Nissan Europe is still toying with the possibility of adapting the next-generation, Golf-class Tiida for sale in Europe alongside the Qashqai.
The challenge, however, is to provide it with a sufficiently distinctive character to take on the strong competitors like the Golf, Focus and Alfa Giulietta, while enabling the company to turn a profit.
See a picture of the current Nissan Tiida
Not cannibalising Qashqai sales is another requirement, explains an insider.
The current Tiida is the replacement for the Nissan Sunny and is marketed as the Nissan Versa in the United States and Canada.
It was introduced to its home market in Japan in 2004 and came to select European markets, including Ireland, in 2007. It is sold with a series of 1.5, 1.6 and 1.8-litre engines.
Nissan’s all-electric Leaf is substantially based on the Tiida.
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Re: Nissan plans VW Golf rival
Nissan has the most incoherent range of cars imaginable. They have the supercar GT-R which is competitive with the class leaders. They have several excellent 4X4s. They have some great looking crossovers..... and then they have a range of cars which have all of the curb appeal of a cheap electric toaster.
If they want to be in the nasty car market, they should re-brand those products so as to avoid dragging the Nissan brand into the mud. Fancy a Datsun, anyone?
Re: Nissan plans VW Golf rival
Why does Autocar never list the Astra as a 'strong competitor'? I mean, the Alfa Guilleta? huh? It may well be a decent car but it will never sell in the numbers that the Astra will. And its a very decent car as well. And made in Britain to boot!
Re: Nissan plans VW Golf rival
Nissan dropped out of the Golf segment because they weren't successful in it. I recall them saying that the Quasqai would replace the Almera. Why do they now believe they can produce a successful Golf class car when they couldn't before? Doesn't make sense. Perhaps its a case of Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Or maybe the boring new Micra makes the boring old Almera seem pretty decent after all.