By Hadi Soedarsono

THE FIRST TWO of five new Nissan models that Tan Chong Motor Sales plan to introduce this year are the Latio and Presage.

First unveiled a little more than two months ago at the 2004 Singapore Motorshow, the Latio comes in two variants, a mid-size four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback, the Latio Sport.

From its specifications, the Latio’s main rival is probably the Toyota Corolla Altis. The Nissan has an all-new 109bhp 1.5-litre engine, that has been reportedly designed for quietness, strong acceleration and low fuel consumption. Among its Japanese peers with a similar engine capacity, Nissan claims the Latio has the best fuel economy and has surpassed Japan’s strict emission standards by a large margin.

All Latios will be fitted with either a four-speed automatic gearbox or Nissan’s XTRONIC CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).

The Japanese automaker says the Latio offers class-leading interior space, while the plastics and build quality are supposed to be first-rate.

When the Latio steps into the Nissan stable, Tan Chong will stop offering the lower spec Sunny EX while the other Sunny model, the SS, will then be pitted against the Toyota Vios.

Prices start from $69,500 with COE for the Latio and $74,500 with COE for the Latio Sport. Oddly, the basic Latio comes with a conventional four-speed automatic gearbox,
while the Latio Sport gets the CVT.

Nissan’s second new car, the Presage is an eight-seat MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) that’s supposed to compete against the Honda Odyssey and Mitsubishi Grandis. Slightly longer and taller than both the latter, the Presage shares the same 2.5-litre engine as Nissan’s SUV, the X-Trail.

Based on the Cefiro, the Presage has been engineered to be a quiet, refined and comfortable MPV. Two of its main highlights are the electric powered sliding doors and chairs that fold away completely at the touch of a button.

The Presage costs $106,000 with COE for the basic model and is available in “Highway Star” trim at a $5,000 premium. This optional package includes a bodykit, alloy wheels and two sunroofs.

Tan Chong declined to disclose the number of bookings already collected for these cars. A spokeman says however, that the response for both cars have surpassed their expectations.