MOTORNETNEWS  -  ROAD  TEST  -  MAY 2008

NISSAN  DUALIS  ST OPTION 4WD  HATCH

Nissan's Dualis is a clever combination of a medium hatchback grafted onto a soft-roader 4WD floorpan and, as such, it provides the best of both worlds. It has the versatility of a small to medium hatch without the cumbersome looks of a wagon and yet it has the road grip of a 4WD and a slightly higher seating position favoured by suburban mothers on the school & shopping run. One could say it is a hatchback on steroids.

OUTSIDE:

Neat is probably the best word to describe the Dualis with its compact four-door body, pumped out guards, blacked out bumpers and five-spoke alloy wheels. The roofline slopes downwards from the top of the screen to give the car a sleeker look. The re is a small third window set into the C pillar, some nice crease lines along the sides, very large projector-style headlights and wraparound taillamps. 

The rear end treatment features a shaped rear tailgate window, taillamps curving into the sides of the rear hatch door and stylish black-outs on the rear bumper. The dominant grille is incorporated into the front bumper and could suffer damage in a nose-to-tail traffic bingle. 

Mirrors and door handles are body-coloured and the four doors open wide for very good access. The bonnet is insulated  but needs a rod to hold it open. The absence of a gas strut means that it is quite heavy to open. Access to the washer tank, dipstick, oil filler, battery and coolant is very good. The engine bay layout is fairly untidy and doesn't do justice to the rest of this well styled and built car.

The rear bumper offers very good protection to lights and panels.  The fuel filler is on the right hand side - a carry over from the car's original left hand drive design for Europe.

INSIDE:

The all black interior trim might suit a New Zealand Rugby fan but it's a bit sombre for a family car. It is relieved a bit by the lighter roof lining and the material used on the pillars. The front seats are quite comfortable and have reasonable support while the rear ones have short squabs to give the appearance of more leg room and fairly upright seat backs but are more suited to children than adults. There is no centre armrest. The cloth upholstery looks durable - essential for a family vehicle.

There is a centre armrest in the front and it houses a very deep bin. The front seat belts are height adjustable as is the driver's seat. The steering wheel has both rake and reach adjustment.

The centre console is plain but functional, the instruments are well shrouded but the handbrake is set for left hand drive. The speedo is large and easily read although it has a very optimistic 240kph scale! There is also a large tachometer - useless on an automatic car. The cruise controls are on the wheel but there is no trip computer.  There are no remote audio systenm controls on the wheel, either. 

Two covered vanity mirrors are provided along with two cupholders and four door bins plus a large glove box. There is very little in the way of storage spots in the back.

CARGO SPACE:

There is ample space behind the seats for a weekly grocery shopping or for the usual bags and sports equipment used by the kids each weekend. Drop the rear seats flat and the trip to Bunnings or the local Nursery or weekend market is covered, too. The loading lip is quite high and there is a full sized spare albeit with a steel wheel. Four tie-down lugs are provided to keep objects from flying around the cabin and there is a cargo cover to keep out prying eyes looking for items to steal. There is an interior light provided. The hatch door has an internal recess for easy closing. The whole area is fully trimmed.

ON THE ROAD:

The ride is a bit firmer than expected but still quite acceptable even though some road surfaces produced some indecisive jiggling from the suspension. The car also felt a bit top heavy in corners but this didn't seem to affect the cornering grip. The engine develops 102kW but at a high 5200rpm. likewise the 198Nm of torque are developed at a relatively high 4400rpm which means that the CVT 6-speed auto gets quite a bit of work changing the ratios to keep the revs up. The engine would be struggling a bit with five on board and a full load of luggage.

The engine is noisy under load but quiet at highway speeds. The auto transmission changes smoothly and works well under all conditions. As there was no trip computer I didn't get a fuel consumption reading, however, it did seem to be fairly thirsty in urban use. 

 PRICE:            $30,990 plus on road costs. (6-speed Constantly Variable Transmission).

STANDARD:   ABS brakes with Brake Assist and Electronic Brake Distribution; Air-co0nditioning; 16" Alloy wheels; Cloth upholstery; Central remote locking; Cruise Control;  Dual front and side airbags; Engine immobiliser; Enhanced Understeer Control;  Halogen headlights; Limited Slip Differential; Power mirrors, steering & windows;  Seat belt pre-tensioners; Traction Control System; Vehicle Dynamic Control;