Nissan Livina vs. the competition

Most people, even those with at least a passing knowledge of automobiles, are thoroughly aware that multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) are a hot commodity in Asian countries like the Philippines. 

Filipinos, after all, enjoy close ties to their families, and this is reflected in the choice of vehicles we drive. Just take a gander at mall parking lots or school drop-off zones, and one will spot a handful of seven-seater three-row MPVs. 

Many locally available brands are aware of this, and as such, many have sought to include a seven-seater MPV in their portfolios. The aforementioned, of course, includes Nissan Philippines, which introduced the current iteration of the Livina back in 2022. 

With a price range of P1.94 million to P1.274 million, the Nissan MPV nameplate has a lot to offer its prospective adopters. But what are the alternatives to the Nissan Livina? But first, let’s have a short rundown of its features and specs. 

Nissan Livina

On the outside, the top-spec Nissan Livina VL comes with a modern design complemented by a decent amount of features. It has LED lighting fixtures, power-folding side mirrors, and a set of 16-inch alloy wheels. 

Size-wise, the MPV model is 4,510 millimeters (mm) long, 1,750 mm wide, and 1,700 mm in height. It also has a wheelbase spanning 2,775 mm. 

The interior of the VL trim, meanwhile, was equipped with leather-upholstered seats, a 60:40 split-folding second row, a 50:50 split-folding third row, manual air conditioning with rear vents, USB ports, and a 12-volt accessory outlet. 

On-board entertainment for the Nissan MPV is provided by a nine-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

Other amenities available to the Nissan Livina include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Keyless entry
• Six-piece speaker set
• Push-to-start button
• Leather steering wheel
• Tilt and telescopic steering column
• Analog meter cluster with Color LCD 
• Manual parking brake

Safety for the Nissan Livina is handled by anti-lock braking, a reverse camera, dual front airbags, ISOFIX, traction control, vehicle dynamic control, and parking sensors - among others. 

For its engine, the Nissan Livina uses a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine capable of producing up to 103 horsepower (hp) and 141 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque. 

Here’s a table listing the basic mechanical specifications of the Nissan Livina: 

Engine	1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline
Drivetrain	Front-wheel-drive (FWD)
Transmission	Four-speed automatic
Horsepower	103
Torque	141 Nm
Front suspension	MacPherson strut
Rear suspension	Torsion beam
Brakes	Front disc, rear drum

Mitsubishi Xpander

One of the biggest rivals of the Nissan Livina in the Philippine market is the Mitsubishi Xpander. Currently, it has a price ranging from P1.068 million-P1.216 million. 

In contrast to the more conservative look of the Nissan Livina, the Xpander wears a more modern-looking front fascia fitted with the Japanese car maker’s signature “Dynamic Shield” grille. 

For its exterior amenities, its top-spec GLS trim comes standard with LED lighting, power-folding side mirrors, and a set of 17-inch wheels. 

The dimensions of the Mitsubishi-made MPV are set at 4,595 mm long, 1,750 mm wide, and 1,750 mm in height. It also has a wheelbase length of 2,775 mm. 

The cabin of the seven-seater Mitsubishi MPV, meanwhile, boasts fabric-clad seats with a 60:40 split-folding second row and a 50:50 split-folding third row. It also has a manual climate control system with rear vents, a 12-volt accessory outlet, Type-A and Type-C USB ports, and a six-piece speaker system. 

Positioned in the middle of the Xpander’s dashboard is a nine-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The model’s driver-centric array of equipment, meanwhile, includes the following: 

• Push-to-start button
• Electronic parking brake
• High contrast meter display
• Leather steering wheel
• Tilt and telescopic steering column
• Keyless entry

Safety-wise, the Mitsubishi MPV primarily comes with the same kit as the Nissan Livina. Unique to the Xpander, however, is an active yaw control system that enhances stability and handling during cornering. 

For its engine, the Mitsubishi Xpander gets a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline mill with the same maximum outputs as the Nissan Livina. It is also available with a four-speed automatic transmission for its higher-end trims. 

Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid

Yet another MPV model competing against the Nissan Livina is the Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid. In the Philippines, Suzuki’s seven-seater is offered at a price ranging from P954,000-P1.178 million. 

Per its name, the Ertiga Hybrid is one of the few electrified nameplates within its price range. Mind you, it is not a full hybrid, but rather it combines a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. Altogether, the Suzuki MPV’s powertrain can generate up to 103 hp and 138 Nm of torque. Power is sent to its front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission. 

Here’s a table detailing the basic mechanical specs of the Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid: 

Engine	1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline
Hybrid system	Electric motor, lithium-ion battery
Drivetrain	FWD
Transmission	Four-speed automatic
Horsepower	103
Torque	138 Nm
Front suspension	MacPherson strut
Rear suspension	Torsion beam
Brakes	Front disc, rear drum

Size-wise, the Suzuki MPV is 4,395 mm long, 1,735 mm wide, and 1,690 mm in height. Its wheelbase spans 2,740 mm.

Exterior equipment available to the Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid includes a set of 15-inch alloy wheels, halogen headlamps, LED taillights, and front fog lamps. Its seven-seater cabin, meanwhile, gets a 60:40 split-folding second row, 50:50 split-folding third row, four speakers, fabric upholstery, automatic air conditioning, and a 12-volt outlet. 

For on-board entertainment, the aforementioned MPV was kitted out with a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Its driver, meanwhile, has access to an analog gauge cluster with an LCD display. 

Other driving amenities fitted to the Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid include: 

• Urethane steering wheel
• Manual parking brake
• Cruise control
• Tilt-adjust steering column.

Handling occupant safety for the Suzuki-made MPV includes dual front airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, anti-lock braking, hill-hold control, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, and an electronic stability program. 

Toyota Avanza

Likewise rivalling the Nissan Livina is the Toyota Avanza, which currently has a price ranging from P844,000-P1.071 million. 

On the outside, the Toyota MPV sports a contemporary design complemented by features such as 16-inch wheels, power-folding side mirrors, LED lighting fixtures, as well as front and rear windshield wipers.

When it comes to dimensions, the Toyota Avanza measures 4,395 mm in length, 1,730 mm in width, and 1,700 mm in height. Its wheelbase also spans 2,750 mm. 

Inside, the model provides its occupants with amenities such as fabric upholstered seats, 60:40 split-folding second row, 50:50 third row, manual air conditioning with rear vents, USB ports, and a 12-volt accessory outlet - among others. 

For the driver, meanwhile, the Toyota Avanza has the following features:

• Tilt and telescopic steering column
• 4.2-inch TFT multi-information display
• Manual parking brake
• Urethane steering wheel
• Push-to-start button

Positioned at the center of its dashboard is an eight-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The said screen is linked to a four-piece speaker set. 

Safety-wise, the Avanza’s top-spec G trim comes fitted with dual front airbags, side airbags, curtain shield airbags, anti-lock braking, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist, a reverse camera, rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear-cross traffic alert. 

Propelling the top-spec Avanza is a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine with a maximum output of 104 hp and 138 Nm of torque. Power is sent to its front wheels with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). 

Check out this table for the basic specs of the Toyota Avanza G: 

Engine	1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline
Drivetrain	FWD
Transmission	CVT
Horsepower	104
Torque	138 Nm
Front suspension	MacPherson strut
Rear suspension	Torsion beam
Brakes	Front disc, rear drum

Honda BR-V

Another alternative to the Nissan Livina is the Honda BR-V, which is available locally with a price ranging from P1.155 million-P1.395 million. 

On the outside, the BR-V showcases an elegant take on the MPV body design. Its top-of-the-line VX trim also comes with full LED lighting elements, power-folding side mirrors, roof rails, and a set of 17-inch wheels. 

For its dimensions, the Honda BR-V measures 4,490 mm in length, 1,780 mm in width, and 1,685 mm in height. Additionally, its wheelbase measures 2,700 mm. 

Inside the Honda-made seven-seater is a well-arranged cockpit equipped with the following driving amenities: 

• Leather steering wheel
• Tilt-adjustable steering column
• Keyless entry
• 4.2-inch TFT meter
• Front center armrests
• Manual parking brake
• Push-to-start button

Everyone inside the model is kept cool by an automatic air-conditioning system. It also features leather upholstery, a 60:40 split-folding second-row seating arrangement, a 50:50 split-folding third-row seating, a 12-volt accessory outlet, rear seat armrests, and a total of six speakers. 

Its infotainment system, meanwhile, is a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The Honda BR-V comes with a basic safety kit consisting of components similar to those of its rivals listed above. Its top-spec VX trim, however, gets a suite of advanced driver-assist systems, which include: 

• Adaptive cruise control
• Collision mitigation braking
• Lane keep assist
• Road departure mitigation
• Lane departure warning
• Automatic high beams
• Lead car departure notification

Under the hood of the Honda BR-V is a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine paired with a CVT. At maximum, it can generate up to 119 hp and 145 Nm of torque. 

Here’s a table detailing the basic specs of the Honda BR-V: 

Engine	1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline
Drivetrain	FWD
Transmission	CVT
Horsepower	119
Torque	145 Nm
Front suspension	MacPherson strut
Rear suspension	Torsion beam
Brakes	Front disc, rear drum

Final thoughts

To sum it up, the Nissan Livina’s features and specifications can keep up with most of its rivals in the Philippine market. Its two stand-out alternatives, however, are the Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid, with its electrified powertrain, and the Honda BR-V, with its ADAS suite.

For a more thorough method of determining the right MPV for you and your family, however, taking all of the rides mentioned above out for a test drive is the right way to do it. Sure, reading specs on the internet is a good start, but having real seat time with each potential option will ultimately lead to a better car-buying experience. 

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