The return of the nissan Pulsar to New Zealand shores hasn’t exactly sent waves of rapture running through the country, but if visual sightings of the car on the road is anything to go by, then it has been accepted well by local buyers.
And why not? It is very, very well priced and a competent little car. But there is no denying that it is dull. Stroke-inducingly dull. Brain blood vessel-rupturingly dull.
Still, that aside, it does what most people will expect from their car and probably without any drama. And that is what people who buy cars like the Pulsar want.
Outside
Likes: Umm… it’s not ugly?
Dislikes: But then it sure ain’t handsome. No, the Nisan Pulsar is bland. Deadly dull to look at, there is simply nothing distinctive, unique or vaguely interesting about the exterior of the Nissan Pulsar. It is inoffensive, but merely being meekly inoffensive has never really been a positive…
Inside
Likes: Quality materials, pleasant design and remarkable build quality are impressive, but particularly for a car in this price range. The leather seats are a highlight, being comfortable and supportive, while the stereo has great sound, despite slightly confusing operation. Rear leg room is staggeringly large, as is the massive boot.
Dislikes: There is a vague sense of blandness that sneaks in here too, but the massively good build quality and materials easily override that.
Under the bonnet
Likes: The 96kW/174Nm 1.8-litre engine is stronger than the numbers might suggest, with smooth, quiet performance on offer. Decently frugal too, even when it has been pushed along a bit.
Dislikes: The CVT, while not as gut-wrenchingly awful as some, is not our first choice for a transmission, but it is all you get here. The manual mode does a decent enough job of things though.
On the road
Likes: An impressive ride makes the Pulsar feel like a far larger car in terms of ride comfort and ease of progress. Chuck it into a corner and it responds like a small car, however, and is surprisingly nimble and responsive for such a comfortable cruiser.
Dislikes: The CVT ruins any fun you may get from the handling by being, well, a CVT.
Verdict
While it’s not going to set hearts racing with its appearance, the Pulsar puts up a very strong argument in the bang-for-your-buck arena. It’s impressive standard equipment levels, great ride, strong engine and remarkable amount of interior space are unbeatable in the segment.
What it doesn’t offer, however, is anything in the way of emotion or passion. There is literally nothing to get excited about here, unless you get excited about things like luggage capacity and legroom. In which case you are a very boring person and probably shouldn’t be on this website.
The Pulsar sedan is a good car. It does everything well and nothing truly badly. It is remarkably well-priced and incredibly good value-for-money. But, by God is it dull…
Price: $29,990
Engine: 1.8-litre inline four-cylinder petrol
Power/torque: 96kW/174Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
0-100km/h: n/a
Fuel consumption: 6.7L/100km
CO2 emissions: 160g/km
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