Nissan March launched in China, priced from 69,900rmb and rising
Nissan March
The Nissan Micra has followed in the Japanese market footsteps and launched in China under the March name. The March is being built via Nissan’s China joint venture with Dongfeng that has exploded in popularity over the past four years due to an aggressive model launch that has propelled them to one of the larger foreign car makers in China. The introduction of the March fills in an product gap in their dealerships that was being exploited by other small car makers, with low price Nissan is likely to take car sales from domestic self developed car makers.
The March is powered by a 1.5L engine mated to a 5 speed manual or a 4 speed automatic gearbox and is the cheapest model in the Dongfeng-Nissan lineup. Nissan is expected to launch other models in China to further fill in gaps in the model line up, the Nissan Quest MPV is likely to be Dongfeng-Nissan’s next model and also a new Tiida range.
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1.5-liter petrol or diesel?
A little pricey for the base model……..69,900rmb? This puts it only a few thousand rmb below the Livinia – I had been hoping for a base price more in the 60,000 range, but I suppose since it has a 1.5l engine Nissan wants to price it a bit higher – and that leads me to my OTHER question……WHY no 1.3l engine???? Honda has the 1.3l Fit (even though it’s way overpriced right now), Suzuki has the 1.3l Swift, the Mazda 2 has a 1.3l and Peugeot has a 1.4l version of the 206. I think manufacturers need to bear a bit more responsibility when it comes to promoting small engines in cars – sure, most manufacturers have them in their lineups, but do they REALLY promote them? Try walking into most dealerships and getting a fully loaded car with a small engine option……very difficult in many cases. I know, there are greater profits with bigger cars/bigger engines……..but what about the responsibility to SOCIETY? You know……..mundane things like reducing pollution, lowering greenhouse gases, helping the planet to be in better shape for future generations – so manufacturers, quit dragging your butts and give us some great small cars with small engines – you all have the capability of doing it (and some of you ALREADY have some great small engines), what the hell are you waiting for?
Calm down joninchina, it is all back to square one. The joint venture issue will prevent any cheap and affordable model to exist. Talking about responsibilty to society, you must be kidding. Both the JV partners are there for MONEY and in China only MONEY talks.
This also answers your wishful thinking on iQ,Passo,Scion…
In the world of PR you first launch one engine model, then you wait until the car starts to fall away from headlines, then you launch another engine model.
Don’t be surprised if a 1.3L or a 1.6L sports model appears in the next few months.
You know Ash, I understand what you’re saying (same with you hk), but Nissan is making a CHOICE here to introduce the March with only one engine option available at the beginning. Let’s look at some recent history as a comparison…….in December 2003, Honda introduced the City (and in 2004 the Fit) – and they offered a 1.3 AND 1.5l FROM THE BEGINNING (and they also offered the choice of a manual or CVT with both engines as well). Suzuki Swift? The 1.3l came first, the 1.5 was introduced later. Mazda 2? Same thing. Peugeot also offered both a 1.4 and 1.6l with the 206 from the beginning, although the 1.4 was VERY hard to get for the first year or so. Nissan has the capability of giving us a 1.3l with the March, but they made a CHOICE not to – why? Doesn’t it make sense to offer the smaller engine, and give the March a lower price point to attract the consumer? If I walked in to a Nissan showroom and saw a 1.5l March at 70,000rmb, and a Livinia next to it with a 1.6l for about 72,000rmb – what would I choose? The Livinia…..a better deal for the money. However, a 1.3l March COULD sell in the neighborhood of 60,000rmb – and potentially bring more customers into the showroom due to a lower price point. Sure, it’s a lower profit – but more Nissans on the street means more income overall for Nissan with aftermarket service, add-on accessories, etc. Let’s hope your prediction regarding a upcoming 1.3l version of the March is correct Ash – IMO Nissan made a mistake by not giving the consumer a choice from the beginning.
joninchina, I appreciate you still have this righteous mindset after spending years living in China. Yet being a caucasian, you won’t understand the Chinese way of thinking.
Yes, Nissan would like to sell as many cars as possible to dominate the market but the Chinese partner will not allow the JV to sink too low to get into the domestic market territories. You know there are lots of Japanese econobox known as K-cars with 600cc small engines but you won’t find them in China. The Chinese government will not let them in so the bread vans from Wuling can survive strongly. Now it is not the engine size matters, it is the value of Japanese cars. They can’t be that low, even the Koreans can’t.
News flash for you hk…………there are japanese cars being sold in China RIGHT NOW for UNDER 60,000rmb. The Suzuki Alto (with a 1.0l engine) begins at a little below 50,000rmb, the Suzuki Wagon R (with a 1.4l engine) begins in the mid-40,000rmb range, the 1.3l Suzuki Swift begins below 60,000rmb and the Chevy Spark (which is actually a korean car rebadged as a Chevy) begins BELOW 40,000rmb (albeit with the 0.8l engine – the 1.0l begins at 40,000rmb). It CAN be done, and it IS being done – and as Ash posted here, the probability of a 1.3l March being introduced here looks pretty solid, and probably will get priced in the 60-65,000rmb range. My ORIGINAL posting here questioned why Nissan couldn’t do this from the beginning as they introduce the March, and my comments regarding social responsibility have NOTHING to do with ethnicity (so please, no more “righteous mindset” comments in the future) – it has EVERYTHING to do with trying to help protect and restore the environment for future generations of this PLANET. I think ALL people, regardless of where they were born or what color skin they have need to share in this quest – because what we do TODAY has a human race will help determine the future of this planet. Am I a idealist? YOU BET I AM – I will ALWAYS strive to get people (REGARDLESS of what country they are from) to make wise decisions NOW to help give our future generations a better world for the FUTURE.
No no no… don’t get me wrong. I have to apologize if you think it in that way. I just comment your attitude towards life based on an individual, there is nothing to do with race.
For those JV models down to 40-50,000rmb, they are just the stripped down basic ones where the equivalent domestic models will be fully loaded. The choice in this price bracket is obvious, they need value to the money. Anyway if I cannot convince you, then let it be.
joninchina, I have a good example to show you what the Chinese auto market is.
1)VW Jetta = 75k-98krmb
2)BYD G3 = 78k-110krmb
3)Chery A3 = 78k-100krmb
They are in the same price range but their sales figures tell a different story. Jetta is the winner for the fleet customers who need a cheap and reliable car, they don’t care about the dated design and poor safety rating. A3 is the runner up for the ordinary people who need value for the money, they prefer the latest technology for personal use. G3 is the looser for nobody, it offers nothing except gimmicks that no serious buyer will care.(F3 was so successful because of good price and Corolla look-alike)
Same price range Japanese/Korean counterparts are either smaller in size or last generation models. If you need a latest JV model, you have to pay extra for the badge.
Nissan SUCKS
Their (filthy) company are useless & stupid
Nissan are scum, morons & gangster assholes (Their drivers, fans, etc are sore losers)
All their vehicles are all shit, rubbish, garbage & all dump
Their companies must be removed from this face of this planet
Anyway Nissan forever SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS & SUCKS
No apology needed hk, I understand you meant no insult at all.
And to maintain this VERY interesting debate, some comparable japanese car prices in China:
Nissan Livinia (current generation): 70-90,000rmb
Honda Fit (current generation): 80-100,000 rmb
Toyota Corolla (current generation, base model): 92,000rmb
Toyota Yaris (current generation 1.6l AT): 93,800rmb
Suzuki SX3 (current generation): 80-100,000rmb
The Yaris is definitely the smallest of the bunch – but the other models? Current generation, and NOT “stripped down”. Now…..some things like GPS/DVD and climate control aren’t offered with the Fit or the Livinia, but a GPS/DVD screen is a easy add-on and many people do with these cars. The Corolla is the 1.6MT model, but still with A/C, a nice CD player and power windows. The Fit offers about the same amount of room as the A3, and NO CAR has Honda’s amazing folding rear seats – a real plus for the Fit. The Livinia is a little BIGGER than the A3, and very comfortable – I’ve sat in the back seat of one traveling all around Shenzhen and there is PLENTY of room, trust me. The japanese JV manufacturers are getting quite aggressive with their pricing, and this is great for the chinese auto market – it forces the chinese manufacturers to upgade the quality and reliability of their products if they want to be competitive in the market. The choices are getting tough now…..if you had a fully loaded, 1.8lAT A3 for 100,000rmb or a fully loaded Livinia 1.6AT for about 90,000rmb – what would you choose? Is the A3 really a “equal” product compared to the Livinia? Chery seems to think so, and their pricing appears to reflect that – what do you think?
Hello car enthusiasts! I have never driven a car made in China, but i have red review about Geely MK (http://www.autoreview.ru/_archive/section/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=67342&SECTION_ID=1904), and also checked the crash test results from Chery Amulet (http://www.autoreview.ru/tmp/crash_amulet) and also watched few off-road videos made in Russia with Chinese SUV’s and i was disappointed with Chinese quality of cars. I though that joint ventures and China government would encourage them to produce products that would be able to compete in a world market,but since price/ownership cost ratio is so high i wonder how much average Chinese driver puts miles in one year? How many miles they expect their cars to run? Geely on heavy load conditions haven’t made 25000 km, and the resale value was awful… Knowing that Korean cars needed more than a decade to convince that there is still resource of the car left after 100 000km,i am wandering : what is the future of China`s domestic manufacturers? Are they aware of awful quality? And reading that some Chinese car makers are selling cars for higher price than VW, Nissan, Toyota makes me completely confused. How is that possible considering reliability and overall quality of a car and safety? Are Chinese buying domestic vehicles because they are proud of it? Please, give me your insights of Chinese car quality and situation of China`s car market… I can’t imagine hundreds of thousands of such a low quality cars made… Please, prove me that i`m wrong
to joninchina: before talking about cars like a big cause of pollution i would recomend to watch a movie “Gasland” ( http://stagevu.com/video/oxixzznmpstb )… Even that i know about smogs, CO, Pb ,S and other pollutants i really recommend to watch it and similar documentaries and than decide – who and what are actual huge pollutants of this planet.
joninchina, your example just reflect what I have tried to say.
Toyota Corolla is last generation model. In terms of specification, A3 is way ahead with latest technology like multiple link rear suspension,ESP,DVVT engine… I know the fit&finish and reliability is not up to Corolla standard, so you have to pay that extra to buy the badge.
Nissan Livinia & Honda Fit fall in the same category – small MPV. In term of room space, A3 is surely no winner but from Chinese perspective it is a “bigger” car with more “face”. From engine size to options, A3 is way ahead so again you pay that extra for the badges.
Toyota Yaris & Suzuki SX4 are smaller cars c/w A3. They don’t provide the room space as Livinia & Fit, A3 is the winner in every aspect except again the badges.
That explains why Chery A3 asking for the same price.