Nissan Sunny weak points: what to check when buying used
Short answerOn a used Sunny the gearbox matters most: the CVT should move off without judder, whine or surging revs, and you should ask when its fluid was last changed. Then listen for a timing chain rattle at a cold start, check the oil use, and check that the air conditioning and the cooling cope with the heat. Many Sunnys were rental cars or taxis, so compare the wear with the odometer.
Which Sunny you are looking at
In the Gulf and many other markets the Sunny is Nissan’s small sedan: the N17 (2011–2019) and the current generation that followed it, related to the Versa sold in the Americas. The same car is called Versa, Almera or Latio in other countries. Most have a 1.5 (HR15DE) or a 1.6 (HR16DE) petrol engine with a timing chain, and most have a CVT automatic. In Russia the Almera of 2012–2018 is a different car, built on the Renault Logan with a Renault 1.6 engine that has a timing belt.
CVT: what to check
- Move off gently from a stop several times. Judder or a shudder at low speed, a whine that rises with speed and revs that climb without the car speeding up are signs of a worn CVT.
- On a motorway, accelerate firmly: the revs should rise and the car should follow without slipping. Watch for a gearbox warning light or a limp mode.
- Ask when the CVT fluid was last changed. Many owners never change it, and old fluid shortens the life of the gearbox. A car with a long life and no fluid change is a risk.
- A CVT repair or replacement is expensive on a cheap car: a bad gearbox can be worth walking away from.
Engine, cooling and air conditioning
- Timing chain: on high-mileage engines a rattle for a few seconds after a cold start can be a stretched chain. See Cold start: what to listen for and look at.
- Oil use: check the dipstick and ask how much oil the car takes between services.
- Ignition coils: a shaking idle or a flashing check-engine light is often a worn coil.
- Heat: on a car that lives in hot traffic, check that the temperature gauge stays in the middle, that the radiator fan comes on and that the air conditioning blows cold within a minute.
- Russian Almera (Renault 1.6): ask when the timing belt was replaced; a broken belt damages the engine.
Rental, taxi and accident history
- Rental and taxi use: a worn driver’s seat, steering wheel and pedals, a tired rear seat, holes in the roof or the dashboard and rental stickers do not match a low odometer reading.
- Accident repairs: check the paint thickness and the panel gaps; see How to check a car’s paint and accident damage.
- Suspension: knocks over bumps and uneven tyre wear show a hard life.
- Floods: small sedans are often resold after a flood; see How to tell if a car has been in a flood.
Before you pay
Ask a Nissan dealer by VIN about open recalls and the service history. Do the whole inspection from How to check a used car before you buy it and a drive of at least 20 minutes from the used car test drive checklist: a CVT shows its problems when warm. If you buy in the UAE, read Buying a used car in the UAE too.
Quick questions
Is the Sunny CVT reliable?
It usually lasts when its fluid is changed and the car is not driven hard. A CVT that judders or whines on the test drive needs a specialist check before you buy.
Is a former rental Sunny a bad buy?
Not always: rental cars are often serviced on time. Check the service records, the wear and the accident repairs, and pay a price that matches the real mileage.
How long should the test drive be?
At least 20 minutes, with city traffic and a faster road, so that the gearbox gets warm.
The weak spots of your exact car
CarCheckup looks up the known weak spots of the make, model, year and engine you enter and adds them to the checklist as extra steps.
Join the pilotMore guides
- Mitsubishi Pajero weak points: what to check when buying usedWhat to check on a used Mitsubishi Pajero or Montero: the V6 timing belt, 3.2 diesel injectors, EGR and chain, the automatic, Super Select 4WD and rust.Read the guide →
- Lada Vesta weak points: what to check when buying usedWhat to check on a used Lada Vesta: which 1.6 engine it has, the timing belt, oil use on the 1.8, the robotised gearbox and the CVT, rust and interior rattles.Read the guide →
- Volkswagen Polo weak points: what to check when buying usedWhat to check on a used VW Polo or Polo Sedan: timing chain on the 1.6 MPI and TSI, oil use and coolant leaks, the seven-speed DSG and taxi wear.Read the guide →
- How to check a used car before you buy itA step-by-step way to check a used car before you pay: papers and VIN, body, interior, engine from cold, test drive. Works in any country.Read the guide →
- How to tell if a car has been in a floodHow to spot a flood-damaged used car: silt, rust and damp under the carpets, a musty smell, water lines in the lights and electrics that misbehave.Read the guide →
- How to check a car’s paint and accident damageHow to spot a repainted or crashed used car: panel gaps, colour and texture, overspray, hinge bolts and a paint thickness gauge, with the numbers to expect.Read the guide →