Road Test: Nissan Micra

Review by Feann Torr - 7/Apr/2008

It's about the size of a cabbage, has a tiny engine, a tiny boot, and about as much machismo as a pair of cashmere mittens.

Meet the new Nissan Micra.

You wouldn't call the Micra a man's car, but it does have an arm rest which is nice.

Almost every bit of marketing I've seen for the 'cute' new Japanese car features a very trendy-looking woman returning from a shopping spree.

But get rid of the marketing, the pastel pink paint job and pop music and you're left with an intriguing vehicle. 

A very intriguing vehicle.

While it is easy to make fun of, the fact remains that compact cars such as the Micra are becoming increasingly popular and what used to be terribly pokey little buzz boxes that were prone to leaking when it rained are now highly reliable, fun-to-drive cars.

It's been 10 years between drinks but the Micra is now back in Australia.

But does it have the gumption to take on the might of the Mazda2, Ford Fiesta, Holden Barina and other pint-sized runabouts? Let's find out:

Drive: 4/5

The great thing about the Micra is that Nissan hasn't gone crazy with dozens of designations. There's only two models - one has alloy wheels, one doesn't.

It's a simple line-up, and it works.

Both models feature identical 4-speed automatics and 1.4-litre petrol engines, and we tested the 'City Collection' version which costs $1,700 more than the entry-level $14,990 Micra and adds 15-inch alloy wheels, dual side and curtain airbags and an MP3-capable 6-stack CD sound system.

While the ovoid vehicle is quite small, it's fairly easy to get in and out of and driving the thing is child's play. Turn the key, whack the gearstick in 'D' and floor the throttle.

Acceleration isn't mind-blowing but because the car is so compact and light, tipping the scales at a featherweight 965kg, the 1.4-litre engine doesn't have to work hard to motivate the Micra.

Indeed, this vehicle is so light you can almost push it home if you run out of juice.

With just the driver in the car, the Micra does feel quite zippy and is well suited to city driving.

Beyond the obvious aspects such as its small size, measuring 3.72 metres long and less than 1.66 metres wide, the Nissan Micra provides an upright seating position with very good vision through both the front and rear windscreens.

The wing mirrors are rounded to fit the car's quirky design, but are big enough to provide a decent view of your flanks.

Nissan's Micra has an excellent turning circle of 8.8 metres and with direct steering through the tiller it reduces most 3-point turns to 2-point turns, and everything from parallel to reverse parking is blissfully easy.

Though I did get laughed at a few times from ute-driving tradies, at the end of the day I could almost put up with the ridicule because the Micra is so painless to drive in urban and city environments.

It's tiny size, impressive maneouverability and good vision make it an exceptionally good city car - perhaps the best we've ever driven. 

It moves pretty well and can be hustled along briskly if you're in a hurry, though the 4-speed automatic gearbox is pretty low-tech and gear changes are not rapid.

The brakes are pretty good too - nice and firm and with sufficient of stopping power. It has 238mm disc brakes up front and 180mm drum brakes at the rear.

Out on the freeways and highways of Australia it's not too bad either. Fuel consumption is super low, there's not a lot of road noise (though the engine can get a bit noisy as it revs) and it's easy to pilot.

There is one major shortcoming however: cruise control is not available. 

While I found that this made me a more attentive driver out on the highway, it's a rare thing for a modern car not to have cruise control. In Victoria where we test a lot of our vehicles, speed cameras are everywhere and it brings peace of mind with cruise control. 

I don't think it will be a deal breaker, but it would have made the car even more approachable had cruise control been added.

Dynamically the Micra is a lot of fun. If you ever get the chance to drive the vehicle along some winding alpine roads, you won't be disappointed. 

The speed sensitive steering is very direct and provides great control over the car, and the Micra sits quite well on the road; body roll isn't chronic. It steers through corners with a good attitude and even though tyre grip isn't brilliant (it sits on 175/60 R15s) it's light mass makes it a lot of fun.

It changes direction very nicely and though the gearbox is a bit sluggish (a CVT has been mooted in future) the engine is always keen. 

The Nissan Micra handles very well and is fun to drive in almost any situation, especially underground car parks. The direct steering, the compact size, the composed chassis -- it all feels very go-kart-ish. 

On that note, we're hoping that Nissan Australia imports the Micra SR Sport, which gets a larger 1.6-litre 81kW engine and other go-fast options. 

Another interesting thing about driving the Micra is that you can see the bulging headlights quite clearly from the driver's seat. The view from the captain's chair in most cars is usually very boring, just a flat bonnet. But not the Micra.

Better yet is night driving: the tops of the headlights appear to glow from the drivers seat. It's a bit surreal yet adds immeasurably to the Micra's unique character.

To stand out in the crowded new car market and to have a point of difference is a great asset - particularly for the Micra's target young female target demographics.

The Micra is compact, energetic, and satisfying to drive. In all, there's a lot to like. 

Engine: 3.5/5

Boasting 1.4-litres of unadulterated fizz, the Micra's engine can only be described as a buzz box. 

But an endearing buzz box.

Generating 72kW of power, the engine is not completely bereft of any athleticism and for its displacement of just 1.4-litres that's not a bad power output.

Because the car weighs so little, just 965kg, the engine doesn't need to be overly powerful for it to feel quick, and it gets around very nicely.

Though the gearbox is not brilliant, it's not a bad match for the engine. We used one tank of fuel and covered just under 500 kilometres, and that was with the foot to the floor most of the time. Did I mention it was fun to drive?

Nissan quotes a fuel a consumption figure of 6.8L/100km. That's not bad, but it could be reduced further by introducing a continuously variable transmission (CVT). 

Because there's no tachometer, it's difficult to tell what revs the engine's at when the car is travelling at at 100km/h, and while it can also be a bit noisy at times, the small 1.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine works well in this application. It's unsophisticated but capable.

Exterior: 3/5

When describing the way the Micra looks one has to be careful. It's clearly a Japanese design, quirky as you like with plenty of character, but for mine I really didn't warm to it. The grille design looks good, but otherwise I can't say I fell in love.

It's a personal thing, as a lot of people were quite positive about the car (mostly women) and commented on how 'cute' the it looks.

You can't get away from the fact that it is a unique design and props to Nissan for not going with a 'safe' option. It'll never be confused for anything else on the road, that's for sure.

The cartoonish headlights sit high on the bonnet creating a jovial 'face' and in combo with the rounded roofline and it's diminutive size the Micra delivers a very different look to the current crop of compact cars, examples of which are the Mazda2 and Toyota Yaris.

Ultimately the Micra could end up becoming a pop culture icon. It's cutesy-absurdist Japanese looks stand out among the 'European' influence that seems to have invaded almost every element of modern car design and though I reckon some aspects could be altered to good effect, this outgoing design could provide more benefits for Nissan than a conservative one.

Interior: 3.5/5

Nissan's Micra may be smaller than a mini moke on the outside, but inside it's actually not too bad for the driver and front passenger. Because of the tall-ish roofline headroom is very good and it gives the interior a surprisingly roomy feel. 

Like the exterior design, the interior has a few quirks. Take the heating/cooling dials for instance, which look as though they were inspired by washing machine controls. 

They're large, white, somewhat toy-like and stand out against their black background like an albino Kookaburra in a red gum forest. Apart from that and some swirly door handle designs, the rest of the interior is a 'by-the-book' affair. 

The dash plastics are okay, all the controls are fairly simple and work well, and the stereo isn't too bad either. The driver is faced with a small white instrument cluster dominated by a central speedometer - but there's no tachometer to measure engine rpms.

Seating is quite good for the driver and passenger and the driving position is slightly elevated, which gives a good view of road. The driver also gets a fold down arm rest, which is a great addition and fills the role that would normally be given to a central storage bin. 

There's also an added storage drawer under the passenger seat which is a nice touch, and plenty of cup holders too.

Rear seat passengers don't have it quite as good and are likely to complain unless they're very short. Rear seat space is cramped, and that's being diplomatic.

Being a compact hatch, the boot is not massive. Just 251 litres of boot space is available but this is still plenty of room for a number of food bags from the supermarket or several 20kg sacks of rice. Fold the rear seats down and there's 584 litres of boot space.

Standard features like keyless entry, central locking, power mirrors, air conditioning, and an MP3 CD stereo with auxiliary jack for MP3 players are included on all models, as are active head restraints, dual front airbags and ABS.

The 'City Collection' pack costs $1,700 and adds dual side and curtain airbags, alloy wheels and a 6-stack CD system.

Overall, the Nissan Micra's interior is a pretty good place to be, with some neat storage ideas.

Overall: 3.5/5

It may be the size of a cabbage, but the Nissan Micra is a very good city car. Where it matters most - on the road - the Micra comes up trumps and will give its rivals a run for their collective monies.

It's arguably the best city car we've driven, exhibiting good manners, excellent agility, a spritely engine, and very good outward vision.

The standard features list is pretty good too, but with omissions such as stability control and basics like cruise control, it loses a few marks.

Something it's not lacking is character. With its bulbous headlights and dinky design, the Micra makes a statement. Whether it's a positive or a negative statement will probably depend on your gender, but it's original if nothing else.

At the end of the day, I quite liked driving the Micra. It's a memorable little car that is a lot of fun to drive and priced at under $15,000 it represents good value.