Nissan Sylphy - the uncles are right!

In order to beat the Civic, the Altis and the Lancer, Edaran Tan Chong offers us the Sylphy.

Since this is my personal blog, let me just share with you that I am not really a big fan of this car.

The shape is so boring, I will gladly look at the C22 Vanette instead. The interior too is better than counting the sheep at making me sleep.

Come on. You have to agree that the interior is so simple, it is already dated a year before it was launched here (yes, the Syphy in fact has been launched longer than that in other market).

The first time I drove the car, it was for three days and it was during the weekdays. I believe it was a busy week for me as I got to drive it from my house in Serdang to the office in Bangsar.

Suffice to say my impression back then was that the car was as comfortable as a good white pillow - character-wise too.

And so this is the car I usually recommend to my mature (read elderly) readers. Like uncles and aunties. And they seem to be very happy with the car.

Then Edaran Tan Chong called me up and wanted me to try out its new satellite navigation system. Okay, I am cool with that, but the system comes with the Sylphy - ouch.

So okay, took the car, agreed in 30 minutes that the sat-nav needs serious overhaul in its search function and interface, but after 3 days of driving the Sylphy, I have to swallow back my "tuduhan" on the Syphilis, err..I mean the Sylphy. 

Yes, the car still looks mundane and the 4-lug wheels are as exciting as my kids white Bata school shoes but it is so comfortable, quite, plush, roomy and so efficient.

We drove down to Melaka for a night stay at Bandar Hilir. On the PLUS highway, the car hid its speed too well. The wife drove half of the journey and she caught herself cruising at 140km/h without even realising it.

I have to agree, at that speed, the Sylphy is as quiet as an Altis doing 100km/h. The Sylphy's MR20DE engine and the CVT gearbox is ultra smooth. Whatever thing Nissan claims with its compacy balancer shaft system is actually true. The engine is unbelievably quiet and smooth.

I am not a big fan of a CVT gearbox, and Mitsubishi got a piece of that when I said the Lancer might look like a shark, but sounded more like a Hoover vacuum machine.

The Xtronic CVT in the Sylphy still whines, but barely. It comes with a Sport mode which I suspect allows the rev to stay higher and in its powerband but even in the normal mode, the Sylphy is able to fly.

Try cruising at 120km/h in the Sylphy and floor the pedal - you can immediately feel the car speeds up to 140km/h in a split second. I knew a few drivers just now got the shock of their lives when this Sylphy suddenly sped up leaving them "terkapai-kapai'!

I also think the seats are darn comfortable. Tan Chong said during the launch that the seats are as comfy as a good sofa, and again I agree. Unfortunately, the rear seat has no fold down function, an important aspect for many families.

I think Nissan has something solid here. The challenge now is to make this car appeal to the younger buyers, but to make sure it remains handsome (i.e. no boy racer image) and comfortable (so Tan Chong, forget that loud Impul exhaust, those harsh-to-the-bum low-profile tyres and hard suspension).

At RM114,800 for the Comfort version, this is one car you should not strike off from your list before test driving it.