The decision to do away with the Almera looks well timed. Nissan had high hopes of challenging the likes of the Ford Focus and VW Golf, but the Almera never hit the mark. Comfort is a real bugbear. A disappointing ride, combined with a poor driving position, means the hatch is far from relaxing on the road. Performance is also sluggish, while ease of driving is below average. However, reliability is good and 95 per cent of owners said the car had lived up to their expectations.