Used Nissan Tiida review: 2006-2013

Shunned by enthusiasts, Nissan Tiidas tend not to have been thrashed.

New

The Nissan Pulsar was one of Australia's most popular and respected small cars, so it was a surprise when the company dropped the nameplate in favour of the Tiida.

The company explained it was an completely new car and a fresh start. One look was enough to tell you that it was indeed a fresh start — where the Pulsar was rather staid, the Tiida was hyped as fresh and youthful.

The Tiida was a product of Nissan's alliance with Renault and shared underpinnings with the Renault Megane.

The range comprised the entry ST sedan and hatch, the mid-range ST-L sedan and hatch, then the Q hatch and the range-topping Ti sedan.

Motivation came from a 1.8-litre all-aluminium four-cylinder engine and when working at its best it delivered a modest 93kW/174Nm — more than adequate performance without being thrilling.

Transmission options were four-speed automatic transmission or six-speed manual gearbox, the Ti fitted only with the former.

 The Tiida was roomy and comfortable with good head and legroom

Inside, the Tiida was roomy and comfortable with good head and legroom. Throughout the cabin, soft-feel materials and polished metal highlights endowed a quality look and feel.

It also had a good-sized boot with a flat floor, below which was stored a full-size spare.

All models were well equipped for the time. Even the ST had aircon, remote central locking, CD player with four speakers and power mirrors, while the upper-spec TI and Q had splashes of leather, an overhead console and six speakers.

Now

Decent build quality appears to have translated into impressive reliability, to go by the praises of Tiida owners. Few report anything untoward with their cars and most carried out only routine maintenance.

Brakes and tyres are typically replaced by 80,000km, the only other regular replacements being batteries.

The engine, transmission and driveline appear to be sound and give little trouble. With a chain instead of a belt to drive the camshafts there's no replacement needed, which reduces the cost of maintenance.

They're not sought after by enthusiast drivers, which generally means they won't have been thrashed

Tiidas are popular as second cars for a family, or for retirees looking to downsize; they would also make a sound buy for a rookie driver.

With their modest performance, they're not sought after by enthusiast drivers, which generally means they won't have been thrashed. That's good news for used car buyers, who can purchase with confidence in the mechanical condition of cars on sale.

Fleets used the Tiida, so it's worth checking the history of potential purchases and perhaps avoid those cars that have been used as business or rental hacks.

There were a couple of recalls. One in 2008 was for a poor connection that could affect the operation of the brake light.

Another in 2010 was to check the intelligent power distribution module, which could cause the engine to stop and not restart.