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IT appears that the motorist's pleas for a compact family vehicle, with good load space and seating at a realistic price, has been heard by the manufactures. Just a short while ago we test the Toyota Avanza which met all those requirements and now Nissan have taken up the challenge with the Livina range. The introduction of the new Nissan Livina will certainly turn up the heat in the ultra competitive B segment of the passenger market. Livina is available as a 5-door hatch and a 7-seater known as the Grand Livina.

Livina offers high value in the B Segment, as it was positioned against C Segment vehicles in terms of space, performance and suspension. The Livina hatchback will be up against the likes of VW Polo and Honda Jazz, while the Grand Livina 7-seater will be in the same segment as Opel Meriva and Toyota Avanza.

Both Livina and Grand Livina are built on the same platform, with the Grand Livina distinguished by a third row of seats and a slightly larger rear window. In looks the Livina follows its big brother, the Murano, with a sleek, silhouette, Nissan's trademark grille design and large tail-light clusters.

The interior of the Livina has a spacious feel with large trim panoramic windows. The contoured seats are comfortable and supportive, The rear seats split 60/40 and the front passenger seat can be tilted to transport a bulky item up to 2.40 m long. The Grand Livina offers two extra seats in a third row which easily fold flat to create a large boot space.

Comfort and convenience features include in-dash radio with CD player and six speakers on all except the entry Visia model, as well as electric windows and airconditioner. The interior is designed with a large number of air vents to ensure that all occupants benefit directly from the air conditioning. Sub-ventilation projects a flow of cool air over the heads of the driver and front passenger, clearing away stagnant air without direct air flow. Major attention was given to creating an exceptionally quiet cabin, through achieving a high level of body rigidity and using noise isolation and dampening materials.

Driver airbags come standard on all Livina models, and Acenta and Acenta+ models also have a passenger airbag. Other safety features include a high mounted stop lamp, front seat belt pretensioners, and Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist on Acenta and Acenta+ models.

All models come standard with Nissan's anti-theft security system (NATS), including remote keyless entry, immobiliser and panic alarm. Moreover, all models benefit from Nissan's decision to introduce the Microdot security feature across the Nissan product range.

The sophisticated laser microdot technology provides each vehicle with its own identification in the form of myriad dots etched onto various parts of the vehicles. Approximately 10 thousand high-tech dots are sprayed onto a minimum of 88 sites on the vehicle, making it difficult for would-be thieves to alter the car's identity. Microdot technology helps to track vehicle owners, thereby reducing the percentage of cars whose owners cannot be traced.

Microdot technology is also endorsed by the SA Insurance Association, so an added advantage is the possibility of reduced insurance premiums. Although there are a number of other car theft deterrents, microdot technology has been found to be one of the most effective in its ability to retain the vehicle?s identity. This makes the car a less desirable target for criminals, which in turn enhances the personal safety and security of the driver and occupants.

The Livina is powered by a 1.6 litre engine that produces 80 kW at 6000 rpm and 153 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm coupled to a 5 speed manual gearbox the claimed figures for 0-100 km acceleration are 11.2 seconds for the Livina and 12.6 seconds for the Grand Livina.

The combined cycle fuel consumption is claimed at 7.2l/100 km for Livina and 7.4l/100 km for the Grand Livina. On the road the Lavina proved very comfortable and stable.

In fact the chassis dynamics are surprising for a vehicle of this type and price range. The power steering is nicely weighted and all controls well positioned and easy to use. The engine was adequate and provided a good torque spread which always makes driving so much easier.

One surprise was the absence of a seat belt warning buzzer or chime, which is standard on just about every other vehicle in this category.

Service intervals are 15 000 km. All Livina models have a 3 year / 100 000 km warranty, and all except the entry model have 3 year / 60 000 km service plans included in the price.

To sum up the Nissan Lavina range is a very well engineered product and with a starting price of R115 550 I believe will become a common sight on our roads in the very near future.

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