Think our market already has enough MPVs? Yeah, Nissan doesn’t believe so.
Images making their rounds online suggest that the Toyota Avanza, the Mitsubishi Xpander, and the Suzuki Ertiga may have another competitor in their midst soon in the form of the 2023 Nissan Livina.
Yes, that’s correct. It appears the Nissan seven-seater is making a comeback—albeit in a package that looks a lot like its rival, the Xpander. This is because the MPV has basically been a clone of its Mitsubishi counterpart as far back as 2019. The two Japanese carmakers are part of the same alliance, remember?
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Units over in Indonesia are powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine capable of 103hp and 141Nm of torque. And yes, those performance figures are identical to what the Mitsubishi Xpander puts up locally. Transmission options are a five-speed manual and four-speed automatic.
Anyway, these photos were captured by Facebook user Cedric Mark Kalalo along the Batangas-Bauan Bypass Road. That’s a long way off from Metro Manila, and perhaps an indication that these units have only recently arrived in the country. We’re also able to get a decent look at the MPV’s V-Motion grille and boxy overall profile.
Injecting a seven-seat MPV into its lineup could go a long way toward expanding Nissan Philippines’ customer base. Would you consider this over more established offerings like the Avanza and Xpander?
