New Primera Opens its Doors

It's the star of Nissan's Motor Show stand - but you'll need to get right up close to realise it. In fact, you'll have to open the door and climb inside the car!

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Martin Sharp

25th May 2004

There is not a single visible external change to the Primera, but the cabin has been given a dramatic overhaul. There's a proper UK feel to the car, too - not only is it debuting at the NEC next week, all the revisions were designed and engineered in this country.

So what exactly has changed? The Japanese firm says the model now has a more luxurious interior, with plenty of added technology and improved ride and handling. The list of alterations in-cludes a colour-reversing camera plus enhanced satellite navigation, which now comes with Traffic Management Control to help drivers avoid jams.

An all-new centre console, cup-holders and cubbyholes are added, too, as is a dash-mounted six-CD autochanger, a brighter, simpler display screen and new aluminium-style door trims. Under the skin, engineers from the firm's Cranfield technical centre in Bedfordshire have fine-tuned the chassis, sharpened the steering and made the car more stable at high speeds. So why hasn't Nissan modified the exterior?

A spokeswoman explained: "It was decided that we couldn't change such a sharp design without major plastic surgery. And that would be unnecessary and harmful to residual values."

Meanwhile, the maker has announced that from July - when the up-dated Primera goes on sale - the saloon will be axed in the UK due to poor sales.