Having showcased the Infiniti Q60 and the 370Z Nismo Roadster concepts at the Detroit->ke222 and Chicago->ke225 auto shows, respectively, Nissan->ke62 joined the 2015 Geneva Motor Show with yet another study hinting at a future product. Named the Sway, the brand’s newest concept car is aimed at the compact->ke140 (B-segment) hatchback->ke304 market, one of Europe's most crowded. Nissan says it benefits from the same "innovative design and product planning" that gave birth to the Qashqai->ke1889 and Juke,->ke3600 but the vehicle is far too futuristic compared to the company's successful crossovers.->ke288

Should the Sway spawn a production hatchback in the next few years, the result will slot between the tiny Micra->ke1172 and the Pulsar. With the Pulsar reinvented to take on the popular Volkswagen Golf->ke164 and Ford Focus,->ke440 the Sway might just be a European competitor for the Polo->ke322 and the Fiesta.->ke1170 Let's have a look at what is arguably the most exciting hatchback concept car->ke169 in years.

Updated 03/03/2015: Nissan unveiled the new Sway Concept at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show - offering us a first glimpse at the company's new hatchback.

Continue reading to find out more about the 2015 Nissan Sway Concept.

2015 Nissan Sway Concept

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 Nissan Sway Concept
Pros
Cons

Update History

Updated 02/27/2015: Nissan dropped a new teaser video for the upcoming Sway concept car which will be unveiled tomorrow.

Exterior

"Innovative design and product planning gave birth to the Qashqai and Juke, two of the biggest automotive success stories in recent years. Now the company has applied the same radical thinking to one of the most important sectors of the market: the compact hatchback." This is how Nissan describes the Sway, arguably the most striking concept to preview a small hatch.

Yes, I called a Nissan striking and it's not the GT-R. Before you say anything, notice the swooping lines, the prominent grille, the massive intakes, and the hockey-stick LED accents that make up the Sway's front fascia. Have you seen such daring design on a hatchback before? Sure, whatever production car will come from this will likely feature more down-to-earth cues, but I still have to give Nissan credit for going wild in one of Europe's most conservative segments. The Sway is emotional, exciting, and bound to shake up the segment, even only as a concept car.

Design highlights include brand-new elements, as well as signature details from the Murano crossover. The Sway brings together the company's V-motion grille, bold contours that start from the hood and trickle into the doors, as well as sculpted rear fenders and side skirts.

A floating roof finished in orange and the massive panoramic glass roof further sets the Sway apart from the conventional hatchback design. Rounding off the concept is a "bluish dawn grey" paint job, which Nissan describes as "a grey with hints of blue which are visible under light", harmonized with the contrasting orange color of the roof, side skirts and front bumper intakes.

Exterior Dimensions

Length

4,010 MM (157.87 Inches)

Width

1,780 MM (70.07 Inches)

Height

1,385 MM (54.52 Inches)

Wheelbase

2,570 MM (101.18 Inches)


Interior

The Sway's interior is equally futuristic. To ease ingress and egress, the concept car has no central B-pillars, but rear-hinged back doors, two features we won't be seeing on a production hatchback anytime soon. The white-and-blue dashboard becomes the Sway's most interesting detail, particularly because of its gliding wing shape (inspired by the IDx Concept) and clean layout. The instrument cluster is as simple as it gets, consisting of only two basic gauges, but that's because all other functions are available to the driver through the large, trapezoidal tablet above the center stack. The three-spoke, flat-bottomed steering wheel features aluminum spokes, yet another feature we're not likely to see on a Nissan unless it's either a high-performance car or an Infiniti.

The lightweight seats have exposed aluminum structures, while the upholstery is a premium suede-like fabric accentuated with "pearl-effect material" and stitching techniques "usually found on luxury handbags." Lastly, the removal of the B-pillar and the use of simple, clean designs makes the Sway's interior seem larger than expected, given its 101-inch wheelbase.

Drivetrain

Nissan makes no mention of the drivetrain powering the Sway, but I don't expect it to drop a high-performance engine between the front wheels of the production car. Actually, I have a hunch the Japanese will focus on efficiency rather than performance, likely counting on the 113-horsepower, turbocharged, 1.2-liter DIG-T for reduced fuel consumption and emissions.

Conclusion

A unique entry in this segment, the Nissan Sway is an exciting hatchback to look at. I'm well aware this is nothing more than a study and that the production vehicle will probably retain very few of these spectacular features, but Nissan deserves a big hand for having the courage to roll out a compact hatch as futuristic as the Sway. In a market that's currently led by the boring-looking Volkswagen Polo, the Sway comes to remind us all that compact hatchbacks can be more than just boxes on wheels.