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The first impression

Does that sound less than appealing? Well it shouldn’t. Station wagons are basically just like SUV’s, only riding lower on the tarmac. Yes, that’s right! Both are designed for practicality and are suitable for growing families. Globally more and more people are opting for the wagon option over an SUV. Why? In Europe, they suffer the same ridiculous price issues as us when it comes to the cost of fuel, their roads are just as congested, if not worse, and have to pay CO² taxes based on their vehicles emissions. This all starts and ends up eating away at our precious income.

You see, wagons are lighter, so require smaller engines to achieve the same performance figures as a SUV. The weight and bigger engines of a SUV cause the obvious problem of using more fuel. Hence not an eco-friendly option but rather a trend based purchasing decision. Point proven?

Nissan, the Japanese car giant, has designed a no frills practical family car in their Livina range. Many taxi companies have purchased the Grand Livina for all the above mentioned reasons. The ‘Grand’ option not referring to luxury items installed in the car, but rather the fact that it is bigger and more capable of accommodating five adults and their luggage than a standard Livina.

The Livina X-Gear also veers from the standard Livina recipe, being the same size as a Livina but has had some ‘Rambo-esque’ cosmetic enhancements.  These enhancements place it in the flagship position for the Livina range. The Camo ready Livina X-Gear boasts strong SUV styling elements and sets itself apart from the rest of the Livina range with its robust roof rails and matt black over fenders, door guard finishers and side sill protectors. The Livina X-Gear also features a redesigned radiator grille and front bumper that exude a more aggressive stance as does the enhanced rear bumper. To complete the overall adventurous appeal the Livina X-Gear comes fitted with a set of stylish 15” alloy wheels.

On the road the X-Gear is easy to drive, having sufficient power and a standard 5-speed manual gearbox that is simple to use. Steering as power assisted and makes day-to-day parking a breeze. Suspension is set cushion-soft and as a result the pro is a relaxed and comfortable road manner on less than smoother road surfaces. But on the con side of life, the X-Gear isn’t a ‘mover & shaker’ around twists and bends, It wallows around corners and will have passengers leaning to and fro. But it wasn’t designed for that. If that is your cup of tea, get yourself an Audi S or better yet and RS4 wagon.

The facts

Highlights

• Practical
• Well priced
• Easy to drive and live with on a day-to-day basis
• Reasonably economical

Low lights

• Simple interior
• No frills on the techno front. It would be nice if the X-Gear came with hands free cell phone kit/Bluetooth connectivity.

The extra stuff

The Livina range* comes standard with a 3-year/60 000km service plan *(Optional on the Visia model)

The verdict

I like this car. It accomplishes a variety of real world practical needs at a great price. Sure it has the flaw of being a bit of a softy in the handling department but I forgive it for that. Its dynamic nature makes you behave and really is a well-mannered day-to-day car for the whole family. It scores four stars in the NCAP safety department. Being a Nissan product, it will be as strong as nails and last the test of time.

Would I buy one? Considering its competition is the Toyota Avenza and Innova both of which are more MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicles) in X-Gear trim and in the right colour actually looks good. The only other similar ‘trimmed’ vehicles are the VW POLO Cross and the Renault Sandero Stepway both of which won’t allow for the family of five you have always wanted.

It’s a real world car with real world solutions, its best kept for urban and city driving. Its butch trims must be fooled for making the Livina look like a bundu-basher.

Nissan SA Livina X-Gear weblink