THIS IS a curious one. Nissan’s Micra has been a popular car in Europe for some time now. In Ireland, it has been many people’s first car or they probably learned to drive in one.
Last year it was Nissan’s second-best selling car, accounting for 17 per cent of its sales, behind the top-selling Qashqai.
The company is brilliant at innovation. It nailed the compact SUV with the Qashqai, has followed that up with the equally talented Juke and has become the champion of mass-produced electric cars with the soon-to-arrive Leaf. Yet it appears to have regressed with the new Micra and it’s hard to know why.
The new Micra is powered by a three-cylinder, 1.2-litre engine that puts out 80bhp. The engine is really efficient, managing on five litres per 100km and 115g/km (putting it in Band A). It sits in a very lightweight body too.
There is nothing particularly remarkable about the design of the new car. The very cute and cartoon-like looks of the previous model have been replaced by something more generic. Nissan describes the new vehicle as sitting somewhere between the A-segment, where such cars as the smaller Nissan Pixo reside, and the larger B-segment, where the Honda Jazz sits.
The new Micras are manufactured in India and Thailand, rather than at its plant in Sunderland, England. It appears to indicate where Nissan sees this car being sold primarily.
In the change from old Micra to new, it feels like Nissan has moved the car into a lower segment. It feels now like a premium A-segment car rather than a real rival to front-runners such as the Ford Fiesta.
The cabin probably is where you feel this most. The build quality is fine, but no amount of generous equipment on higher-spec models can disguise the fact that this feels tinnier than its key rivals. At 980kg, it is 270kg lighter than its smaller sibling, the Pixo. That is about the weight of three strong men.
In the search for positives about it, the engine is very willing and, combined with the lightweight construction, makes the car feel relatively peppy.
On a combination of city and motorway roads, it felt stable. Around town especially, it felt like it was right at home.
Nissan has laden the Micra with equipment at the upper levels. Even the basic model, the XE, has an electronic stability programme (ESP), which is a valuable safety feature, and technology such as Bluetooth to operate your phone.
But it is a while since we saw manual wing mirror adjusters in a new car. Move to SV grade and you get features such as air conditioning, cruise control, a leather steering wheel and leather gear knob.
The SVE grade is well adorned with Nissan Connect with Bluetooth, which is a clever multimedia control unit. It also has clever parking sensors that allow you to measure up a potential space before backing up.There is also a Matrix display, which is essentially a multi-function computer. You also get mirrors that fold electronically, a glass roof and a key with push-button starter.
Prices start at €14,195 for the basic 1.2 XE, rising to €15,195 for the SV and €16,995 for the SVE grade. There will also be a scrappage offer of €3,000 off this price, which includes the Government grant. This means you could get into a new Micra from as little as €11,195.
For faithful Micra fans, it will be a gentle evolution, and financially gentle too.
The difficulty for this new car is that its rivals are now so much better than they used to be.
NISSAN MICRA XE
Engine1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol
Power80bhp and 110Nm of torque
Maximum speed170km/h
0-100km/h13.7 seconds
Fuel economy5.ol/100km
CO2 emissions115g/km (Band A)
Annual road tax€104
Price€14,915, €11,195 with Goverment scrappage