This family car will get you (and your pets) all excited to travel again

Driving in Metro Manila during the Christmas holidays can be rough because of the traffic. The streets in the metro seem to have gotten busier (worse?) after the pandemic years and have made travel for a family complicated. Truth to tell, everyone just wants to have fun and be relaxed when on the road, pets included.

We need all the help we can get to make a drive fun and relaxing for all passengers by using a vehicle that satisfies everyone’s need for enough space and comfort, right? Of course it helps if the ride is cool-looking and stylish, too.

It was on Dec. 24 that I took my “family”—a rowdy bunch of nephews and nieces and one of my furkids, Boris, for a “tita” drive in the city. It was special as I had the all-new Nissan Livina as my vehicle. The best part? We all fit comfortably with space to spare for bags and some Christmas stuff, too.

Safety first

Before I began the drive I gave the Nissan Livina a once-over, as I wanted to be sure that we not only had a comfortable ride, but that we were safe as well.

As I hopped into the driver’s seat and took a look over my shoulder to the passenger seats behind I loved the space I saw—that meant that Boris could relax on his own as the kids shared stories on the ride. I did not fail to notice the upholstered leather seats that fit so well into the spacious interiors, not giving a tight feel and with plenty of room to spare. This is one of the features that sets the Livina apart as the new vehicle for growing families.

Nissan Intelligent Mobility safety features like Vehicle Dynamic Control and Hill Start Assist did not go unnoticed, as I put my foot on the pedal and changed parking spaces to get ready for the drive ahead.

I loved that is was so easy to maneuver the Livina into the tight parking spot outside my home. With the great parking brake sensors and anti-lock brake system—it was easy as one, two, three.

It was then that I knew driving this vehicle would be easy and fun.

I was impressed with the tech and convenience features like Reverse Camera, IsoFix and Push Start Stop button—making driving easy as one, two, three.

It being the Christmas season, I remembered my late dad and the Nissan cars that he drove—and if there is a feature that was a standout at the time, it was the exceptionally cool air-conditioning, which to this day remains a standout in the Nissan Livina.

Let the drive begin

I was ready as the kids started to file in. As we began the drive to “no destination in sight” other than a fun ride, my niece wanted to play music from her cellphone, as the tita music was nonexistent on board. Not one to panic, I pointed out to her that there was Bluetooth connectivity for Spotify. She connected, and, with a big smile, the music and chatter began.

The kids talked about how work had been over the last year and how much they had gotten used to the WFH setup that it had become difficult for them to start to go into the office, even if only for a few days a week—traffic and the high price of gas were the main culprits.

But they agreed that if they had a Nissan Livina, a carpool with officemates would be a good idea. Or they would not hesitate to share a ride with siblings and parentals—if the need to do so arose.

For a carpool one would really love the conveniently located charging ports because having a live battery (at all times) and staying connected are always musts.

Best buy for the buck

As we drove on SLEX, talk shifted to cars and how it can be quite difficult to save up for one. I pointed out to the kids (ages ranging from early 30s to the youngest being a toddler) that for a growing family, every centavo counts, so keeping an eye out for a vehicle that has features that are most important are what one should be on the lookout for when considering a purchase. I added it is always good to pick a car or van that can easily become part of their family’s daily needs, all while under one stylish exterior.

We had finally arrived at our fave coffee place it was time for break from driving. I parked the Livina in one of the tight spots available—with much ease.

The best lesson from that Christmas drive?

The Nissan Livina is a multi-purpose vehicle that’s most suitable for a young and growing family. It is really a worthy investment that will serve the family well for the driving years ahead—traffic be damned. Don’t forget the worry-free ownership with 5-Year Warranty (for the VL variant) and twice a year Preventive Maintenance Service.

Drive on.

Learn more about this exciting MPV at: nissan.ph/livina.

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Editor’s Note: BrandedUp is designed to provide you with insightful, inspiring and educational content created by PhilSTAR L!fe in collaboration with brands like Nissan Philippines.