Nissan Pulsar (2014 – 2018) Review

The Nissan Pulsar is a five-door family hatchback that puts the family first. Launched in 2014, the Pulsar’s key selling point in a crowded market is the amount of space for rear-seat passengers. Legroom in the back would shame a car from the class above – your children have plenty of growing room. The Pulsar also comes with a good level of equipment, if you avoid the entry-level model. We’re just not sure these are enough for it to topple the class leaders, especially in a segment dominated by the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus.

Remember the Nissan Pulsar? Probably not. After telling us that it had turned its back on the hatchback market in favour of crossovers like the Qashqai and Juke, Nissan launched the Pulsar. It was designed to slot into the place formerly occupied by the Nissan Almera, rivalling the likes of the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Golf and Toyota Auris.

With the benefit of hindsight, Nissan should have let sleeping dogs lie. It’s not that the Nissan Pulsar is a bad car, it’s just that it didn’t add anything to a particularly crowded segment. While the Qashqai and Juke seemed genuinely innovative, the Pulsar just seemed, well, a bit ‘meh’.

Notice the use of past tense. In 2018, just four years after its launch, the Pulsar was axed from the UK, with the car causing little more than a ripple in the new car market. So why is it worthy of consideration in 2020?

One word: space. It might seem like an unlikely unique selling point, but the Nissan Pulsar boasts the largest amount of rear space in its class. Back-seat passengers are treated to limo-like levels of legroom, while all passengers benefit from a huge amount of elbow room. Forget family hatchback, the Pulsar feels more like a luxury car in the back.

This doesn’t come at the expense of boot space. At 385 litres, it’s five litres larger than the Volkswagen Golf, plus you have the option of extending this to 1,395 litres by folding the rear seat. Seriously, if you’re after a spacious family hatchback, the Pulsar should be on your shortlist.

It’s also well-equipped, especially if you avoid the entry-level model. Many buyers opted for the flagship Tekna trim, which offers an excellent level of equipment, even if the infotainment system is a bit basic by today’s standards. It’s also a bit sombre in the cabin, but the level of quality is surprisingly high.

It should be cheap to run, thanks to a range of punchy and efficient engines. The 1.5-litre dCi turbodiesel is the economy hero, offering terrific long-legged efficiency with a useful amount of punch.

Don’t rule out the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which provides peppy performance in the city, with diesel-like efficiency on a long run. There’s also a 190PS 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which offers hot hatchback levels of poke, without the hot hatchback levels of ability.

This is a car that majors on ride comfort. The long wheelbase helps to iron out all but the worst road imperfections, especially if the Pulsar is riding on 16-inch alloy wheels. It’s also remarkably refined and quiet at high speeds, making the Pulsar a relaxing place to be on a long journey.

So maybe it did add something to the market. The Nissan Pulsar might lack the glamour and excitement of some of the other family hatchbacks – not to mention the glut of family crossovers on sale in 2020 – but not everybody demands excitement from a car.

It handles bumps with ease, soaking up all but the worst imperfections in the road. It’s also good on the motorway, with the diesel version delivering excellent long-legged comfort and efficiency.

It’s just a bit soft and unengaging. The steering is indirect and imprecise, there’s no sense of what the front wheels are doing, and there’s plenty of roll if you attempt to take a corner too fast. Tackle a B-road in the way you would, say, a Ford Focus, and your passengers will be begging for a sickbag. It’s not a car to be hurried.

Some buyers will appreciate the ride comfort and quietness. Others might prefer something with a little more bite.

The familiar Renault-sourced 1.5-litre dCi turbodiesel is arguably the engine of choice in the Nissan Pulsar. It delivers a healthy 110PS to provide an excellent blend of performance and economy. It settles down to a quiet idle when cruising, but there’s plenty of mid-range punch when you require a burst of acceleration.

Not that the entry-level 1.2-litre DIG-T four-cylinder petrol engine should be ignored. The 115PS provides a surprising amount of pulling power from low revs, feeling peppy in town, with a willingness to rev when required.

It struggles when the car is loaded with passengers and their luggage, which is why the diesel makes more sense.

The 190PS 1.6-litre DIG-T petrol engine is a bit of an oddball. It’s quick, hitting 62mph in less than eight seconds, but the car doesn’t have the tools required to cope with the performance. It’s also more costly to run than the other pair.

The Nissan Pulsar was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was crash-tested in 2014. Front and side airbags are standard, although neither extends to the rear. The Pulsar also features stability control and a standard speed limiter, while autonomous emergency braking and a lane-keep assist system are optional.

N-tec models have a 360-degree parking camera, while top-spec Tekna models come with the Nissan Safety Shield system. This includes a blind-spot warning system that scans beyond the blind-spot, warning you if something is approaching from behind.

The 1.5-litre dCi engine is the best choice if you intend to tow, although the 1,200kg towing capacity means you’re unlikely to pull anything larger than a light caravan. A fixed tow bar was available as an option when the Pulsar was new.

We have to start this section by focusing on its unique selling point: space in the rear. Thanks to a long wheelbase, the Nissan Pulsar is blessed with limo-like space in the back, with plenty of legroom, even for the tallest of passengers. The feeling of space is accentuated by the amount of elbow room for people sitting in the outer seats, along with the large rear door openings.

The rear space doesn’t come at the expense of luggage capacity, with the Pulsar boasting a 385-litre boot. Fold the rear seats and this extends to 1395 litres, which is excellent for a car in this segment. The rear bench splits 60/40, but there are no levers in the boot.

It would be harsh to say that space is the Pulsar’s single redeeming feature, but it’s probably the best reason to buy one.

The cabin feels robust and hard-wearing, while the buttons and switches operate with a good feeling of solidity. It’s just let down by an absence of soft-touch and high-quality materials. It’s all so… adequate.

The thing is, the Pulsar doesn’t feel any more downmarket or upmarket than a Qashqai. But the raised driving position seems to elevate the Qashqai to a higher level, while the Pulsar just seems so ordinary.

There’s a reason why Nissan turned its back on the family hatchback market in favour of SUVs. The lofty cars feel more special.

Avoid the entry-level Visia and Acenta trims, as these have to make do with a tiny screen, Bluetooth, CD player, USB port and aux socket. It’s a comically basic setup that’s lacking any sort of functionality. Poor in 2014, inexcusable in 2020.

N-tec and Tekna models get a NissanConnect2 touchscreen infotainment system with sat-nav. The 5.8-inch display is small by today’s standards, but features include smartphone integration, DAB digital radio and a 360-degree parking camera. The graphics are dated, the mapping is lethargic, and it lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it adds a semblance of modernity to the Pulsar.

The Nissan Pulsar was pretty good value when it was new. Prices ranged from £16,000 for the Pulsar DIG-T 115 in Visia trim, to £22,500 for the DIG-T 190 in Tekna trim. The mid-range N-tec trim cost in the region of £20,000.

Anyone who bought a new Pulsar might be regretting their decision. Depreciation wasn’t a strong point, which means values plummeted faster than most rival hatchbacks. Good news if you’re buying a used Nissan Pulsar in 2020.

Prices start from around £5000, although we’ve seen some examples available for less. Nissan didn’t sell many Visia models, but it’s easy to find Acenta and N-tec cars. Most used examples tend to be the flagship Tekna model, so at least your used Pulsar will come with the right equipment.

The most you need to pay is £12,000. This is enough to secure a 2017/2018 Tekna model with up to 15,000 miles on the clock. Given the level of standard equipment – not to mention the amount of space inside the Pulsar – this is great value for money.

Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) deals start from around £100 a month. This is based on a 2015 Pulsar costing in the region of £6,500, a deposit of £1000, and 48 monthly payments. A newer model should cost no more than £300 a month, based on a car worth £11,500.

The fuel economy figures were sourced using the old and less reliable NEDC test cycle, so you’re unlikely to achieve the official results.

Real MPG data suggests something in the region of 60mpg is likely for the 1.5 dCi. The 1.2 DIG-T 115 offers a claimed 56.5mpg when fitted with a manual gearbox, or 55.4mpg with an automatic transmission. Finally, the 1.6 DIG-T 190 could achieve 49.5mpg when riding on 17-inch alloy wheels, or 47.9mpg if the car is fitted with 18-inch rims.

Insurance should be affordable, with groups ranging from 10 to 18. There’s more good news when it comes to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), because some diesel models are exempt from road tax. Other versions are £20 to £30 a year, but the 1.6 DIG-T 190 weighs in at a hefty £150 a year.

If you’re in the market for a Nissan Qashqai, the Pulsar is unlikely to change your mind. Aside from the rear legroom and ride comfort, there’s no reason to recommend it over one of the many family hatchbacks you could buy. The Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, Mazda 3, Skoda Octavia, Seat Leon and Kia Ceed offer more than the Pulsar.

However, if you can’t stomach the idea of a crossover, and you’re after a family hatchback that will see your children through from primary school to university, the Nissan Pulsar is a fine choice. We’re even quite fond of the 190PS version.