Nissan Pulsar review

The 1.2 turbo petrol is a modern economical unit that runs sweetly at urban and suburban speeds. But on major roads it’s sluggish, hampered further by long gears that are designed to amplify the economy. The 1.5 diesel alternative is also well-mannered and easy to use, if short on force, and it’s competitive on economy. Everyone should avoid the disappointing 1.6T. 

To drive, the steering is accurate and progressive, and it’s all reassuringly stable. Just not much fun. The ride is quiet, too, if firmer than you might expect. Many models get elements of Nissan’s safety and comms suite – a connected nav system in many, and a bird’s eye view monitor and blind-spot warning in the top model. The blind-spot system cleverly uses the same little camera in the rear. Same for a lane-departure warning, which uses the front camera. Mind you, that one is over £20k. Mid-trim brings bright LED headlamps.