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Nissan Tiida gets cheaper, roomier

By The Nation
Published on May 21, 2008

Nissan is hoping that the low-cost version of the Tiida compact car will help it achieve sales of 5,500 units this year.

Siam Nissan Automobiles (SNA) vice president Koji Okuda said at the launch of the Tiida Latio, the 4-door 1.6-litre car is outstanding with its roomy cabin and is expected to impress young buyers with the available sports package.

Apart from young buyers, Nissan is also targeting small families. The carmaker said young families look for a car that is versatile and is capable of responding to a variety of needs. It must also come with good performance as well as good fuel economy. "We are confident that the Latio will be able to respond to those needs," Okuda said.

SNA assistant marketing director Krajang Kantanarumitrkul said, "The Nissan Tiida Latio 1.6 B will be the car that everyone talks about because of its great value for money."

The range starts at Bt554,000 and goes all the way up to Bt715,000 for the automatic 1.6 G. "With this kind of pricing, the Latio will surely gain popularity among car buyers. And when compared to other cars in the same segment, it will stand out with higher value," he said.

Krajang said in the first quarter of the year, Nissan's sales grew 130 per cent compared with the same period last year. As much as 80 per cent of Nissan sales come from its pickup truck. However, in the second quarter, it will give more importance to passenger cars, he said.

The company plans to sell 51,000 vehicles this year, with 5,500 Tiida cars (2,700 units for 5-door and 2,800 units for 4-door). Nissan is also trying to penetrate the multipurpose van market by updating the Urvan model with chrome parts, fog lamps and 15-inch alloy wheels. The interior gets new seat fabric, front console with more storage area, 4-spoke sports steering wheel and black instrument panel with LED lighting. Prices are Bt940,000 for the Standard Roof, Bt977,500 for the High Roof (base model), Bt984,500 for the High Roof GX and Bt1,043,500 for the High Roof VX.