Pulsar name a huge asset, admits Nissan

A new-generation Nissan Pulsar has launched this week, seven years after it was replaced by the Tiida that proved to be a far less popular model.

Nissan Australia sold 17,643 Pulsars in the car’s last full year on sale, 2005, while Tiida sales managed never exceeded 14,000 and shrank over the years to just 3059 in 2012.

“We’re really pleased to bring back the Pulsar name,” said Nissan Australia managing director and CEO Bill Peffer. “The affinity for the name in the Australian market is unique to this market.

“[Our research revealed] there was a 71 per cent recognition [for the Pulsar] six years after the car left… There is no negativity associated with the name.”

The Tiida (pictured above) registered a 56 per cent recognition result despite being on sale locally for seven years.

The 2006 name change was a consequence of a Nissan move to give its small car a consistent global badge.

Toyota Australia, however, was more successful arguing against a similar change for its small car, the Corolla.

A few years ago, a number of markets – including the UK - switched from Corolla to Auris, but the change was opposed here.

Click to read CarAdvice's review of the new Nissan Pulsar sedan.