Test drive Nissan Pulsar 1.5 dCi Tekna, the charm of the unknown

Daniel Valdivielso @valdi92 10 May 2016 10 min.

Test drive Nissan Pulsar 1.5 dCi Tekna, the charm of the unknown

This week in Highmotor’s road test section we have a very complete guest who, unfortunately, is flying far too under the radar in our market.

We’re talking about the Nissan Pulsar, the compact from the Japanese brand which, with its 1.5 dCi diesel engine and Tekna trim, becomes an excellent yet little-known option.

The Pulsar is a mature product, with many years of history in other countries and regions. However, in Europe we have had to wait to enjoy it. The Pulsar reached the market in early 2014 with the intention of replacing the Tiida, the previous compact from Nissan, which passed without much fanfare in our country, mainly due to an anodyne and bland design.

After the Tiida’s withdrawal in 2011, the Pulsar arrived after almost three years of a gap in the C segment for the brand, which tried to fill that void with the Qashqai. It is clear that the Qashqai was -and is- an unquestionable success for Nissan, which even today, almost a decade after its initial launch, keeps selling them like hot cakes.

Exterior design

The Pulsar has to coexist with the Qashqai, living in the shadow of the compact SUV. It is clear that its design does not win you over at first glance, since Nissan has chosen to offer a more classic and softened look, aimed at satisfying a broader audience.

The front has very familiar lines, fully recognisable as a Nissan. The grille, with V-shaped chrome moldings and the large brand logo, gives the Pulsar enough personality to be a product of the Japanese firm. The headlights, positioned as a continuation of the grille, form the car’s “gaze”.

On the lower part of the bumper we find a second grille with the shape inverted relative to the other, along with small round lamps at the ends that integrate both the fog lights and the daytime running light. I still don’t understand why Nissan configures the daytime lighting with an incandescent bulb instead of using the LED strip integrated into the main headlight.

The Pulsar measures 4.39 metres long, 1.77 metres wide and 1.52 metres high

The side view of the Pulsar is that of a compact of generous size, where function stands out above form. It is not a particularly brilliant or eye-catching design, but it is one that combines practicality with harmony. The rising line on the bodywork stands out, running along the whole side to end at the rear lights, almost parallel to the glazed surface, which finishes with a small window on the C-pillar.
The alloy wheels, which on this Tekna version are 17″, fill the wheel arches correctly, offering an attractive look thanks to their two-tone finish.

The rear is possibly the least successful part of the car’s overall design. The tailgate has a fairly high loading lip, and the rear lights, in a horizontal position, show pointed shapes that are too baroque and do not sit well with the rest of the vehicle. The bumper offers a sporty touch thanks to a black lower moulding with a finish imitating carbon fibre.

Interior design

The interior atmosphere is typically Nissan. Seated in the driver’s seat, visibility and roominess stand out positively. In addition, elements such as the instrumentation or the air-conditioning controls are very well thought out, proving very comfortable both to read and to operate.

The dashboard lines are simple and fluid. There is no ornamentation whatsoever. In the central part of the dashboard, a large “floating island” houses the climate controls, the screen and multimedia system controls, and the air vents. It is possibly the most “visual” concession to design found in the car’s interior.

On the centre console we find the engine start/stop button, the gear lever, the seat heating switches and a pair of cup holders, as well as a large storage compartment lined with non-slip rubber.

Overall, the build quality of the Pulsar’s interior is more than adequate. Soft plastics are not abundant, but they are used at key points. The upper part of the dashboard, as well as the rear doors and the centre console, are finished in hard plastic. However, everything that is normally “touched” is cleverly covered in pleasant materials, such as the armrests, both central and on the doors.

The seats in this top-of-the-range version are trimmed in leather and are very comfortable. The electric heating, with two intensities, is not especially powerful, although after a few minutes it will feel very pleasant on those cold mornings when the leather gets too chilly.

The interior space is one of the Pulsar’s best-exploited qualities

If the Pulsar’s interior stands out for anything, it is the enormous amount of space. It is, without any doubt, the largest compact inside, even surpassing vehicles of a higher segment in certain dimensions. In the front seats there is naturally no problem, but in the rear the story is repeated, with more than enough space for both legs and head. Even the third occupant, despite the central tunnel, will travel comfortably, helped additionally by the darkened glass, standard on this trim.

The boot is also very large. It offers a capacity of 385 litres, more than sufficient by current standards. Moreover, its shapes are very regular, so it is fully usable. By folding down the rear seats it is possible to increase the figure to 1,385 litres.

However, not everything is positive. Like any car, the Pulsar shows details that are not so well executed. As negative points, the boot has noticeable level changes, both at the loading lip and when folding the rear seats down. Only the driver’s window has a “one-touch” function, and the switches have no indication or illumination. Finally, the interior lighting is not very well resolved, since although the front seats have LED lighting, for the rear a light fitting with a single incandescent bulb has been installed, more typical of the early 1990s.

Driving dynamics

The Pulsar in our test is fitted with the well-known 1.5 dCi engine, developed by Renault and used by Nissan, Infiniti, Dacia, Renault itself and Mercedes-Benz. In the Pulsar it delivers 110 CV at 4000 rpm and 260 NM at 1750 rpm up to 2500 rpm. It is paired, as the only option, with a 6-speed manual gearbox which, of course, sends the power to the front axle.

This model, in Tekna trim, weighs 1,382 kg, which together with its 205/50/17 tyres results in fairly modest performance. According to official figures, the Pulsar 1.5 dCi Tekna accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds, reaching a top speed of 190 km/h. Official consumption figures are among the lowest in the segment, with an urban figure of 4.1 litres, dropping to 3.3 on the extra-urban cycle. The combined figure is 3.6 litres per 100 km, equivalent to CO2 emissions of 96 g/km.

In real life, the Pulsar equipped with this engine is a car that gets along competently. Anyone looking for a diesel with a performance or sporty edge will be disappointed, as it is not one. Its performance is just adequate for moving along normally, forcing you to use the gearbox when overtaking or gaining speed with a bit more urgency. It is advisable never to let the engine drop below 1,800 rpm, since its response below that range is practically non-existent.

Once that figure is passed, the 1.5 dCi shows itself for what it is: a willing engine, eager to push, with muted sound -except when cold- and very noteworthy real-world consumption figures. The Pulsar, after more than 700 km of testing, returned a final consumption of just 5 litres, across all kinds of routes. In urban driving it is very easy to stay around the 5-litre mark, while on the open road we can bring that figure down to roughly 4.5 litres.

The Pulsar with the 1.5 dCi holds no surprises: it drives without problems, it doesn’t race, it doesn’t guzzle

In dynamic terms, the Pulsar behaves like a conventional compact. Its chassis, derived from the one used by the Qashqai -hence its interior space- can be described as “classic”, with MacPherson struts on the front axle and trailing arms on the rear axle. Naturally, the braking system uses discs on all four wheels. The steering, as is customary these days, has electric power assistance and offers practically no feedback about what is happening at the front wheels.

On open roads or fast routes, the Pulsar offers a high level of comfort and smoothness, while on more twisty roads its weight and somewhat soft suspension setup mean it doesn’t feel quite so at home. For normal driving it is more than sufficient, but when we raise the pace the body roll and pitching are evident.
Nevertheless, its behaviour is easy and friendly, with a tendency to understeer, poses no problem for the driver, and the stability control works correctly.

How much does the unit in the photographs cost?

A Nissan Pulsar 1.5 dCi with Tekna equipment has a starting price of €25,305, which with current discounts drops to €22,055. Our unit had, as its only additional option, metallic paint in Bronze, priced at €470, so the final price is €22,525.

The standard equipment of this Tekna version is very extensive, including, among other items, ABS, ESP, EBD, Intelligent Protection Shield 2 with blind-spot monitoring, 360º camera and city emergency braking assist, leather upholstery with heated front seats, LED headlights for dipped beam, keyless entry and start system, 17″ alloy wheels, cruise control, NissanConnect navigation, rain and light sensors, among others.

Range and versions

In our country the Nissan Pulsar is offered with three different engines: a 1.2 DIG-T with 115 CV, a performance 1.6 DIG-T with 190 CV and the aforementioned 1.5 dCi diesel with 110 CV. In addition, it is possible to choose from a selection of four different trims.

The most basic, called Visia, includes air conditioning, a driver’s seat with height adjustment and four electric windows. The next one is called Acenta and adds dual-zone climate control, rain and light sensors, or the keyless entry system. The N-Connecta level is the third, adding 17-inch alloy wheels and a rear camera. Here are all the prices for the Pulsar range: