The Japanese automaker started from scratch when it developed the 1995 Almera / Pulsar, which was the replacement for the Sunny lineup.
Nissan sold the new vehicle with different nameplates depending on the market and offered it in a few shapes. While in Europe the three- and five-door hatchbacks were highly appreciated, other customers targeted the sedan version, which was considered more serious than its siblings, even though it shared many parts with the rest of the Almera range.
At the front, the sedan showed a similar front fascia as the Primera P10 generation with horizontal headlights and a small grille between them that sported the Nissan logo on its upper side. The bumper featured an additional center grille crossed by a slat extended from side to side over the fake side air intakes. The car's profile revealed a sloped rear windscreen and a tall luggage compartment. Finally, at the back, the car sported a set of wide taillights that emerged from the quarter panels to the trunk lid.
Inside, the bland design continued with a simple, curved dashboard and a low-profiled instrument cluster that hosted two larger dials for the speedometer and tachometer, plus the gauges for the fuel level and the coolant temperature. On the center stack, Nissan placed the audio system above the climate control unit. In the back, the automaker installed a bench for three, although it was mostly roomy enough just for two occupants.
Under the hood, Nissan offered the Almera with a choice of four engines paired with a standard five-speed manual transmission. The 1.6-liter gasoline unit was also available with a four-speed automatic as an option.