USED Nissan Almera Hatchback (00 - 06)

My car

I onwed a Nissan Almera 1.5 S petrol on an 03 plate for just 10 months but in that space of time managed to cover 40,000 miles (mostly work related).

Never had any trouble with it and really loved driving it. The only reason I traded it in is that in my job I often need to go off road and although this car can handle most jaunts down country lanes I found some mountain roads had it beat.

The ride is well balanced and inspires confidence so you can have a bit of fun on the B roads. It doesn't have much body roll and feels smooth.

I'm not sure how to work out mpg amounts but it would do 400 miles on a full tank of unleaded and 470 miles on a tank of shell optimax, it really is worth the extra couple of pence per letre for that stuff as it also noticably increases performance.

It is true that the 1.5 almera is lacking in power but if you need good acceleration then drive in the power band (3-4000 RPM) and it can really move.

The interior is well laid out and all the controls are simple to use. My only bad points are that the cd player is not removable, to replace with an MP3 player for instance, and that the back seats are a bit cramped. Also the rear windows do not open at all so it can be a bit claustrophobic with 3 back there.

And the rear window is far too small for reversing, I usually just used the mirrors.

But apart from that I can't fault it and if it had a 4 wheel drive and height adjusting function I'd still have one!

My car

Excellent value for money. A good reliable famliy car, with ample boot capacity. It's a pleasure to drive and has a no-fuss interior, a fantastic CD system and three three-point belts in the back. You can attach a standard cycle rack, and it's easy to clean.

My car

Quite simply atrocious!

I had the misfortune to have one of these as a courtesy car for an entire week. It was, frankly, a joke. It handled with all the composure of a limp lettuce leaf, leaning round corners, the engine seemed lifeless throughout the rev range, and the interior plastics felt cheap and brittle to the touch.

From the outside I found it bland and unassuming. I can't understand why anyone would buy one.

This is one of the worst cars I have ever driven. Who would believe it comes from the same company that produces the wonderful 350Z?!?

My car

I have owned the Almera for one year now, and I think it is a wonderful car, cheap to buy (in Spain at least), very well equiped, and most important very reliable. OK it will not handle like a Focus or have the image or a Golf but it is a very nice car to live with.

The only thing that needs to be fixed by Nissan designers is the front bumper, which is very weak and tends to break easily. Not only mine has had this problem, several Almeras I have seen parked in the street had front bumper problems.