2023 Nissan Livina VE Review | Philkotse Philippines

If you check our review section on our website, you will notice that the most recent ones cover multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs). The probable reason for that is the increasing number of MPVs locally, with the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) reporting a 58 percent sales increase in the said market last year.

2023 Nissan Livina VE

As a company aiming to finish higher in the overall industry sales ranking, Nissan Philippines, Inc. (NPI) doesn’t want to miss out by introducing the Livina last September 2022. The Japanese automaker is looking to have an even more outstanding year after finishing fourth in 2022, selling 21,222 units.

Joining the battle royale with four variants, does the Nissan Livina has what it takes to garner a significant amount of market share in the growing MPV demand? Particularly this mid-spec VE variant despite lacking top-spec VL-exclusive features? Read on to find out.

The Nissan Livina is based on the Mitsubishi Xpander courtesy of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, hence the similarities of the two MPVs design-wise. I expected the Livina to look outdated considering it is built upon the pre-facelifted Xpander but the vehicle surprised me seeing it in person for the first time.

16-inch alloys

To make the Nissan MPV look distinct, the automaker added its signatures on the exterior. These include the V-Motion grille, boomerang daytime running lights (DRLs), and combination taillights with signature LEDs. All of which are standard across the board.

After some time with the vehicle, I started to prefer it over the Mitsubishi Xpander when it comes to styling. One of the design cues that won me over is the protruding headlamp housing with sharp and 3D-looking corners. If you are a fan of LED headlamps, you, unfortunately, won’t get it on the Livina. It has halogens even on the top-spec VL trim.

The exterior gets Nissan's signature styling cues

You can skip the flagship Livina if you want sleek-looking wheels as both the VE and VL get a set of 16-inch machine-finished alloy wheels anyway. The design doesn’t look too showy, which I like for vehicles marketed to be as affordable as possible.

It's quite difficult to claim that the Livina can stand out in the design competition, especially now that Hyundai has a new and stylish MPV called the Stargazer. But what I appreciate is the design team’s work to make the Livina a looker even if you don’t opt for the top-spec VL. In turn, the vehicle doesn’t look compromised even with the VE package.

While I fancy the Nissan Livina more than the Mitsubishi Xpander exterior-wise, I don’t hold the same sentiments about the interior. The cabin does look premium at first sight. But when you get a hold of the materials used, I barely spotted soft touch points.

Interior of the Nissan Livina

Another concern I have is the handbrake, which is placed on the far side of the center console, with the two bottle holders closer to me. When my front passenger put her large AquaFlask on the bottle holder, it got in the way when shifting the gear lever. The reason for the layout is that the Livina is sourced from Indonesia where they have right-hand drive cars.

But apart from those, I think that the cabin is pretty decent. The soft-sounding door thud and white hazard light button are two of the small details I appreciate inside. I commend the looks of the VE as well, which have a combination of faux wood, brown accents, and chrome trimmings.

The Livina is a 7-seater MPV

Despite not having the VL’s black leather seats, I enjoyed the VE’s comfortable fabric seats. You can get an idea about the Livina’s interior space if you have been in a Mitsubishi Xpander before. Passengers seating in the first and second-row seats shouldn’t have much of a legroom issue. But we don’t suggest adults sitting in the third row on long road trips.

The VE and VL benefit from a 6-way manual adjustable driver seat, which is good if you don’t want to pay top-spec money. A 4-way manual adjustable front passenger seat comes standard across the range, as well as a 60:40-split second-row seat with a center armrest and a 50:50-split third-row seat.

Integrated into the center console is a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen for the VE and VL variants. No Apple CarPlay and Android Auto though, which is quite a letdown since its segment rivals such as the Xpander and the Stargazer come with the said feature. So for your audio streaming needs, use Bluetooth.

7-inch head unit

I didn’t have an issue using the infotainment system as it was quite responsive. But the lack of tactile buttons made it difficult for me quickly navigate the system. You do get massive rotary knobs for your climate control, allowing me to adjust the fan speed without taking my eyes off the road too much. The infotainment touchscreen's interface or icons look outdated though.

For the next update, I wish NPI adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the equipment list. The two connectivity systems are becoming essential these days as most people have smartphones. Another feature I would love to see is the Nissan Advanced Touchscreen you will find in the Kicks and Almera. It is one of my favorite infotainment systems among mass-market cars due to its easy-to-use interface.

The Livina maximizes practicality

When it comes to the safety department, the Nissan Livina is pretty much at par with other MPVs. No need to opt for the VL to get all available safety features, namely two SRS front airbags, a reverse camera, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), and Traction Control System (TCS).

But with the Hyundai Stargazer offering Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) features such as Blind Spot Monitor and Lane Keep Assist, the Livina might need to step up if it wants to stand out safety-wise. It doesn’t even come with cruise control either, which I was missing during my time with the vehicle.

Under the hood, the Nissan Livina is powered by a 1.5-liter DOHC gasoline engine capable of generating 104 horsepower and 141 Nm of torque. As for the model I drove, it uses a 4-speed automatic gearbox.

1.5-liter gas engine

Driving the Japanese MPV was a joy. The transmission felt like it understood what I want to do next, downshifting and upshifting in an ideal manner. 104 horsepower might not sound much but it got the job done for me even with seven people seated in the cabin.

The NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) was another driving aspect that impressed me in the Livina. Body rolls were barely felt even when changing lanes on the expressway, while the ride comfort, along with the comfortable seats, was as good as it gets. For a compact MPV, I didn’t expect those characteristics but it was fun to experience.

Nissan's MPV uses ventilated discs for the front and drum brakes for the rear

Perhaps the only part of the drive that caught my attention was the steering. Not to say that it was bad but steering the vehicle wasn’t as responsive to my inputs as I thought it would be. To be fair, MPVs are lengthy to prioritize space, hence this type of vehicle isn’t the most agile out there.

But overall, driving is one of the strongest points of the Livina for me. I don’t mind using it on a daily as it gave me a car-like driving experience. If I get to own a Livina someday, I’m sure I’ll work my way around the lack of steering feel after a week or two.

The Nissan Livina managed to return 8.1 km/l after driving it for three days in the city at an average speed of 20 km/h. On most days, I have passengers with me so I believe that the said fuel efficiency rating can be further improved. Regardless, I think that is already good enough for a 7-seater vehicle.

Mono-tone LCD

As for the highway fuel eco test run, I recorded 18.9 km/l while driving at an average speed of 80 km/h. Although I don’t use cruise control in testing a car’s fuel efficiency, I believe I would’ve gotten a slightly better number if this feature is added in the Livina as I tend to be heavy-footed on highways.

In comparison to one of the Livina’s main rivals, the Stargazer, the Korean MPV returned 9.5 km/l in the city, and 20 km/l on the highway in our fuel eco test runs. The Hyundai Stargazer got the better end in both city and highway tests.

After a week of testing the Nissan Livina VE, I can say that it can go head-to-head with its competitors. By skipping the VL, you only miss black-themed accents, an intelligent key system, push-start button, and leather seats. More importantly, you save Php 60,000 as the Livina VE retails at Php 1,149,000.

One sleek-looking MPV

Sure, the MPV market is tightly contested more than ever as various automakers have brought in new entries. But even for the mid-spec Livina, it already has a lot of advantages that don’t show up on paper, namely the appealing exterior design, comfortable seats, and well-rounded driving characteristics.

I can vouch that the Nissan Livina can competitively go up against its rivals given I’ve already driven the MPV. But I think without the inclusion of certain features such as cruise control, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, the battle for the automaker becomes inevitably more challenging.

NPI is offering the 2023 Nissan Livina with a price that ranges from Php 1,029,000 for the E and goes up to Php 1,209,000 for the VL.