The family hatch market is a competitive area for car manufacturers, with heavyweights like the VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus all firmly dominating in the mid-size category. But this hasn’t stopped Nissan deciding to have another go, having previously stopped production of their last family hatch, the Almera in 2006. The new hatchback will be called the Nissan Pulsar and is expected to make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October 2014, going on sale shortly after. Nissan have released full details of the Pulsar and at the Car Loan Warehouse, we’ve got all the latest updates!

Design

It’s clear that Nissan have taken a leaf out of the popular Qashqai and Juke books, with the Pulsar’s bodywork full of sweeping curves, giving it an attractive, sporty look – sure to appeal to the image conscious. The signature Nissan V-shaped grille features prominently on the Pulsar, giving the front end an angular and mildly aggressive look. That’s not to say the Pulsar will win any awards for pretty looks – the Japanese firm have always been keen to strike the balance between conservative, practical and modern without alienating customers through wacky design. Nissan obviously want the Pulsar to mirror the massive success they have experienced with the larger Qashqai.

Safety Innovation

Nissan claim the Pulsar will deliver class-leading safety features, including Nissan’s patented Safety Shield package. This consists of innovative safety technologies, including blind spot warnings when changing lanes, radar collision detection, auto-braking and a reverse parking camera. A spokesperson for Nissan said that “the Pulsar’s introduction highlights Nissan’s ambition to deliver intelligent design and technical innovations to a wider audience”.

Interior

Interior space is where the Pulsar really surpasses its rivals. Despite being only marginally larger than the VW Golf, the Pulsar leads the class in terms of space and legroom, competing with the likes of larger saloons such as the Ford Mondeo. Its higher roof and large windows mean that the interior is likely to feel spacious, light and airy, with fantastic driver visibility all around.

Engine

The Pulsar will be launched in Autumn this year in the UK, initially being offered with two engine options, a 1.2L petrol and 1.5L diesel. Both engine options are currently offered in the larger Qashqai, with the 1.2L DiG turbo producing 113 bhp and the economical dCi diesel producing 108 bhp. Nissan have confirmed that further engine options will follow the Pulsars release, with a more powerful 1.6 turbo charged petrol option becoming available in 2015. The manufacturer has also hinted at a sporty Nismo version of the Pulsar, making the Nissan a potential competitor to the Golf GTI and Focus ST.

Although Nissan have not released any pricing information yet, the Pulsar is expected to cost around £16,000, competing with its rivals from Ford and Vauxhall. Although the Pulsar was designed and engineered at the firm’s UK offices, it will be manufactured at Nissan’s Barcelona factory due to production already being at full capacity in their Sunderland plant.

Fancy a new Nissan? Head over to our Nissan finance page to find out more about the great finance deals offered by the Car Loan Warehouse. For a quick and easy quote, try our car finance calculator – it’s as easy as letting us know how much you want to borrow and for how long.