THE Almera was not a car that I thought could blow me away - but they say the best things do come in small packages.
This particular smallish package has certainly improved from the previous Almera, and is a far more appealing car to the eye, particularly the rear light clusters and the smart, 16inch alloy wheels.
The looks - what Nissan call sharper styling - are a definite improvement, but the changes had to come if it was to keep up with the new, sleeker Primera.
The most striking bonus of the car are the extras that are fitted to even the cheapest model, the £9,995 1.5 S.
These include passenger air bag, air conditioning, central door locking, front electric windows, power steering, CD/Radio, tinted glass and split folding rear seats.
For those who want more, for an extra £655 you get side airbags, trip computer, parking sensors, steering wheel mounted CD controls and electronic climate control.
Nissan argue they have made it easy to choose the Almera to suit you, by introducing a simple range. All the old and confusing name and letter combinations have gone, and the new range leaves just an S, SE and SVE, with more letters meaning more standard equipment.
Despite all the features it is not a cluttered front interior, and the driving position and all round vision are impressive. Perhaps I was even a little hasty in calling it a small package, with enough room for adults to sit comfortably in the back.
The layout is simple and effective, a refreshing change from other car interiors, particularly with some radios looking like the death star controls.
The 2.2 diesel I drove was a shade noisy when compared to some of the new diesels on the market, but it is certainly not sluggish to pull away.
Handling is stable and the steering precise, making it a comfortable car to drive.
Economy is a major factor here as well, with Nissan claiming a healthy 47.9mpg with emissions of only 157g/km. These figures for the company car driver and environmentalists are better than before, with the 1.5 litre slotting into the 15% BIK tax rating with 158g/km. The 1.8 litre and 2.2 diesel are slightly higher and are rated at 18%.
Typical Nissan reliability and good build quality go without saying.
It may be a Japanese brand, but its looks have improved to suit European tastes, it's cheap to run ... and its made in Britian.
FAST FACTS
Nissan Almera 2.2 Di SVE
Price: £13,750
Mechanical: 108bhp, 2,184cc 4cyl turbodiesel engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual transmission
Max Speed: 116mph
0-62mph: 11.4secs
Combined mpg: 47.9
Insurance Group: 7
CO2 emissions: 157g/km
BiK rating: 18%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 6yrs antirust; 3yrs paint