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Nissan has sprung a surprise on the Australian market by importing the two-wheel drive version of its Dualis at a price considerably lower than anticipated. Prices start at just $24,990 for the Dualis Hatch ST, about $2000 less than most had forecast, thus putting this Japanese vehicle down into Korean territory.
Dualis Hatch is very similar to the existing Dualis 4WD which has been selling well on the local market since its introduction early in 2008. However, the Hatch is driven only by its front wheels, so is aimed at the pure passenger wagon market rather than the crossover buyer. Hence the decision by Nissan Australia to promote it as a hatch rather than an SUV.
Not driving all four wheels means some 90 kilograms, and some complication, has been pulled out of the mass of the Nissan. We found it to have a lively feel on the road and the ability to climb hills with ease. Power comes from the same 2.0-litre engine as is used in the 4WD, 102 kW and 198 Nm. A turbo-diesel engine may be imported in the future, but Nissan Australia is still not convinced that Australian buyers are looking for that engine in this Japanese car class.
Transmissions are either a slick six-speed manual or a CVT automatic, the latter with pre-selected ratios that can be operated manually should the driver so wish. Dualis ST’s price includes alloy wheels, air conditioning, power windows and door mirrors, and cruise control. The upmarket $27,990 Dualis Hatch Ti also has leather seats, with heating on the fronts; a leather-wrapped steering wheel with inbuilt audio controls; trip computer; CD stacker; automatic lights and wipers, and Bluetooth compatibility.
Major safety features in all Dualis are front, side and curtain airbags, ABS brakes with brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution, and electronic stability control. The Dualis obtained the maximum five stars for occupant protection when tested in the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).
These prices are for cars with the six-speed manual gearbox. Automatic transmission adds $2500. On-road charges by dealers and governments have to be factored in. There’s good interior space in all seats and a reasonably large, practically-shaped rear storage area. The rear seats have a 60/40 split and the luggage area is good for a vehicle of this type. However, it loses out on depth by having a full-size spare wheel instead of a space-saver. The full-size makes sense in a Dualis 4WD because it might suffer punctures on unsealed roads, but maybe a space-saver would have made more sense in the 2WD Hatch.
Ride comfort is pretty well sorted out, though the suspension is firm in the European manner and those who like a really soft, cruisy feel may not like it. That firmness is more than balanced out by the very good handling. Dualis is almost car-like in the way it reacts and feels, though you do sense it has higher centre of gravity than a conventional hatch. The front seats have a nice blend of support and comfort. Some coarse-chip road surfaces caused more interior noise than we like, but that’s not unusual in European cars.
Dualis was the first vehicle to be designed at Nissan’s new European design centre in London. Those sold in Australia are built in the Nissan plant in Sunderland in the UK, to a quality that looks to be as good as that of Japanese factories.
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