangled engine in Mahindra’s engine line-up rather it is the toned down version of the 2.2L mhawk diesel engine. The mini Xylo will be blessed with a new diesel engine made with aluminum. Apparently, this engine has be made BS V ready and would be BS VI complaint with just few alterations. The engine uses double-overhead camshaft setup along with a common rail developed by Bosch.The new engine here weighs about 65kgs less as compared to the MDiCRDe motor and produces peak power of100bhp at the rate of 3750rpm along with 240Nmof maximum torque at the rate of 1600-2800rpm. The engine here is smartly coupled with five speed manual transmission that makes it more dynamic and robust.
The braking and handling of Mahindra Quanto is impressive. The braking system comprises of dynamic and responsive brakes along with advanced features like anti lock braking system (ABS). This will prevent the wheels from locking up in case immediate brakes are applied and avert the vehicle from skidding. The handling of the car is supported by a good suspension system along with electrically assisted power steering wheel.



Mahindra Quanto Variants
VariantsTransmissionEngine DescriptionMileagePowerACPower SteeringCentral Locking
CityHighway
C2 (Diesel)Manual1493cc
3 Cylinder 12 Valve
13.817.21100bhp @ 3750 rpmStandardStandardNot Available
C4 (Diesel)Manual1493cc
3 Cylinder 12 Valve
13.817.21100bhp @ 3750 rpmStandardStandardNot Available
C6 (Diesel)Manual1493cc
3 Cylinder 12 Valve
13.817.21100bhp @ 3750 rpmStandardStandardStandard
C8 (Diesel)Manual1493cc
3 Cylinder 12 Valve
13.817.21100bhp @ 3750 rpmStandardStandardStandard






















Mahindra Quanto Variants Price

Mahindra Quanto prices were updated on 20 Sep 2012
VariantsNew DelhiBangaloreMumbaiChennaiPuneHyderabadKolkata
C2 (Diesel)5,99,7646,08,9105,81,8826,11,7745,81,9506,06,7606,22,986  Get On Road Price  
C4 (Diesel)6,53,6126,63,7156,34,6746,66,5796,34,7436,61,5656,77,856  Get On Road Price  
C6 (Diesel)7,05,5737,16,6006,85,6607,19,4646,85,7297,14,4507,30,780  Get On Road Price  
C8 (Diesel)7,57,3227,69,2707,36,4397,72,1347,36,5087,67,1207,83,489  Get On Road Price  


mini suv MAHINDRA QUANTO


Thursday, September 13, 2012

Nissan Evalia reay for a grand launch on 26th September 2012 in India


              
Nissan Evalia  A entry for new SUV's




    Multi-purpose vehicle is a segment of cars in India which is totally dominated by Innova from Toyota. Ever since its launch it’s the undisputed champion of its segment. Initially this was not a popular segment of cars in India but now consumers and manufacturers both are rushing towards it. Recently we have seen new competitors of Innova including Ertiga from Maruti Suzuki, face-lifted Xylo from Mahindra and now Nissan Evalia. Yes, Nissan is entering this segment of market with their MPV known as Evalia. Till now Nissan is widely known for its cars like Micra and Sunny in India. With Evalia, Nissan targets those looking for an alternative of Innova for both family and commercial use. Majority of cars in this segment faces the problem of identity crisis. Either they are given the identity of a car which is just suitable for family or they are known as taxi which is more appropriate for commercial usage. No owner would like his personal car to be taunted as a taxi. Innova has managed it brilliantly. It has won hearts of many families despite being a successful commercial vehicle. Its space, comfort with premium quality made it a huge hit in the market. Nissan knows it perfectly as they have seen Xylo being tagged as a taxi while only families are opting for Ertiga. It will be a tough task for Evalia to carry two successful images with two colored number plates. 
  
  
       Nissan India unveiled the 'Evalia' in India at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi. The Indian version of NV200 would be more luxurious and feature-rich in comparison to the Evalias (NV200) sold all over the world. Nissan Evalia is a proper seven-seater multi-utility vehicle and will compete against the likes of Toyota Innova, Tata Aria, Chevrolet Tavera and to some extent with ICML Rhino. On 8th August Nissan India unveiled all the technical specifications and features of Evalia to the online media persons. It will be available in four variants: XE, XE+, XL and top-of-the-line XV. All the variants will be powered by Nissan K9K diesel engine which will be mated to five-speed manual gearbox. It generates maximum power of 85 bhp with maximum torque of 200 nm. In terms of looks, Nissan Evalia has commercial van-type designing with sliding doors to access the rear seats. It has to be seen that if private owners will prefer Evalia over Innova for routine day-to-day use. Nissan has kept the design very neat and simple. The interiors of Nissan Evalia are very spacious with sufficient head-room and leg-room for all seven passengers. The top-of-the-line XV variant will come fully loaded with features like body coloured bumpers, body coloured outside rear-view mirrors, Electrically adjustable outside rear-view mirrors, front fog lamps, alloy wheels, tachometer, trip meter, 12V power outlet, multi-information display, 2DIN music system with 4 speakers, key-less entry, central locking system, tilt-adjustable power steering, power windows, seat back table, rear-monitor camera with display, air conditioner with rear AC vents, reclining seats, passenger plus driver airbag, ABS+EBD with brake assist, immobilizer and door ajar warning. 
       The Nissan Evalia is designed for perfection. Ample amount of cargo space, first-class functionality and the latest automotive technology make it stand apart from the crowd. Nissan exhibits a high performance on the road with its excellent diesel engine option. The interior is a showcase of comfort and the true sporty nature of the car. They are provided with lumber support, folding options in the passenger seats and Thermoplastic Polyolefin front row covering. The remote keyless entry system, central console with controls, front map lights, Rear Glass defogger, bottle holders and passenger side rear cargo door all enhance the comfort of the car. The Nissan Evalia is facilitated with 2-Din AM/FM/CD with four speakers. It is expected that Nissan India is going to launch the Evalia on 26th September, 2012. The expected price range of Evalia is from seven lakh rupees to 10 lakh rupees for the top variant.

                                                             Nissan Evalia Exterior



       One thing is for sure; Evalia looks distinct from its competitors. We are not sure if it’s going to work in its favour or not. The car looks tall; that’s it. Evalia neither looks smart or beautiful nor it’s curvy or macho, it’s just tall. The front of the car is much more appealing than its whole body. It has a big, broad bumper which has nice flowing lines over it along with fog lights and air dam fitted very low. There is huge gap between headlights and fog lights which grabs your attention instantly. It has nice angular headlights which are well mated with an innovative front grille .There is big Nissan logo in center with a nice finish of chrome on the last layer of grille. The bonnet sits high above on this front grille which is not that big in size. Overall its face looks very aerodynamic. Its side view makes it look like any other, cargo van. It has long vertical front doors with sliding doors at the back. Yes, it has sliding doors which won’t take you long to compare it with much cheaper Maruti’s van like Omni or Eeco. It has body colored front door handles and big side mirrors. It has nice wheel arches but its 14 inch alloys spoils the party. Its side profile with small size of tyres looks very boxy and bland. Rear of the car makes it worse. Its rear gate makes it a typical van. Its rear bumper is the most irritating thing that you can notice. It has a tall rear gate which has extremely low fitted tail lamps. When companies are trying to make their MPVs as stylish as possible, we wonder why Nissan has chosen this typical van design for its car. Looking at its competitor’s design and style, Evalia looks like a thing of the past.

                                                           Nissan Evalia Interior


 
     Things get better inside Evalia. It uses beige and grey colors inside. Seats and door panels are of beige colour which makes it look up market. The car features clear and easily readable instrument dials. It has familiar three spoke steering wheel with a big Nissan logo over it. 

     The upward placement of gear knob may remind you of i10’s AC vents, gear knob and center console are surrounded with metallic colour finish. The quality of plastic material and buttons used inside are just fine as they are not that soft to touch. If we compare it with its rivals like Xylo than it surely has an upper hand as the total arrangement inside with fit and finish is far better. It also has a Multi information display which provides important information to driver.

                                                             Comfort and Convenience

      
      Evalia is available as a seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle. Basic function of MPVs is to provide extra space and that’s the USP of this car. Nissan has made it very spacious and even with full seating; luggage of a full size family can fit into its boot. Front seats are very comfy and there is enough legroom and headroom available in the front. People who are six feet plus may find a bit cramped knee room in the front, otherwise headroom is no issue. There are front power windows and rear wiper and defogger. Its power steering is available with tilt option. Driver seat is manually adjustable. Driving position will again realize you that it is more like a van as you lack that confidence in driving position. Seating in second row is also very comfortable. There is ample amount of headroom and legroom. Under thigh support is just enough. It has non sliding seats in its 2nd row. Sliding doors and almost flat floor makes it convenient to use these rows. The tall structure of Evalia allows the passengers in third room to get fair amount of headroom. The under thigh support could have been better. There is rear AC vent for 3rd row, we are not sure about 2nd row if it will have AC ducting or not. It also features electrically adjustable but not retractable outside mirrors and rear parking camera with display. The car has a smart key with function of auto lock/unlock with the help of sensors.

Dashboard and Storage

                           
       Its long dashboard uses dual tone colors. It has in-built glove box with bottle holders on either side. That’s the only storage space this dashboard offers. The center console is fitted with Multi information display which fits in well with the dashboard and looks sophisticated. It has round and rectangular shaped AC vents. Overall appearance and quality of dashboard is satisfactory. The car has no lockable storage space to keep essential or private documents. It also has cup holder in rear center armrest. The car has first in its class tray table on the back of front seats just like a plane. To get more storage, the rear seats folds down and allow you to carry enormous amount of luggage.

Music system of Nissan Evalia

        Nissan Evalia is equipped with double din music system fitted in center console. It has radio and CD player coupled with four speakers. There is no audio control switches mounted on its steering wheel. The car also lacks Bluetooth connectivity. It features a 12v power outlet at front.

Nissan Evalia Engine and Gearbox

       The familiar Renault’s 1.5 K9K common rail diesel engine powers this car. The maximum power produced by this engine is of 85 bhp which comes at 3750 rpm. It churns out a maximum torque output 200 Nm available at 2000 rpm. Nissan is already using this engine in its Micra and Sunny. This diesel unit is specially tuned for Indian Evalia. It’s mated with 5-speed manual gearbox. This engine is less powerful than most of its competitors.

Acceleration and Performance

      Those numbers seem to be very less on papers for a vehicle of this segment but drive it on road and you will find it completely different. As per Nissan, Evalia reaches 100km/hr mark faster than any of its competitors. It’s hard to believe but yes it does. The car feels very light and fast. Once you pass 2000 rpm mark it is fun to drive this vehicle. It suffers a major turbo lag, especially with full seating you will continuously have to work on its gear shifting. It also gets noisy if rev hard otherwise it’s a nice performer. It can’t match the performance and drivability of Innova but it is better than what we get in Xylo. Its lightweight helps it to manage the power to weight ratio better than others. Its tall gear ratios can be irritating in city traffic as you can avail torque only after 2000 rpm. It has smooth gear transition which is very handy in city traffic and its gear ratios are well proportioned.

Mileage of Nissan Evalia


   
        Nissan claims Evalia to be the most fuel efficient car in its segment. As per ARAI certification, it manages to return 19km/ltr. When tested the car returns a mileage of around 13-15km/ltr in city conditions while on highways you can expect anything around 15-17km/ltr. These numbers are surely better than its competitors like Innova and Xylo. There are two reasons which undoubtedly make it the most fuel efficient car in its segment. First it’s lightweight due to its monocoque design which is very lighter in comparison to its competitors as it weighs around 1.4 tonnes and secondly it’s relatively taller gear ratios.

Nissan Evalia Ride and Handling

      The car handles really well in traffic conditions. Its reduced turning radius along with large door glasses on either side makes it easy while parking this car. Given its weight and usage, its suspension has been given special treatment. It is capable of bearing heavy loads with optimum comfort. Its strong suspension allows it to stay grounded at high speeds. Shifting lanes quickly at high speeds is not an issue. It also digests big bumps and potholes easily and with its high ground clearance. Its long wheelbase along with well mated suspension confirms you a comfortable ride. It doesn’t give you enough confidence to drive it fast at corners because its suspension takes time to settle down and its small tyres are not capable to hold it firmly on road.

Braking and Safety Features

      Nissan Evalia has ventilated disk brake at its front while drum brakes are used at its back. Brakes respond very accurately and sometime they stop this car way before than what you expect. Top model of this car will also carry features like ABS with EBD and brake assist which will make its braking more precise. Though it lacks ESP but you will hardly miss it. Nissan has tried to make it a safe vehicle that’s why ABS and driver side air bag is a standard feature while the top model will also feature airbag for front passenger.

Nissan Evalia Variants and Warranty

    Evalia will be offered in four variants with one diesel engine. These variants are XE, XE+, XL and top variant XV. Shades are not yet disclosed by Nissan for Evalia. Nissan gives a warranty of 24months/50000kms on its new vehicles so we expect the same for Evalia.

Verdict

    MPVs are known for their space and Evalia is surely a winner in this department. It’s very spacious and offers enough comfort what you expect from a vehicle of this segment. It handles nicely in city traffic and on highways also it won’t disappoint you. Evalia is very economical in terms of fuel efficiency and for that you don’t even have to compromise on power either. These are some of its qualities which will surely appeal to many buyers. We wish if it was enough for this car to succeed as it has some major drawbacks. Evalia looks much like a van with sliding doors which makes it look like a typical MPV. Its competitors like Maruti’s Ertiga and Toyota Innova on the other hand are trying to get rid of this image and they more look like any other city car which is more acceptable by family buyers. It can appeal to those who are looking for a commercial MPV but again its warranty period is an issue. Innova comes with longer warranty period which makes it worth in comparison to Evalia. There are relatively less features in Evalia when compared to its competitors. Pricing is going to be very crucial for Evalia. Nissan has to place it smartly to make it a value for money car. Otherwise it will be hard for Evalia to get the trusted buyers of Innova which is better than it in almost every department.

VEHICLE SUMMARY

Name:Evalia
Model:XE
Car Body Type:MUV
Segment:C+ Segment
Warranty:NA

ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Displacement:1461cc, Nissan K9K, BS4
Engine Type:Diesel
Maximum Power:85 Bhp
Maximum Torque:NA

DIMENSIONS

Length:4400 mm
Width:1695 mm
Height:1880 mm

OTHER SPECIFICATIONS

Seating Capacity:7
Tyre Size:165 R14
Suspension:Independent McPherson Struts
Steering:Tilt
Brakes:Front Disk, Rear Drum
Gears:5 Manual
Ground Clearance:180.00 mm
Kerb Weight:1426.00 kgs.
Body Color Bumpers:
Tachometer:
Alloys:
ORVM Indicator:
Xenon Headlamps:
Trip Meter:2
Headlamp Washer:

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SAFETY

Airbag:1
Parking Sensors:
Fog Lamp:
Traction Control:
EBD:
ABS:
ESP:

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE

AC:AC
without Climate Control
Power Windows:
Central Locking:None
Remote Boot:
Remote Fuel Filler:
Rear Wiper:
Rear Defogger:
Rear Armrest:With Cup Holder
Streeing Adjustment
(Rake/Reach):
/
Driver Seat Adjustment:Manual
Music System:1 DIN AM/FM/CD
Leather Seats:
Door Mirror:Both Side Electric
Tinted Glass:
Rear AC Vent:
Folding Rear Seats:
Sun Roof:
Buttons/Controls
on Steering:

Auto Viper:
Auto Headlamp:


              Multi-purpose vehicle is a segment of cars in India which is totally dominated by Innova from Toyota. Ever since its launch it’s the undisputed champion of its segment. Initially this was not a popular segment of cars in India but now consumers and manufacturers both are rushing towards it. Recently we have seen new competitors of Innova including Ertiga from Maruti Suzuki, face-lifted Xylo from Mahindra and now Nissan Evalia. Yes, Nissan is entering this segment of market with their MPV known as Evalia. Till now Nissan is widely known for its cars like Micra and Sunny in India. With Evalia, Nissan targets those looking for an alternative of Innova for both family and commercial use. Majority of cars in this segment faces the problem of identity crisis. Either they are given the identity of a car which is just suitable for family or they are known as taxi which is more appropriate for commercial usage. No owner would like his personal car to be taunted as a taxi. Innova has managed it brilliantly. It has won hearts of many families despite being a successful commercial vehicle. Its space, comfort with premium quality made it a huge hit in the market. Nissan knows it perfectly as they have seen Xylo being tagged as a taxi while only families are opting for Ertiga. It will be a tough task for Evalia to carry two successful images with two colored number plates. 
Nissan India unveiled the 'Evalia' in India at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi. The Indian version of NV200 would be more luxurious and feature-rich in comparison to the Evalias (NV200) sold all over the world. Nissan Evalia is a proper seven-seater multi-utility vehicle and will compete against the likes of Toyota Innova, Tata Aria, Chevrolet Tavera and to some extent with ICML Rhino. On 8th August Nissan India unveiled all the technical specifications and features of Evalia to the online media persons. It will be available in four variants: XE, XE+, XL and top-of-the-line XV. All the variants will be powered by Nissan K9K diesel engine which will be mated to five-speed manual gearbox. It generates maximum power of 85 bhp with maximum torque of 200 nm. In terms of looks, Nissan Evalia has commercial van-type designing with sliding doors to access the rear seats. It has to be seen that if private owners will prefer Evalia over Innova for routine day-to-day use. Nissan has kept the design very neat and simple. The interiors of Nissan Evalia are very spacious with sufficient head-room and leg-room for all seven passengers. The top-of-the-line XV variant will come fully loaded with features like body coloured bumpers, body coloured outside rear-view mirrors, Electrically adjustable outside rear-view mirrors, front fog lamps, alloy wheels, tachometer, trip meter, 12V power outlet, multi-information display, 2DIN music system with 4 speakers, key-less entry, central locking system, tilt-adjustable power steering, power windows, seat back table, rear-monitor camera with display, air conditioner with rear AC vents, reclining seats, passenger plus driver airbag, ABS+EBD with brake assist, immobilizer and door ajar warning. 
The Nissan Evalia is designed for perfection. Ample amount of cargo space, first-class functionality and the latest automotive technology make it stand apart from the crowd. Nissan exhibits a high performance on the road with its excellent diesel engine option. The interior is a showcase of comfort and the true sporty nature of the car. They are provided with lumber support, folding options in the passenger seats and Thermoplastic Polyolefin front row covering. The remote keyless entry system, central console with controls, front map lights, Rear Glass defogger, bottle holders and passenger side rear cargo door all enhance the comfort of the car. The Nissan Evalia is facilitated with 2-Din AM/FM/CD with four speakers. It is expected that Nissan India is going to launch the Evalia on 26th September, 2012. The expected price range of Evalia is from seven lakh rupees to 10 lakh rupees for the top variant.

                                                            Nissan Evalia Exterior


       One thing is for sure; Evalia looks distinct from its competitors. We are not sure if it’s going to work in its favour or not. The car looks tall; that’s it. Evalia neither looks smart or beautiful nor it’s curvy or macho, it’s just tall. The front of the car is much more appealing than its whole body. It has a big, broad bumper which has nice flowing lines over it along with fog lights and air dam fitted very low. There is huge gap between headlights and fog lights which grabs your attention instantly. It has nice angular headlights which are well mated with an innovative front grille .There is big Nissan logo in center with a nice finish of chrome on the last layer of grille. The bonnet sits high above on this front grille which is not that big in size. Overall its face looks very aerodynamic. Its side view makes it look like any other, cargo van. It has long vertical front doors with sliding doors at the back. Yes, it has sliding doors which won’t take you long to compare it with much cheaper Maruti’s van like Omni or Eeco. It has body colored front door handles and big side mirrors. It has nice wheel arches but its 14 inch alloys spoils the party. Its side profile with small size of tyres looks very boxy and bland. Rear of the car makes it worse. Its rear gate makes it a typical van. Its rear bumper is the most irritating thing that you can notice. It has a tall rear gate which has extremely low fitted tail lamps. When companies are trying to make their MPVs as stylish as possible, we wonder why Nissan has chosen this typical van design for its car. Looking at its competitor’s design and style, Evalia looks like a thing of the past.

Nissan Evalia Interior

Things get better inside Evalia. It uses beige and grey colors inside. Seats and door panels are of beige colour which makes it look up market. The car features clear and easily readable instrument dials. It has familiar three spoke steering wheel with a big Nissan logo over it. The upward placement of gear knob may remind you of i10’s AC vents, gear knob and center console are surrounded with metallic colour finish. The quality of plastic material and buttons used inside are just fine as they are not that soft to touch. If we compare it with its rivals like Xylo than it surely has an upper hand as the total arrangement inside with fit and finish is far better. It also has a Multi information display which provides important information to driver.

Comfort and Convenience

Evalia is available as a seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle. Basic function of MPVs is to provide extra space and that’s the USP of this car. Nissan has made it very spacious and even with full seating; luggage of a full size family can fit into its boot. Front seats are very comfy and there is enough legroom and headroom available in the front. People who are six feet plus may find a bit cramped knee room in the front, otherwise headroom is no issue. There are front power windows and rear wiper and defogger. Its power steering is available with tilt option. Driver seat is manually adjustable. Driving position will again realize you that it is more like a van as you lack that confidence in driving position. Seating in second row is also very comfortable. There is ample amount of headroom and legroom. Under thigh support is just enough. It has non sliding seats in its 2nd row. Sliding doors and almost flat floor makes it convenient to use these rows. The tall structure of Evalia allows the passengers in third room to get fair amount of headroom. The under thigh support could have been better. There is rear AC vent for 3rd row, we are not sure about 2nd row if it will have AC ducting or not. It also features electrically adjustable but not retractable outside mirrors and rear parking camera with display. The car has a smart key with function of auto lock/unlock with the help of sensors.

Dashboard and Storage

Its long dashboard uses dual tone colors. It has in-built glove box with bottle holders on either side. That’s the only storage space this dashboard offers. The center console is fitted with Multi information display which fits in well with the dashboard and looks sophisticated. It has round and rectangular shaped AC vents. Overall appearance and quality of dashboard is satisfactory. The car has no lockable storage space to keep essential or private documents. It also has cup holder in rear center armrest. The car has first in its class tray table on the back of front seats just like a plane. To get more storage, the rear seats folds down and allow you to carry enormous amount of luggage.

Music system of Nissan Evalia

Nissan Evalia is equipped with double din music system fitted in center console. It has radio and CD player coupled with four speakers. There is no audio control switches mounted on its steering wheel. The car also lacks Bluetooth connectivity. It features a 12v power outlet at front.

Nissan Evalia Engine and Gearbox

The familiar Renault’s 1.5 K9K common rail diesel engine powers this car. The maximum power produced by this engine is of 85 bhp which comes at 3750 rpm. It churns out a maximum torque output 200 Nm available at 2000 rpm. Nissan is already using this engine in its Micra and Sunny. This diesel unit is specially tuned for Indian Evalia. It’s mated with 5-speed manual gearbox. This engine is less powerful than most of its competitors.

Acceleration and Performance

Those numbers seem to be very less on papers for a vehicle of this segment but drive it on road and you will find it completely different. As per Nissan, Evalia reaches 100km/hr mark faster than any of its competitors. It’s hard to believe but yes it does. The car feels very light and fast. Once you pass 2000 rpm mark it is fun to drive this vehicle. It suffers a major turbo lag, especially with full seating you will continuously have to work on its gear shifting. It also gets noisy if rev hard otherwise it’s a nice performer. It can’t match the performance and drivability of Innova but it is better than what we get in Xylo. Its lightweight helps it to manage the power to weight ratio better than others. Its tall gear ratios can be irritating in city traffic as you can avail torque only after 2000 rpm. It has smooth gear transition which is very handy in city traffic and its gear ratios are well proportioned.

Mileage of Nissan Evalia

Nissan claims Evalia to be the most fuel efficient car in its segment. As per ARAI certification, it manages to return 19km/ltr. When tested the car returns a mileage of around 13-15km/ltr in city conditions while on highways you can expect anything around 15-17km/ltr. These numbers are surely better than its competitors like Innova and Xylo. There are two reasons which undoubtedly make it the most fuel efficient car in its segment. First it’s lightweight due to its monocoque design which is very lighter in comparison to its competitors as it weighs around 1.4 tonnes and secondly it’s relatively taller gear ratios.

Nissan Evalia Ride and Handling

The car handles really well in traffic conditions. Its reduced turning radius along with large door glasses on either side makes it easy while parking this car. Given its weight and usage, its suspension has been given special treatment. It is capable of bearing heavy loads with optimum comfort. Its strong suspension allows it to stay grounded at high speeds. Shifting lanes quickly at high speeds is not an issue. It also digests big bumps and potholes easily and with its high ground clearance. Its long wheelbase along with well mated suspension confirms you a comfortable ride. It doesn’t give you enough confidence to drive it fast at corners because its suspension takes time to settle down and its small tyres are not capable to hold it firmly on road.

Braking and Safety Features

Nissan Evalia has ventilated disk brake at its front while drum brakes are used at its back. Brakes respond very accurately and sometime they stop this car way before than what you expect. Top model of this car will also carry features like ABS with EBD and brake assist which will make its braking more precise. Though it lacks ESP but you will hardly miss it. Nissan has tried to make it a safe vehicle that’s why ABS and driver side air bag is a standard feature while the top model will also feature airbag for front passenger.

Nissan Evalia Variants and Warranty

Evalia will be offered in four variants with one diesel engine. These variants are XE, XE+, XL and top variant XV. Shades are not yet disclosed by Nissan for Evalia. Nissan gives a warranty of 24months/50000kms on its new vehicles so we expect the same for Evalia.

Verdict

MPVs are known for their space and Evalia is surely a winner in this department. It’s very spacious and offers enough comfort what you expect from a vehicle of this segment. It handles nicely in city traffic and on highways also it won’t disappoint you. Evalia is very economical in terms of fuel efficiency and for that you don’t even have to compromise on power either. These are some of its qualities which will surely appeal to many buyers. We wish if it was enough for this car to succeed as it has some major drawbacks. Evalia looks much like a van with sliding doors which makes it look like a typical MPV. Its competitors like Maruti’s Ertiga and Toyota Innova on the other hand are trying to get rid of this image and they more look like any other city car which is more acceptable by family buyers. It can appeal to those who are looking for a commercial MPV but again its warranty period is an issue. Innova comes with longer warranty period which makes it worth in comparison to Evalia. There are relatively less features in Evalia when compared to its competitors. Pricing is going to be very crucial for Evalia. Nissan has to place it smartly to make it a value for money car. Otherwise it will be hard for Evalia to get the trusted buyers of Innova which is better than it in almost every department.