The Nissan Aprio was a Mexican-market version of the Dacia Logan, and the Nissan Platina a version of the Renault Symbol. Both existed because Renault and Nissan shared a dealer network and platforms after the alliance of 1999, letting Nissan sell small saloons it did not build itself.
Nissan Aprio at a glance
| Aprio basis | Dacia Logan (L90, first generation) |
|---|---|
| Platina basis | Renault Symbol (based on the Dacia Logan) |
| Parent model | Dacia Logan, produced since mid-2004 |
| Platform | Dacia B0 |
| Bodies of the Logan | saloon, station wagon, pick-up |
| Aprio market | Mexico |
| Other Logan badges | Renault Logan, Nissan NP200, Mahindra Verito, Lada Largus |
| Successor of | Dacia 1310 and Dacia Solenza |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Dacia Logan, which mentions the Nissan Aprio and NP200 but not the Platina in detail.
History of the Nissan Aprio
The Logan behind them
The Dacia Logan has been produced by Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia since mid-2004, succeeding the Dacia 1310 and Solenza. It was designed at Renault’s Technocentre near Paris as the result of four years of work on the X90 project, announced by Renault in 1999 after it bought Dacia the same year. The aim was an affordable car: the cheapest version cost €5,900, and the design kept costs down with about 50 percent fewer parts than a high-end Renault and few electronic devices.
Simple engineering
Rear-view mirrors are symmetrical and fit either side, the windscreen is flatter than usual and the dashboard is a single injection-moulded piece. Suspension is soft and strong and the chassis sits visibly higher than most compact cars to cope with dirt roads and potholes. The engine was prepared for lower-quality fuel and the air conditioning for temperatures above 40°C, both common in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Nissan badges
The Logan was also sold as the Renault Logan, Nissan Aprio, Mahindra Verito, Renault L90, Lada Largus, Renault Taliant and Renault Tondar 90, depending on where the Renault brand was already strong. The pick-up version became the Nissan NP200 and was built at Nissan’s Rosslyn plant in South Africa. By 2018 the Logan family was estimated to have passed four million sales worldwide.
Design and features
- Affordable design: about half the parts of a high-end Renault and almost no electronics.
- Raised chassis: soft, strong suspension for rough roads.
- Shared platform: the Dacia B0, used by other Renault and Nissan models.
- Wide badge family: the same car was sold under eight names.
Nissan Aprio versions
- Nissan Aprio (Mexico): the Logan saloon with Nissan badges.
- Nissan Platina: the Renault Symbol with Nissan badges.
- Nissan NP200: the Logan pick-up, built at Rosslyn in South Africa.
- Dacia Logan (2004–): the original saloon, wagon and pick-up.
The Aprio and Platina were bought mainly in the same markets as the small Nissan saloons, while the pick-up version overlaps with the NP200 and Navara. More cars are in the Nissan collection.
Video: Nissan Aprio Commercial
Video by YouTube on YouTube.
Sources
- Dacia Logan, English Wikipedia: design, platform, badge versions, prices
