Micra is a very familiar car on Irish roads. In fact, there are 46,000 of them. The supermini has a reputation as a reliable and economical car for those who are comfortable in their shoes - in other words it was never a car sold on good looks and has a conservative buyer profile.
Nissan's most recognisable model is loved and bought in the main by the over 55s who quite rightly love its tiny turning circle, low running costs and ease of use. The latest Micra continues with that tradition, and is even greener thanks to a new 3-cylinder, 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces decent power (80bhp) and Band 'A' CO2.
The downside is that the same engine is a noisy little thing out and about. Like all three-cylinder cars it will never feel as refined as the four-cylinder engine it replaces.
The new Micra is very bland to look at and is better in pictures than in the 'flesh'. To my eyes it is a step in the wrong styling direction for the Japanese firm. It is, however, slightly bigger in most areas with a bigger boot also.
The Indian-built Micra has to go up against good-looking cars like the Ford Fiesta, VW Polo, Mazda2 - even the Hyundai i20 looks truly dynamic next to it. Nissan can be a little hit and miss when it comes to exterior styling: the current Continental Irish Car of the Year 2011 the Juke, Nissan's Qashqai and the stunning 370Z are all very good-looking machines, whereas the Tida and new Micra clearly aren't.
Outside Micra's exterior is more rounded and the rear does looks sturdy. Nissan has put Micra on a big weight-saving diet and with a 35kg loss the five-door car weighs in at less than a tonne. Micra's ability to turn on a sixpence, great visibility and its effortless ease of use has made it a driving school favourite, too. I may joke about Micras always being driven to and from the nearest Church Novena or Bingo Hall, but guess what? Up until recently my 82-year-old Mum drove one!
The economical, 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine is eager and comes with a standard manual 5-speed gearbox, or a relatively affordable CVT automatic option at €2,600. The auto fills a void for those who like cheap, economical automatics. There are three specifications, namely XE, SV and SVE that all have ABS and ESP. Higher grades get toys like parking sensors, 'parking slot' parking aid, cruise control, air conditioning and Bluetooth to name just a few. Prices start at €14,195 and rise through €15,195 to €16,995.
My test car is fully loaded with air conditioning, cruise control etc - it even has a button you can press to alert you to parking spaces large enough for the car. Inside the cabin is full of hard plastic trim. Seating is comfortable for town use. Switches and secondary controls are comprehensive in my SV model but they still remind me I'm in a budget car.
Nissan expects Micra sales to reach 2,000 in Ireland in 2011, with the total car market reaching 100,000 this year.
Michael Sheridan
