Nissan's Tino aims for a quiet triumph

Do we really need another compact MPV on the market? Nissan think so, and since they’ve not really been in the segment here except for the van-based Serena, we have to assume they’re putting their just-released Tino into it because they figure it’s worth it.

Well over 8,000 MPVs were sold in this country last year, with 40% of sales equally divided between Renault’s Scenic - the original of the ‘compact’ MPV group - and Opel’s very clever Zafira. The rest of the market was contested by 24 other brands, the large-size end held by Ford, SEAT and Chrysler and the small-size topped by Mazda’s Demio and Mitsubishi’s Space Star. A segment of its own is the van-based ‘car’ where the Renault Kango Kar is king and the Citroen Berlingo Multispace the nearest pretender to the throne.

Tino is aimed directly at the compact segment, where there were something over 4,000 buyers last year. Nissan Ireland’s Paul O’Sullivan wants to have 350 Tinos on our crowded Irish roads before 2001 kicks off its last bit of deicing grit. At a starting price of £18,805 (there’ll be a less expensive one in mid-summer), he’s not intending to do it on the cheap. But then, neither did Opel with Zafira, and they moved 1,635 copies between January-November 2000.

Nissan opted not to try and emulate the 7-seater concept of the Opel car, and concentrated instead of building one which would make the most of the space available in a combination of flexible seating and large luggage capacity. A cheerful and slightly avant-garde go at the styling, inside and out, was the other part of a strategy aiming for both family and lifestyle customers.

At first try, I think they’ve got it. For a start, the Tino looks very well in the parking lot. The stylists were clever, building on the friendly front end of the new Almera on which this car is based. Of course it is taller, and has a definitely higher bonnet line, but they managed to stop it looking too much so by sharp detailing in the lights clusters.

From a side view, a ‘false’ low waistline with some smart sculpting and a resisting of the temptation to over-glass the windows gives a similar result. And that flip-up of the rear quarter-light provides an almost sporty look. A rear end which could easily have been a glass-and-metal slab is not so, thanks to bold and well-cut tall rear light clusters.

All in all, there’s a real European look to the vehicle (so much so, that I wonder how close in looks will be Fiat’s Bravo/Brava replacement due at the latter end of this year?).

I walked around the Tino four times, trying to find a styling flaw. Didn’t.

Inside, the front seating position is high, and the seats comfortable from the beginning. Though I think my 6’2” was grazing it a little with the sunroof intrusion into headspace.

There’s lots of width and pretty adequate legroom, though again I had a slight problem when a front passenger in that I couldn’t quite cross my legs because the base of the glove compartment is a little close to the top one of stacked ankles. Small thing, though.

The rear has three individual seats, the centre one of which can double as a table. There’s a lot of fore-and-aft movement possibilities, and up to 24 options of seating configuration altogether.

(They challenged us to find them all. I took their word for it.)

A lot of good detail, from the Scenic-style folding tables in the front seatbacks to an actual plethora of storage bins and places, many well thought-out ... they’ve been listening to my thoughts, maybe?

Even though they’re in the brochures, I’m not going to tell you all of them, because I’d prefer to limit public knowledge of some of the more secret and useful caches. But I liked the nets in the boot area, and the way the cover for that rear luggage space folds back solidly. It’s a really good space too, as a weekend’s familiarisation trip with luggage for two proved.

I’ve mentioned that Nissan are aiming at two markets, the family one which wants to travel with the early-teen kids perhaps, and the lifestyler single or sporty couple who want something good-looking to get the gear to the beach or the barbecue.

You can fall between two stools with this kind of exercise. I suspect they didn’t.

Pending a full review, here’s the summary from an introductory run in a vehicle which is latecoming to a crowded and competitive market, albeit one that’s growing.

An engine which is one of my favourites in the size, providing great low-down torque and a very respectable economy and emissions performance. A five-speed gearshift which my automatic-driving wife pronounced as ‘excellent’ and controls that generally are up to the most user-friendly currently available. A ride and general handling dynamics which one would expect from the makers of the Primera and Almera, both probably the best in their class.

Downsides? Too soon to tell, but I’ll be looking more closely at a bit of airflow problem for the rear passengers, and the clattery sound of loose stones flung up into the rear wheelwells.

And a prediction? Hmm, yes. I think the 350 sales target for this year is modest. If they can get bums on test-drive seats, Tino will be much more triumphant than that.