THE Nissan Teana was introduced to replace the successful Nissan Cefiro, and is a D-segment executive sedan competing with cars like Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Kia Optima, Mazda6 and others from the Europe, as well as South Korea.
The name “Teana” is derived from a small village in Italy. Likewise, the Nissan Murana’s name is also derived from another city in Italy.
In certain markets, the Teana is branded as Nissan Maxima and Nissan Altima.
Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of Nissan in Malaysia, launched the third-generation back in 2014.
Last December, the company and Nissan Motorsport International Limited (Nismo) racing drivers Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli introduced the Nissan Teana Nismo performance package to the Malaysian market.
Malaysia is the first country in the world to get the performance package.
We recently had the chance to test drive the car.
The Nissan Teana 2.5XV with Nismo performance package comes with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder twin continuous variable valve timing control engine, which is hooked to a Xtronic CVT transmission. The engine delivers 173hp at 6,000rpm and 234Nm of torque from 4,000rpm.
It measures 4,885mm in length, 1,830mm in width, 1,455mm in height and with a wheelbase of 2,775mm. It weighs 1,516kg and comes with a boot space of 516 litres as well as a fuel tank capacity of 65 litres.
The Teana comes with smart entry with push-to-start button, Xenon headlamps, auto headlamp leveller, leather seats, cruise control, dual zone air-conditioning with a rear air vent, Bose sound system and a sunroof.
As for the Nismo performance package, the Teana is equipped with Nismo front bumper spoiler, Nismo rear bumper soiler, Nismo side skirts, Nismo trunk lid spoiler, Nismo exhaust finishers, Nismo sport springs for a lower ride height by 30mm, Nismo 18-inch alloy wheels and Michelin PS4 tyres
Six airbags, vehicle dynamic control, active understeer control, traction control, anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist are the core safety features of the Nissan Teana.
The Nissan Teana 2.5 XV is priced at RM169,900, inclusive of insurance but without the Nismo performance package. The package costs RM16,960, inclusive of six per cent Goods and Services Tax.
To celebrate Tan Chong group’s 60th anniversary, the company is giving new Nissan and Infiniti vehicle owners a seven-year, unlimited mileage warranty.
THE DRIVE
We managed to clock around 600km in the Nissan Teana 2.5 XV with Nismo performance package. We found the executive sedan very sporty, stable and comfortable.
The zero-gravity inspired seats were extremely comfortable, as they are derived from National Aeronautics and Space Administration technology that reduces fatigue over long periods of drive.
It felt like we were sitting on an air mattress. Although it doesn’t comes with memory function, to adjust it electrically is simple and straightforward.
The light-weighted electric-hydraulic steering with small turning circle required minimal effort to manoeuvre the Teana, given the fact that the executive sedan feels large from behind the wheel.
The reverse camera, front and rear sensors helped to ease the process of parking the car.
The Nismo sports spring with the fine-tuned suspension cushioned most rough and damaged road conditions like a sponge. Only the bigger potholes and bumps were felt, that was mainly due to the 18-inch wheels.
The car felt more agile and accurate around bends and it handled high-speed corners precisely with minimal body roll.
It had a silky smooth CVT transmission that was well mated to the 2.5-litre four-cylinder twin continuous variable valve timing control engine. It adjusted its transmission ratio effortlessly and accurately.
The Teana coasted on the highway without any hassle and the cruise control function came in very handy especially during long distance drive.
We barely heard any noise penetrating the Teana’s cabin. Cruising at 110kph, there was hardly any wind noise. The tyre noise was noticeable only during high-speed driving, but it easily went unnoticed when there was conversation going on among passengers. We only heard the engine roaring louder after we had engaged the transmission into S mode.
The Teana’s interior is almost similar to other Nissan models. Its simple dashboard layout has no complicated buttons. It is straightforward and easy to adjust the air-condition and audio system.
The nine-speaker Bose sound system had excellent strong bass and reasonably clear treble.
This system is usually found in a more expensive makes or models.
However, we found the sound system slightly short of concert-like feel.
Rear passengers have lots of head and leg room, even for a large-framed six-footer. The Teana also provides air-vents for rear passenger.
We managed to record around 7.2 litres per 100km in a mixture of city and highway driving.
The car consumed about 6.4 to seven litres per 100km when we cruised on the highway below 110kph. After a pedal-to-the-metal driving session, it indicated that we used about 10.7 to 12.9 litres per 100km.
Overall, the Nissan Teana 2.5XV is well-equipped and comes with spacious cabin.
However, there is still room for improvement. The car should come with blind-spot warning system and Nissan should have designed the Nismo bodykits differently from the Nismo aerokits offered for the Nissan Almera.