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Say hello to the new Nissan Sylphy, which is now open for booking ahead of an official launch later this month. Those who follow Nissan Malaysia's Facebook page might not be surprised, and if you're a paultan.org reader, you should be pretty familiar with the B17 Sylphy.

The Sylphy story started in Malaysia back in June 2008, when the G11 was launched into a class occupied by the Toyota Corolla Altis and Honda Civic. Nissan's take on the C-segment was a unique one, and the Sylphy became known for its outstanding comfort and refinement. Not the most flashy car in town, but the Sylphy stood out as a silky smooth, soothing family car.

The G11, known as the Bluebird Sylphy in its home market, wasn't designed as a global car and had a JDM quirky feel about it. But this car is made for the world. The B17 is called Pulsar in Australia, Sentra in America/Middle East and Sylphy in Japan (Bluebird tag dropped), China and ASEAN. Malaysian Sylphys are imported CBU from Thailand, which also ships the car Down Under.

The new Sylphy looks so different from its predecessor that we wouldn't have guessed the lineage. But will it carry over the unique qualities of the G11, or are we looking at a different animal altogether? This exclusive pre-launch test drive report will answer that question, as well as provide you a fresh perspective from a Sylphy virgin, plus an idea of where the new entrant stands in a class full of talent.

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