2012 Nissan Evalia MPV launch impends in September; Will it do a Duster for Nissan?

The Nissan Evalia MPV, which was showcased at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo, will be launched in the Indian car market in September,according to our sources in the know. The MPV is expected to take on the likes of the Toyota Innova and the Mahindra Xylo. The Evalia represents Nissan India’s entry into the people mover segment and will be capable of seating 7 adults in comfort as the MPV’s interiors are more spacious than both the Innova and the Xylo. The Evalia comes with a formidable reputation, in that it has been chosen as the cab of choice for New York, replacing the fleet of Crown Victorias.

2012 Nissan Evalia Diesel MPV

Known as the NV200 ininternational markets, the Evalia comes with sliding doors at the rear, unlike the Innova and the Xylo, which feature the regular swivel type doors. So, the big advantage of the Evalia is that igress and egress, especially to the third row of seats could be more comfortable than its competition. However, the Evalia will feature a lower powered engine than the Innova and the Xylo, in the form of the 1.5 Liter K9K turbo diesel engine, which is expected to be come in the same spec as that of the Nissan Sunny sedan, where it generates a peak power of 85 Bhp and a peak torque of 200 Nm.

Since this engine is known for its low turbo lag and given that the Evalia is mainly a peopke mover, the turbo diesel engine might just prove to be adequate to power the MPV. The big highlight though, could be the excellent fuel economy of the 1.5 Liter K9K diesel engine, which could trump both the Innova and the Xylo. Given that the Evalia comes with a Japanese badge on the bonnet, which translates into relaibility, expect the MPV to become a hot favourite amongst cab operators, just like the Innova, as low running and maintenance costs are hallmarks of Japanese MPVs.

2012 Nissan Evalia Diesel MPV

The Evalia MPV, if priced well, could turn out to be a good seller for Nissan, just like the Duster SUV has turned out to be for Renault. Nissan India has seen good success with value pricing for the Sunny sedan and the same will be expected of the Japanese brand for the Evalia as well. The Evalia is expected be built by Nissan at its Oragadam plant, off Chennai. The MPV will also be launched in rebadged and restyled guise, in the form of the Ashok Leyland Stile, which is expected to be launched in 2013.