SINGAPORE – Driving in Singapore is a stressful affair, so it’s little wonder why many people opt for comfort over drivability when they choose their ride. Executive sedans which sooth your brow, are fuss-free to drive, and run like clockwork, are immensely popular here, especially for the busy family man of a certain age group.

One of the more popular Japanese ones during the boom years of the mid and late 2000s (before rising COE prices made BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes de rigueur for executives) was the Nissan Teana, which gave the usual suspects in this segment, namely the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, a decent fight for the Asian towkay’s money. Its trump card of being Japanese-made turned Thai cynics towards its way, and the 2.5-litre version had a creamy V6 under its bonnet, as opposed to the four-cylinder units found in its competitors.

On that account, it might appear that the latest Teana we have here might come across as a disappointment to its fans, given that this new version is now, like its peers, also made in Thailand. But as the thousands of Camrys and Accords on our roads showed, where the car is assembled matters little in the end if the resulting product offers the same quality as a car made in Japan.

The 2.5-litre V6 has also been pensioned off, with the Teana too going the four-cylinder route. But nevertheless, it remains as silky smooth as ever, and to be honest, if you weren’t clued in on the difference, you’d probably be none the wiser. Mated to an equally-smooth continuously variable transmission (CVT), the Teana goes about its business in a fuss-free manner, devoid of any drama. Despite the seemingly paltry 173bhp, the Teana hardly feels inadequate when it comes to power, and it’s definitely good enough for coping with everyday traffic, while still retaining enough poke for tackling those long highway drives up North.

But the Teana’s core strength has always been comfort, and the new car positively excels in this aspect once again. A new multi-link rear suspension offers passengers a soft, cushy ride, while the seats have been designed to offer excellent support and cushioning. It’s so comfortable, in fact, that passengers (i.e. the CarBuyer team on a lunch run) who’ve experienced it compared it favourably to a comfy sofa. If it’s good enough for a bunch of grumpy writers on a scorching afternoon after a big meal, it’s definitely good enough for your wife and kids.

The rest of the interior will be fairly recognisable to anyone who is familiar with Nissans, with a simple dashboard layout offering no complicated buttons to operate a tricky multifunction system. Instead, you get a clean design, with intuitive-placed buttons to operate the air con and audio system. But that’s not to say that the Teana is sparsely equipped, for it also comes with features such as self-dimming door mirrors, a sunroof, keyless entry with engine push-start button, a BOSE 9-speaker sound system, electric memory seats, and a reverse camera with front and rear sensors, which makes the Teana one of the more well-equipped offerings in its class.

Despite some significant changes to its recipe, the all-new Teana still retains its core value of offering one of the most comfortable driving experiences in its class, and towkays who place refinement above all else can rejoice once again.

NEED TO KNOW
Engine 2,488cc, 16V, in-line 4
Power 173bhp at 6000rpm
Torque 234Nm at 4000rpm
Gearbox Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Top Speed 210km/h
0-100kmh 10.1 seconds
Fuel efficiency 7.5L/100km
CO2 180g/km
Price $175,800 with COE
Availability Now

Also Consider: Mazda 6, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry

Photos by Shahrul Azmi