DRIVEN: Nissan Teana 250 XV !

If you sat in or driven a Nissan Sylphy, you'll notice the silky smooth ride it has from a smooth performing engine and XTRONIC CVT gearbox. The ride I had in the Sylphy was relaxing and comfortable, thanks to the thickly padded seats (and home sofa-inspired rear bench!), good refinement and suspension that absorb most of the road undulations.

Since Sylphy is a C-Segment sedan, it has a D-segment elder brother named Teana. I'm sure you guys remember Cefiro, right? Well, Teana is the successor of Cefiro and after a short hiatus, the latest generation is here to gain back a spot in the D-segment along with popular models like Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. If Sylphy is a silky smooth car, then you can expect the Teana to be silky smoother!



The all-new Teana looks appealing in the eyes... of some middle income or in the 30s and 40s men. Don't get me wrong, the Teana doesn't look obsolote and atrocious, but still it won't appeal to people who are younger than 30, no matter what kind of bodykit or funky paintjob you fix on it will change their mind. You will only find those wearing t-shirt with family in the car heading to shopping mall in the weekend, or wearing formal with a coat to a meeting, or even retired man driving around town with his wife owns a Nissan Teana.


With a width of 1795mm, the Teana is a tad smaller in terms of exterior dimension compared to Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Worse, the taillights design doesn't help in create a wide stance from the back at all, but it shines brilliantly and brightly with its LEDs.

The Teana comes with three engine choices: an entry level 2.0litre MR20DE engine which is found in Sylphy with 136bhp, a 2.5litre VQ V6 engine with 182bhp and the range topping 3.5litre, 252bhp V6 engine. The one I drove was the mid-range 2.5litre, which is not bad at all...



Step inside the 2.5litre Teana and you'll noticed how inviting the cabin is! Beige, comfy leather seats, luxurious looking dashboard and ample space for the front and rear passenger. The wood trim doesn't look fake and goes along well with the beige leather. No need to mention that the Teana's cabin felt that it is built to last, like every other Nissan models.

You'll be able to start the car by pressing the push-start button without taking out your key fob from your pocket. After a quick and minor vibration while firing up the engine, the engine goes into total silence while idle. You won't be able to tell that the engine is running or not if you had your eyes closed.



The Teana is surprisingly easy to drive, thanks to its light steering which enabled me to manoeuver out of the parking lot easily, despite its huge size. However, this is not a good thing while your travelling speed increase. The steering doesn't weigh up enough to provide an enjoyable manoeuvrability in high speed.

The award winning powerplant, on the other hand, performed excellently. Powerful but without harshness. Nissan did a great job in the NVH department too, filtering out unwanted noises from the cabin wonderfully. This is a car where your kids at the back will sleep soundly and will not ask you the "Are we there yet?" question frequently. The only thing I noticed was the suspension setup, which was a little on the firm side. But then, the Teana still absorb bumps without much intrusion into the cabin.

I was flabbergasted with the composure of the Teana on the road. My initial thought was a floaty and wobbly ride, but I was wrong. It handles nicely through bends and absorb bumps without unsettling the ride, as I've mentioned previously.

It was overall a very relaxing drive in the Nissan Teana 250XV. It might not be the best D-segment sedan, but this RM173,000 OTR car worth taking a look before you plan to get other D-segment cars. If you plan to get a Teana in the month of December, you might be able to grab the year-end promotion with free GPS* and reverse camera*.

*Only some branches are giving out this promotion.

*Follow me @simon_har and subscribe SiMon HaR_ ya ;)