Bigger and bolder
More of what made the Cefiro such a hit, with more improvements to boot.
Torquey engine, smooth transmission unit, spacious interior 
Big, swoopy shape makes it hard to see the corners of the car when parking Nissan’s new Teana rates high on comfort and continues where the Cefiro left off
By Lionel Kong
LOCAL NISSAN DISTRIBUTOR Tan Chong Motor is revamping its Nissan marketing strategy. It seems that too many people here view the brand as a play-it-safe, appliance car manufacturer that makes simple but reliable transport for the masses.
The Nissan Sunny is probably the car that has singlehandedly cemented the brand’s reputation here. The car has been around for as long as we can remember, and has grown up (and erm… old) along with the original generation of Nissan drivers who still remember when it was a Datsun.
Then when the Latio was unveiled here, more people saw it as a Toyota Corolla challenger than some sort of trendsetting, new-age car.
While the brand does have the powerful 350Z sports car in the local showrooms, its presence has done little to change general public perception of the brand here. So the bigwigs have decided that a new, long-term marketing campaign and product line to make the brand cool again will have to be implemented.
The Qashqai (reviewed in CarBuyer 107) is the first of the many new Nissans slated for local launch over the next year, of which the official distributor launch of the GT-R will be the highlight. But the brand’s original audience hasn’t been forgotten, and the new Nissan Teana is just the car for drivers that have come to be fiercely loyal to the brand’s clever blend of luxury, practicality and reliability.
The Teana is really the new Cefiro, and has undergone a name change to keep the car in line with the Japanese version, which was called the Teana since the last generation car was introduced back in 2003.
Membership into the Teana club begins with the basic 2.0-litre version, and tops out with a 3.5-litre V6 version. The middle child uses a 2.5-litre V6 engine, and should have more than enough power and features to satisfy all but the most demanding of drivers.
It’s an all-new platform beneath the bodywork, but there is enough of the outgoing Cefiro’s styling on the Teana that makes it instantly recognisable as the old car’s successor.
