The word of the decade is ‘global.’ As in global platforms shared throughout the world. To this end, Nissan has launched the Livina Geniss at the Beijing Motor Show and sales are expected to begin next month in the Chinese market.
The all-new people mover is the first Nissan that will be released in China before it hits the shores of other countries and overall, it’s a worthy contender in the MPV market. The Livina Geniss gets seven seats, a healthy dose of functionality and luxury, all while being powered by a 1.7-liter in-line four.
The design is of the overtly inoffensive variety taking plenty of cues from other Nissan products.
It’s doubtful that we’ll be seeing the L.G. here in the States, but its platform will certainly underpin a cadre of U.S.-bound vehicles.
Recapping what we know, the Livina Geniss is a seven-seat wagon/MPV that'll be be nicely outfitted inside as Nissan blends luxury with practicality. The car's design is pretty inoffensive -- not surprising given that this is, above all else, a family car.
Visually, the front end generates some interest with its oversized headlights and prominent grille, while the chunky front bumper is broken up by a large lower intake opening and nicely-integrated round foglights. A pair of ridges on the hood accent what would otherwise be a pretty vanilla-looking surface.
Power comes from Nissan's new MR18DE 1.8L four cylinder, and it will be built at the Dongfeng Motor Co.'s (DFL) Huadu plant in Guangdong Province.