Rent Nissan Sunny 2020 in Dubai

A 41-litre tank that goes most of a week on city driving is the quiet reason the Nissan Sunny 2020 keeps booking out, and we rent it across Dubai from age 18 when most desks make you wait until 21. This is the older, cheaper Sunny on our lot, and it's the one we hand to renters who want their money going on the trip rather than the fuel gauge. The argument for it is plain: it's a roomy compact sedan that sips petrol, carries real luggage, and asks almost nothing of you for a week of commuting and airport runs. What it won't do is feel quick or plush, and we'll be straight about that below.

What this Sunny is for

Think of it as transport, not entertainment. The 2020 Sunny runs a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol with a CVT automatic, sending 118 hp to the front wheels. That's enough to keep up with Dubai traffic and merge onto Sheikh Zayed Road without drama, as long as you don't expect it to surge when you bury the throttle. The CVT is tuned for smoothness and economy, so it pulls away gently and settles into a relaxed cruise. For the school run, the office commute, and a couple of DXB pickups a week, it does exactly what you need and nothing you'll pay extra for.

Fuel, and how rarely you'll stop

This is where the 2020 car earns its keep. Nissan quotes economy around 17 to 19 km/L, and in mixed Dubai driving you'll land in that range, a little worse if you sit in Marina crawl with the AC flat out. Off a 41-litre tank that works out to a real-world range of roughly 630 to 770 km. In practice, a tank covers most of a week of normal city running before you think about a station. Light highway use stretches it further. For a renter watching the total cost of the week, that's the headline number, and it's the main reason to take the older Sunny over a thirstier car in the same price bracket.

Spec at a glance

Will your people and bags fit

The Sunny's trump card has always been the back seat. At nearly 4.5 metres long it gives three adults usable knee room behind, which is more than most cars at this rate manage. The boot is deep and square, so two large cases plus a couple of soft bags load without a fight. Land at the airport with two people and a week's luggage and it swallows the lot. Pack four adults with full-size suitcases each and you'll be playing Tetris, but for the typical rental, a couple or a small family, space is genuinely the strong point here.

Keeping the cabin cool

Dubai summers settle in the high 40s, and a car parked in that sun turns into an oven. The Sunny's AC is a simple but strong front-blower setup, and the cabin is small enough that it cools quickly once you're rolling. There are no rear vents, so back-seat passengers wait a touch longer for the cold air to reach them. With kids in the back on a July afternoon, give it a minute with the doors shut before you load up. For two up front it's comfortable fast, and that's most of how this car gets used.

Parking, bumps and the roads

Light, narrow and easy to see out of, the Sunny is a soft touch in tight Dubai car parks. Marina ramps, multi-storey bays and the usual run of U-turns are all simple, and the 161 to 165 mm of clearance clears speed bumps and mall entrances without scraping. On the open road it's fine up to about 100, then the engine starts working harder and wind noise creeps in. It's a city and commuter car that copes with the highway, not a highway car. Salik tolls and any RTA fines during the rental are charged to you, and a child seat is required for under-fours, which we can fit on request.

Who should rent it, and who shouldn't

Rent the 2020 Sunny if your priority is a low fuel bill and a roomy, no-fuss sedan for a week of city driving and airport runs, especially if you're under 21 and most desks have turned you away. It's the sensible-money pick that still carries real luggage. Skip it if you want a quick or refined drive, or if you regularly load four adults with full cases, where a larger sedan makes more sense. And if cabin tech and a newer feel matter to you, the later Sunny is worth the small step up, but you'll be paying for the badge of the year, not for a better car underneath.