Cole Catlett, senior sales executive at Nissan Pietermaritzburg says while there are many automatic sedans for people who need a car for ride hailing, she recommends the Nissan Almera.
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"And I'm not just saying so because I work at a Nissan dealership," says the all stars CMH sales executive.
"There are basically three sedans that have proven themselves for ride-hailing in terms of price and running costs -- the Nissan Almera, the Toyota Quest and the Honda Amaze.
“Their owners will tell you these are three very durable sedans, but among them the Almera has the biggest boot, the most leg-room and the longest service plan and warranty, which is why I recommend it for ride hailing."
She said the Almera's 90,000 km service plan and six-year warranty are especially popular with professional drivers, as it allows them to trade in the car while there are still a few months or kilometres left.
Catlett adds she also sells a fair number of pre-owned automatic Almeras to pensioners, despite most buyers these days looking for sport utility vehicles rather than a sedan.
"The Qashqai is very popular, but my pensioner buyers often compare the costs of a vehicle down to the last cent and the Almera's value offering is unbeatable. They also like that it is not the newest sedan, but proven technology with a very affordable parts basket and service costs, as stated in the 2019 Kinsey report of the cheapest cars to service and repair.
If you add an extended warranty to a pre-owned Almera, it will give you many kilometres of low cost motoring," says Catlett.
She shared her “cheat sheet” of how the three cars compare with Dealer Floor below.
Honda Amaze 1,2 Comfort auto
Price: R230 500
Drivetrain: 4-cylinder 1,2-litre petrol with CVT
Power 66 kW /110 Nm at 4 800 rpm
Kerb weight: 949 kg
Consumption: 5,7/100km
Boot size: 420 litres
Ride height: 170 mm
Wheels: 175/65 R15
Warranty: 5 years of 200 000 km.
Service plan: 2 years or 30 000 km
Nissan Almera 1,5 Acenta auto
Price: R262 700
Drivetrain: 4-cylinder 1,5-litre petrol with 4-speed auto
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