Nissan has officially revealed the Pulsar five-door hatchback which it claims is more frugal and higher-tech than its hatchback rivals.

Impressive cabin space

The five-seat Pulsar hatchback shares its 2 700 mm wheelbase with the larger seven-seat X-Trail however comes in 255 mm shorter than the SUV, at 4 385 mm.

Set on to take segment leaders such as the Volkswagen Golf, Nissan’s all-new Euro-spec Pulsar is additionally characterised by bold wheel volumes, a tapered waistline and a flowing profile.

Powerful drivetrains

Keeping with Nissan’s approach to innovation and reduced costs for owners, the new Pulsar is fitted with a base 1.2 DIG-T petrol engine with 84 kW, which will be joined by a more powerful 139 kW 1.6-litre unit early next year.

Upon launch there will also be a 1.5 dCi diesel engine generating 80 kW and 260 Nm of torque with CO2 emissions of 95 g/km.

All engines come equipped with a 6-speed manual gearbox and an optional CVT. Also on offer is Nissan’s advanced XTronic automatic transmission.

Advanced technologies

The new Nissan Pulsar is packed with a range of new-to-segment technologies and safety systems including blind spot warning, lane departure warning, moving object detection and forward emergency braking. It also boasts the second-generation NissanConnect system offering smartphone integration and access to a wide variety of apps.

Another advanced technology integrated into the Pulsar’s design are LED headlamps. First introduced to the Nissan range on the Qashqai and X-Trail, the Pulsar’s distinctive LED front lights produce a crisp, white light and have the added advantage of using 50 per cent less power than conventional bulbs.

It’s yet to be confirmed whether the new Nissan Pulsar model will be available in South Africa.