The third generation of Nissan's Micra is a winner, as Andrew Hamilton discovered on the streets of Rome
It has been a long time coming. Amazingly there's a new Nissan Micra now after 10 or more years. The second generation car that was launched in 1992 looked radical and chic and it distinguished itself by being the first-ever Japanese car to win the prestigious European Car of the Year award. There were minor facelifts along the way but the ageing process is hard to hide and the current or old car had reached its sell-by date quite a long time ago.
The car that goes on Irish sale at the start of 2003 is dramatically different from its predecessor and you can't really disagree with Nissan that it's quite unlike anything else on the road.
Distinct arch shapes at the front and rear are linked by a bold, broad shoulder running the full length of the vehicle. Short front and rear overhangs accentuate the rounded line of the body, while the face of the car sports a pair of original high-mounted oval headlamps.
The Micra has been one of the top players in the supermini league. In just over a decade it has sold 1.3 million. Here in Ireland, 47,000 have done service on Irish roads. It had its best year in 2000 with around 10,000 sold.
"We hope to emulate and exceed that success with the new model range and we will keep prices as close as possible to the old model," says Paul O'Sullivan, marketing manager for Nissan Ireland. Irish prices will be announced in the middle of next month.
Superminis these days tend to be bigger with a taller and boxier profile. It's a bit of a surprise then to discover that new Micra is 30mm shorter overall. The trick is a 70mm increase in wheelbase so that the cabin feels a lot roomier than before. This means better leg and head room in the rear. The rear seats now slide forward but for drivers intent on carrying both people and luggage, luggage space is still restricted. Compared with one of the newest superminis, the Honda Jazz, Micra provides just 231 litres of boot space with everyone on board. In the Jazz, it's 380.
Nissan deliberately chose not to follow the posse here. Its engineers opted for a shape that is bold and assertive and different but with a style that at the end of the day compromised somewhat on available interior space. The car incidentally was designed and engineered in Britain and, like its bigger Almera and Primera siblings, is built at Nissan's plant in Sunderland.
The new Micra comes with a range of five engines, three petrol and diesels that are derived from Nissan's saviour, Renault. Carried over from the old car are 1.0 and 1.4 litre units with 65 and 88bhp. New to the line-up is a 80bhp 1.2. All bar the diesels are lightweight 16-valve alloy units with electronic drive-by-wire throttles and variable valve timing. On the Irish scene, the 1.0 and 1.2 litre versions are likely to be the biggest sellers. It's the first time Nissan has had a diesel in this class but diesel appeal here is likely to be small.
Nissan chose Rome as the venue for the international press launch and some of the driving was through the frenzied streets of the Italian capital. There was a method to this madness. Apart from the fact that Italy is the biggest European market for Micra outside the UK, Nissan was keen to emphasise the car's compact manoeuvrability with a 9.2metre turning circle and just how it could be shoe-horned into tiny spaces.
FOR all its compactness, the new Micra still exudes a big car feel. Doors are broad and substantive giving easy entry and exit. On upper trim levels Nissan follows a trend of some other manufacturers in reducing the role of keys. As long as the key is within 80cm of the car, it's merely a matter of pressing the button on the door handle. Starting up means twisting a knob, where the igntion socket would normally be.
Seats are firm and comfortable and there's outstanding visibility. In driving, the 1.2 litre was best, being both responsive and refined. It promises 47.8mpg in average consumption.
It may not be the most commodious of superminis but Nissan's third generation Micra oozes a cheeky fun-to-drive character with styling and unmissable looks.