Naples Nissan previews the new subcompact hatchback Sway Concept

Apr 21, 2015

Nissan Sway Concept

It’s rare that a subcompact hatchback makes an impact at a major international motor show. It’s even more rare, when that subcompact comes from a non-exotic or non-luxury maker. At the Geneva Motor Show, though, Nissan became one of those rarities with the Sway Concept. It’s a concept that drew many looks, and has received much in the way of accolades from show-goers and critics alike. From the rear suicide doors, to the deep ridges of the sheet metal, to large wheels, it’s a design that has excited the car world.

Bold Design

Nissan has become a major proponent of edgy design in recent years, as evidenced by the GT-R, Juke, and Cube. All of these have worked outside the box of traditional design or current trends, and have made an impact. Indeed, you’ll see plenty of these travelling the roads of Estero or Fort Myers, and they are certain to stand out.

The Sway takes non-traditional design language much further than ever before, and it looks great. Some of the design language will be seen on the roads of Cape Coral in the near future, in the form of the 2016 Murano and 2016 Maxima . This includes features like the boomerang tail lamps, V-motion grille, and the floating roof design. Most notable is the sculpting of the body, with the Sway featuring swooping lines that are not seen in any compact hatchback on the market.

Inside the Sway Concept, there is a mix of old tricks and new innovations. Some of the layout recalls the 2013 IDx Concept, which featured a back-to-the-basics interior with retro flavor. It’s set off by the use of technology to simplify the interior – much of the instrumentation is displayed on a tablet-like screen that is imbedded in the dash. It can be accessed by both the driver and the passenger.

Nissan Sway Concept Rear View

It also makes use of colors and materials to shake up the design. The interior uses aluminum in the structure of the seats, exposed in their construction, but partially covered in suede-like fabric. The roof, meanwhile, is almost completely glass, with added rigidity provided by a metal X-like structure. This allows the passengers a great view of the outside world, not to mention it allows outsiders a great view of the comforts inside. These materials are accented by the Sway’s use of colors to draw the eye. Orange and dark blue make for sophisticated highlights to the “bluish dawn gray” exterior color.

Promise for the Future

The Sway isn’t necessarily meant as a preview of a future model, but more as a study in design. However, Nissan has been known to change direction quickly in the past, and the excitement being caused by the Sway might just sway their opinion, pardon the pun. That being said, the Versa Note is likely to get a redesign in the near future, with talk of it being spun off from the Versa platform into its own model. If that should happen, it is likely that some of the design will be cribbed from the Sway concept.

Should the Sway make its way to the showroom floors, you can bet that we here at Naples Nissan will be one of the first dealers in the Bonita Springs area to have one for you to test drive. We absolutely love the direction Nissan has taken with this concept, and even if we don’t see a production model, we anticipate seeing many of the elements on future Nissan vehicles. While this vehicle may be years away from production, you can see the vehicles that will benefit from this exercise in design, and make them part of your life.