Among the many forgotten names from the not-so-distant past was the Nissan Tiida sedan in Pakistan which was introduced by Ghandhara Nissan Limited. While the company used to assemble the N16 Sunny locally, the Tiida along with Cefiro, Patrol and X-Trail, was offered as a CBU import.
The Tiida was formally launched in Pakistan in January 2007 against a base price of PKR 11.5 lac. It was powered by 1.6L engine paired to a CVT gearbox. The 16-valve DOHC unit with VVT produced 101 hp and 135 Nm and was considered a powerful option when compared to the existing competition of that era.
Being a Japan-assembled vehicle, the Tiida was much better built and better equipped that the locally assembled offerings. It came with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, climate control, beige colored interior with wooden accents, fully adjustable driver seat and a generously spacious cabin. Other features worth mentioning included leather/ Alcantara combination seats, LED map lamp, flood lamp, console box, multiple storage spaces, rear armrest and foot-operated parking brake.
Nissan Tiida sedan at a dealership in Pakistan (year 2007)
Another interesting feature in Nissan Tiida was Plasmacluster Ion technology, that emits both positive and negative ions, effectively cleaning and freshening the cabin air, generating a more hygienic and comfortable environment to make the driving experience even more pleasant.
Tiida may appear a small car on the outside but it was a C-segment offering and was surprisingly roomier from inside. However its shape was something that wasn’t well-received by local auto consumers who wanted a bigger car with a 1.6L engine. Not something that looked like a Suzuki Liana or the Chevrolet Aveo, both of which were launched around the same time and more importantly were way cheaper than the Tiida when it comes to the price.
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Back then, Ghandhara’s own Nissan Sunny N16 was priced at PKR 11.5 lac and despite the fact that it had become an old model (in 2007) it looked bigger and decent than the Tiida which looked more like a car made for youthful generation. Secondly, PKR 11.5 lac may sound like a low price tag today, however back then it was considered expensive. For example in 2007, the Toyota Corolla XLI 1.3L was available from PKR 8.79 lac, Honda City iDSI was priced from PKR 8.39 lac, Mitsubishi Lancer 1.3 GL from PKR 8.39 lac, Suzuki Liana RXI 1.3 from PKR 7.94 lac, Proton Gen2 for PKR 8.49 lac and Chevrolet Aveo from PKR 8.9 lac to name a few. Competition without any genuine auto policy was unbelievable back in those days.
But like most other offerings by Ghandhara, the Nissan Tiida failed to create any impact in our market. Most obvious reason was the price, then it was a CBU import so the depreciation of PKR against US Dollar from 2008 onward cast a very negative impact on Tiida’s price. Then was the limited after-sales support due to inadequate Nissan dealerships across the country.
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Following its arrival, the JDM versions called the Tiida Latio (sedan) along with the hatchback versions also arrived here among used imports but they never get that popular compared to other hot-selling used JDM options. Today its very hard to find a Nissan Tiida in the market but you may still come across a rare example on the roads, or for sale on local online classified websites.
Do you have an ownership experience of Nissan Tiida, let us know with the comment section below.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
