Nissan Micra Review

The Micra has been well known as a practical choice, and one of the best cars for new drivers. It also makes a great small family car. The latest model received a facelift, boosting up to the level of its competitors. Find out more in our review below.

Overall Verdict

If you’re looking for the best small car, the Micra is certainly a competitor. 

The early versions of the Micra established itself as one of the best for practicality and reliability, but never for style. The latest model improves where the Micra was lacking, giving it a sharper, sportier look to compete with the top superminis on the market.

The main ‘flaw’ to the Micra is that it’s not the most fun to drive. You won’t bounce over bumps or uneven roads, but it isn’t particularly comfortable or responsive. 

Bringing the model up to standard is the impressive interior. High quality materials and stylish finishes gives the Micra an edge over competitors. Although the entry-level doesn’t get an infotainment system, all versions come with a significant amount of tech and car safety features.

Overall, we’d recommend the Micra as a great first car. It's got everything you want like low running costs, great safety features, and comes at a reasonable price.

Available Trims

Visia

The Visia Micra comes with some decent tech for the entry level trim. There’s no infotainment screen, but you get a DAB radio, USB port, pedestrian recognition and hill start assist.

Acenta  

We’d recommend going for at least the Acenta, as you get additions like cruise control, a 7” touchscreen display, and a 5” TFT advanced drive assist display. It also comes compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

N-Sport

You probably don’t need the N-Sport, but it comes with enough upgrades to make you want it. LED headlamps and fog lamps, 17” alloy wheels and a black exterior pack are just some of the additions. You also get an upgraded synthetic-leather interior.

Tekna

With the Tekna you get mainly aesthetic upgrades like a leather-wrapped gear stick and handbrake, and 17” diamond cut alloy wheels. It also comes with a Bose stereo system, headrest speakers, and the new Nissan Connect Navi with TomTom Traffic.

Exterior

At first, the Micra might look like any other sporty hatchback. A closer look reveals that it actually offers something pretty unique. 

Sculpted lines combined with it’s bulkier build make it sleek, while the hidden rear door handles give it a sportier look. The dark rear panels create a floating roofline, making the 5-door hatchback just that bit more interesting.

Driving Experience

Though many drivers now favour an automatic, the manual Micra has a lot going for it. The clutch is light and changes gears smoothly, while the automatic can be on the slow side. 

It has only one fuel type, however the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine gives an acceleration of 0-62mph in just 10.9 seconds. The Micra feels fairly speedy on the roads, and manoeuvres easily.

Driving Position

There isn’t much to say about the Micra’s driving position, as it can be changed to really suit anyone. The seat can be adjusted to suit your height, and the steering wheel can be moved in and out, and up and down. 

Handling

The Micra steers pretty well and there’s no need to yank the wheel to get the car where you want. However, in wet conditions you might find the grip isn’t quite as strong.

Suspension

Suspension for the Micra is good, and you won’t be hitting the roof when you hit the bumps. However with the larger wheels things can get a bit rocky. For the smoothest ride, we’d recommend going for the smaller wheel options.

Micra Interior

The Micra interior is upmarket for the price, combining quality materials and modern styling. The tech is good even for the entry-level trims, though you’re better off going for a mid-spec Micra with the infotainment screen.   

Styling

The Micra is well styled, and the interior has a modern feel to it. The higher quality soft-touch materials are well placed, and silver trim throughout accentuates the tech. However, the plastics in the lower trims do look slightly cheaper than competitors. 

The latest model offers increased customisation, so you have more colour contrasting interior options.

Tech

Tech is good across all specs, with even the entry-level offering Bluetooth, a USB port and DAB radio. One particular downside is that only the top-sec Tekna comes with a SatNav. If you want navigation assistance with the lower specs, you’ll have to use the mirror option or buy the navigation pack for an additional cost.

Practicality

The Micra offers a fair amount of practicality for a hatchback. A sporty, D-shaped steering wheel leaves increased leg room, and gives easier access to and from the car. 

Dimensions

3,999 mm L x 1,743 mm W x 1,455 mm H

Boot Size

The Micra boot size is actually quite impressive given its size, but its loading area might prove awkward for some items. The 300 litre boot increases to 1,004 litres with the rear seats down, so you still have plenty of space for transporting luggage or furniture, and it’s more than enough for the weekly shop.

Passenger Room

The upgraded Micra offers even more space, with increased legroom and headspace. However, despite the increase, tall passengers will likely still feel cramped in the backseat. It’s fine for 2 or 3 children.

Safety Features

Like most Nissan models, the Micra features an extensive list of safety features. Every model comes fitted with six airbags, ESC, iso-fix attachments and tyre pressure monitoring. 

The Micra scored a 5 star Euro NCAP rating.

Running Costs

Car running costs are reasonable for the Micra, provided you’re not planning to use it for your long distance commute. It falls under the lowest insurance groups, which, combined with low fuel costs, makes it one of the best first cars.

MPG

MPG for the Micra isn’t the most competitive, however it’s not really designed for long distance driving. The MPG is reasonable for city driving, returning 47.9-50.4 mpg.

CO2 Emissions

Emissions are reasonable for the Micra, however the greatest engine emits 133g/km of CO2. For lower emissions, the 1.0 IG-T 92 Visia 5dr emits just 103g/km of CO2.

Insurance Group

Reliability

Nissan reliability rarely has a great rating, but the Micra has a reasonable reputation. It got 15th place in the 2018 Driver Power Survey, although has failed to make an appearance since. Reports suggest it’s not necessarily unreliable, but competitors are simply better rated.

Warranty

The Micra comes with standard Nissan warranty of 3 years/60,000 miles. You can get Nissan extended warranty for an additional cost, however if your warranty has already expired, you’ll need to get it checked over by a Nissan dealer.

Servicing

You should service your Micra roughly every 12,000 miles, or you can join Nissan’s comprehensive servicing schedule, the Nissan Service Plan. This ensures that your car gets inspected by Nissan approved professionals, and keeps your car in its best condition.