After Renault’s Scala it was Nissan Sunny’s turn to get a continuously variable transmission (CVT) gearbox. We drove it recently in Chennai to experience the difference
NISSAN’S MID-SIZE SEDAN, the Sunny, is a good product that features a roomy cabin, a fuel-efficient diesel engine and a comfortable drive.
They also sell the Sunny with a petrol motor and recently the company launched a special-edition Sunny. Now here is something about the company’s latest attempt to attract more customers. Nissan recently held a drive in the coastal city of Chennai where the company showcased the latest variant of the Sunny equipped with a CVT (continuously variable transmission). The drive was short and most of it was through the city, because it is in the city that an automatic gearbox makes life much easier for the driver.
There is absolutely nothing that distinguishes the Sunny CVT from the car equipped with a manual gearbox. In fact,
it looks identical. Nissan are offering the CVT in the Sunny XL, which is the top-of-the-line variant. It also uses the same 1.5-litre 99-PS petrol engine that serves the rest of the Sunny petrol range. Nissan call this new variant the
Sunny X-Tronic and claim that the CVT gearbox is smoother and more efficient than conventional CVT boxes.
Nissan also claim that the X-Tronic transmission is more compact than other conventional CVT boxes because of its
pulley arrangement. The set-up utilises a steel belt that works in co-ordination with the pulleys and the gearbox is
also equipped with an auxiliary planetary gear set that widens the number of gear ratios available. This set-up
gives the car a much smoother drive while eliminating any shift shocks and also improves its fuel efficiency.
The best way to see how good an automatic transmission is in a family sedan is to take it out for a drive in the city and that is exactly what Nissan kept in mind while chalking out the route for this drive. The 120-odd kilometre drive from Chennai to Mahabalipuram and back started in the streets of Chennai. The moment we drove out of the hotel and on to the streets of Chennai, the smoothness of the X-Tronic box was evident. Nissan have got the set-up correct as the CVT box adjusts the gear ratios in accordance with the speed and engine revolutions quite efficiently. This gives the Sunny CVT a comfortable and smooth drive. The gradual power build-up and its linear delivery ensured a smooth and effortless drive. Most of the time the engine stayed in the 1,500–2,000 rev range, which is good to extract the
maximum fuel efficiency. Nissan claim that the Sunny XTronic delivers 17.97 km per litre, which sounds rather
ambitious, though, of course, a complete road test would reveal the true figure.
On the highway the Sunny automatic performs quite well, though the engine feels a bit strained when you push it hard. The ride quality and handling of the Sunny X-Tronic is identical to the manual car’s, but the addition of the CVT
box in the X-Tronic makes the Sunny a hassle-free car to drive. Performance-wise the car is pretty decent, although
we shall be able to comment more on that only after a complete road test. Overall, the Sunny X-Tronic is a decent
family car with the ease of an auto box that is quite smooth and if the real world fuel efficiency is anywhere close to the figure claimed, then it would make the Sunny automatic a brilliant value-for-money automatic car in its segment.
Nissan will launch the car very soon and the prices would be revealed only at the launch of the car. We hope that Nissan keep the price of this smooth Sunny competitive in order to gain the maximum points in the sales department.
Story: Ravi Chandnani
Photography: Rommel Albuquerque
