Safety comparison: Toyota Corolla Quest vs. Nissan Almera

By Ané Theron

Much preferred as a fleet or Uber vehicle than a mode of personal transport, the Corolla Quest and Nissan Almera make up a large portion of these two Japanese automakers’ monthly sales figures. But which one is the safest?

Contender no. 1: Toyota Corolla Quest 1.6 Auto, R235 000

The Quest keeps selling in droves, not just because it’s a Toyota, but it sure helps. Toyotas have become synonymous with reliability and sound build quality, and the Quest in particular has a very inexpensive parts basket. But what about it’s most important feature: How safe it keeps its driver and passengers?

The Quest is equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS) and EBD (electronic brake-force distribution) as well as BA (brake assist), which assists the driver in braking harder in emergency situations.

It comes with two airbags and Isofix mountings on the rear seats.ahead. Having the larger engine of the two, acceleration is a little quicker too, but the Quest’s top speed is more or less the same as the Almera’s below. The Quest also gets Bluetooth for hands-free telephone calls, as well as a CD player, USB port and auxiliary input, but there are no switches on the steering wheel for better ergonomics while one drives.

Contender no. 2: Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta Auto, R235 500

The Almera is nothing to look at. Not that the Quest is especially fetching, but the Almera looks like it was designed by someone who should rather work in the accounting department. However, it does offer a few features that trumps the Quest, so let’s not knock it before we’ve compared its safety features properly. It also scored well in the most recent Kinsey report for being cheap to run, repair, and to service.

The Almera also has ABS, EBD and BA, 2 airbags, Isofix anchorage points and Bluetooth (as well as the above-mentioned USB/AUX port and CD player), but these functions can be controlled by using the satellite controls on the steering wheel. Just like the Quest, it has a third-level brake light to alert road users behind you if you stop suddenly. It has rear fog lamps too, which are absent in the Quest, as well as rear-park distance control (PDC) which alerts you if you’re about to collide with something (or someone) behind the car. The Almera also offers follow-me-home headlamps that stay lit even as you’ve gotten out of your car.

While the Almera only has 73 kW vs the Quest’s 90 kW, Nissan’s figure for fuel economy is still higher, but we all know that this isn’t based on real-world driving and should be taken with a healthy pinch of salt.

Verdict

Not only does the Almera beat the Quest where size, safety features and convenience features are concerned, it also wins the warranty/service plan race. While the Quest’s warranty is for 3 years/100 000km, the Almera’s is for 6 years/150 000km. The Almera also gets a 3-year/90 000 km service plan vs. the Quest’s 3 services up until 45 000 km. The Almera’s roadside assistance is for 3 years, while the Quest doesn’t come with any.