Cosmetic surgery: Ken Rogers asks if the Almera's new facelift will equip it to compete with its rivals - Nissan Almera

The Almera has long been Nissan's somewhat faceless but worthy contender in the C-segment. Dominated by products such as the Focus, Astra, Golf and 307, the Tyne and Wear-built hatchback has been showing its age for some time. And so it has been treated to a facelift, nose job and rear-end remodelling to tide it over until an all-new Almera, which will share underpinnings with the recently launched Renault Megane II, is launched in 2005.

Predictably, Nissan drew on some of the bold styling cues of the new and much-acclaimed Primera when it gave the Almera its current nip `n' tuck job. However, apart from a few tweaks to marginally boost performance and efficiency, the nuts and bolts remain much the same as before.

On a subjective level, the cosmetic changes give the Almera a more contemporary stance. The picture from behind the wheel has improved too, with all but the very basic models getting an interior treatment derived from that of the Primera. The previous complex specification portfolio has been replaced by just three trim levels, and pricing is very keen indeed. For example, the entry-level S version slots in at 355 [pounds sterling] less than its predecessor while SE trim models are around 600 [pounds sterling] lower.

In addition, equipment levels are high, with goodies such as rear parking sensors and electronic climate control offered as standard on SE models. Even the 1.5-litre three-door in S trim comes with features such as. air-conditioning, remote central locking, CD player and twin airbags for just 9995 [pounds sterling].

The bad news is that despite all the changes, on the road the new Almera doesn't quite have the feel of a state-of-the-art, contemporary hatch or saloon such as the Megane II or the Ford Focus, which is currently considered to set the benchmark in this segment.

Admittedly, the cars provided for sampling at the press launch were described as `pre-production', meaning some allowance should be made for minor build quality flaws. But the diesel engine of one car that I drove was unfashionably clattery and rough while the 1.5-litre petrol unit of another felt stressed and thrashy, even at moderate speeds. The gearchange, particularly of the diesel, was imprecise and rubbery, while the quality of some of the interior trim materials seemed poor by the standards of a number of current competitors.

On the road, handling is predictable and safe although lacking in sparkle compared with the Focus. Ride quality is generally acceptable, but again below the standards set by some of the competition.

With its updated Almera, Nissan has succeeded in presenting an appealing all-round package in terms of appearance, equipment levels and, in particular, pricing. However, when it comes to dynamics and--certainly in the case of the pre-production cars that I sampled--build quality, it has disappointed.

DRIVER'S LOG

OTR PRICE: 9995 [pounds sterling] to 13,750 [pounds sterling]

ENGINES: Petrol: 1.5 and 1.8-litre. Diesel: 2.2-litre turbo

TRANSMISSIONS: Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic

POWER: 1.8 116PS @ 5600rpm. 2.2: 110PS @ 4000rpm

TORQUE: 1.8 163Nm @ 4000rpm. 2.2: 238Nm @ 2000rpm

C[O.sub.2] RATING: 1.8 4-door saloon: 183g/km. 2.2: 157g/km

COMBINED MPG: 1.8 4-door saloon man: 37.2 mpg, 2.2: 47.9mpg

INSURANCE GROUPS: 5E to 7E

ON SALE: Now

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