The Nissan Grand Livina has made quite an impression since its introduction to the Malaysian automobile market, leaving a whimsical yearning for a smaller sibling to appeal to drivers looking for a compact crossover vehicle.
Nissan Livina X-Gear
‘Ask and thou shall receive.’ The Nissan Livina X-Gear, affectionately referred to as the ‘Baby Livina’ in some circles, arrived at our shores recently to much interest and curiosity.
As I stated last week, the automotive world’s trend towards multi-purpose ‘hybrid’ designs and ‘crossovers’ was inevitable as this ‘baby’ was born part sports utility vehicle (SUV) and part hatchback. The test model featured a 1.6-litre HRDE16 all-aluminium four-cylinder engine, coupled with an electronically-controlled four-speed automatic transmission.
The front grille, SUV inspired bumpers with silver sump guards, over-fenders, side mouldings with silver finishers and roof rails with a load carrying capacity of 25kg made no mistake in defining the SUV aspect of the design.
The interior, while not heavily laden in the features and gadgetry department, was homely and inviting; it felt like a reliable, trustworthy and loyal old friend to accompany me on my daily routine.
The seats were soft and comfortable, a must for long commutes or outstation highway trips; the rear seat headrests and four cup holders were definitely welcome features as well.
The 60:40 split-fold rear seats doubled the available luggage space from 383 litres to 769 litres when folded down, offering a world of storage possibilities ranging from recreational to domestic.
The sound system and air-conditioning controls were straightforward and unpretentious, facilitated by large and clearly utilitarian dials, switches and buttons.
The sound system was clear and adequate; the necessary options were present but there were no auxiliary remote controls at the steering wheel; this was not disappointing considering the price tag of the vehicle.
The engine performance was the one of the highlights of the experience as I drove the X-Gear.
The acceleration was quite decent, putting my preconceived notions of the engine size to an end. While it was not a performance oriented vehicle, the X-Gear did admirably well in speeding up, overtaking, merging and other routine manoeuvres for daily driving.
The X-Gear’s other highlight was the smooth shifting of the four-speed transmission. Gear changes were handled with great precision and efficiency by the electronic control system; the gear ratios felt intuitive throughout the test drive.
The X-Gear demonstrated fairly decent handling and agility, made possible in part by electronic power steering, independent front MacPherson struts and rear torsion beam suspension and the comprehensive braking system.
With respect to fuel economy, the X-Gear was said to deliver 13.8 kilometres per litre.
This would offer great savings and reduced ownership cost backed by a three-year or 100,000km warranty. In a nutshell, the X-Gear was not a feature heavy vehicle nor was it a blandly basic vehicle.
The bottom line was that it was honestly put together as a value-oriented crossover with the basic niceties and, more importantly, without skipping the necessities.
This vehicle would give car owners looking for something other than a basic family sedan or a home-grown subcompact; a genuine alternative option for a justified trend.
The X-Gear is available with five colour options, namely Tungsten Silver, Twilight Grey, Brilliant White, Supreme Black and Sunburst Orange.
With good fuel economy, great engine performance, and excellent value, the X-Gear would make as solid choice for an entry level vehicle, be it a conventional platform or a more contemporary crossover model.