NISSAN PICKUP AX PROVES METTLE AT TEST DRIVE

Nissan Pick-up AX, just before the test drive
The taste of the pudding, they say, is in the eating. Claims have been made in the local and international media about the prowess of the upgraded one-ton pickup Nissan AX, which made its debut into the Nigerian auto market early this year.

One of the attributes of the new-look pick-up which made its debut early in the year in the Nigerian market, is that courtesy of its reinforced suspension, the Nissan can match its competitors, like Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger performance for performance.

But, the vehicle never had the chance of vindicating the marketers who make these claims until recently when Alliance Autos, distributor of Nissan range of vehicles in Nigeria, gave some motoring writers a chance to task the pick-up.

And the pickup did not disappoint in both its on-road and off-road capabilities as it cruised very well on the Lekki expressway, Lagos, that early Saturday morning and was able to show its ruggedness and drivability on the sandy terrain of Eleko beach, also in the Lekki axis of Lagos State.

The auxiliary gear in the vehicle assisted the pick-up to move unhindered on sands and has been designed to help the vehicle moved on in certain road conditions such as muddy and hill climbing terrains.

Though the surrounding noise when moving on the highway seems relatively high, this could be addressed subsequently to give the vehicle a dual purpose status for those who might want to use it as a family cabin vehicle and those needing it as load carrying vehicle.

The vehicle, however, is equipped with all comfortable amenities such as air conditioner, cup holder and musical gadgets to make drivers and passengers enjoy pleasurable ride. Nissan said the new AX promise to deliver the ideal combination of durability and desirability, noting that the vehicle is an absurdly capable workhorse, able to endure kilometre after kilometre of the harshest environments the world can offer with its bed heavily-laden, adding that when the work day ends it becomes a stylish, well-appointed and very comfortable leisure one-ton pick-up which will turn heads wherever it goes.

Managing Director, Alliance Autos, Parvir Singh, said: 'With the new addition of the Nissan one-ton pick-up AX, our LCV range is a complete solution thanks to the versatility of this unbreakable Nissan platform. The D22 AX brings a welcome dash of style and luxury to the sector, for the area manager or foreman who needs something tough, reliable, and strong but also a car which cuts a fine figure at a gathering of high society.

'This model is expected to elevate the perception of the Nissan brand in our market to new levels, and is ideally equipped and prepared for our market requirements. We know many of our customers have been eagerly anticipating the launch of this range topping model, and are certain that the sound investment proposition it represents will attract many more to the Nissan brand we represent as Alliance Autos.'

'Alliance Autos is now in the position to offer a complete line-up of Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) solutions to Nigerian customers. Fleet operators can now source their full range of requirements, from affordable half-ton workhorse to well-equipped work- and leisure-vehicles for top-rank staff while still retaining the peace of mind of rock-solid build quality and the lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in the segments provided for along the way thanks to these intrinsic qualities of the Nissan brand,' added Harpreet Arora, Alliance autos image maker.