Irvine, California - Here, in North America, we have yet to fully embrace the value of micro and subcompact cars. There are a number of reasons for this and they vary from a litre of fuel still being too inexpensive to driving on the highway along side full-size pickups for fear of being crushed like a bug.
For those of you who have adapted to or have always loved small cars, you'll agree that your 1984 Chevette has nothing to do with your recently purchased
Nissan Versa Note. Most of us forget that the only “reduced” aspect of these cars is its size, not its features, safety or driving pleasure.
On that final point is where I waltz in with my 2014 Nissan Micra. Although my drive was fairly brief, I seriously had a blast with the Micra; I drove it as thought I'd stolen it. The ride quality is surprisingly good, the 3-cylinder engine is peppy, and this little puppy's nimbler than its diminutive dimensions suggest. On top of that, I think it looks fab.
What is a Nissan Micra?
The Micra, Nissan's supermini, was once offered in North America from the mid-‘80s up until the very beginning of the 1990s or the end of the 1st generation of the car. The current Micra, the one I tested, was launched for the 2010 model year.
This car is on sale in over 160 countries, but is sadly not expected to come to us any time soon. The recent arrival of the Versa Note leaves little place in Nissan showrooms for two such small cars. As well, they both share many components.
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| The Micra, Nissan's supermini, was once offered in North America from the mid-‘80s up until the very beginning of the 1990s. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre) |
2014 Nissan Micra Price and Specs
In the United Kingdom, the Micra is offered at a starting price of £9,950 or at 11,390€ in France. My tester was a 1.2L DIG-S model with all the trimmings which prices it at £14,050 or 16,000€ in each country respectively.
Obviously, these are astronomical sums for such a car on this side of the Pond. In order to be competitive, a base Micra could not sport a base price of more than $13,000 in Canada or the USA.
The 1.2L 3-cylinder provides 79 horsepower and 80 lb-ft of torque. A 5-speed transmission is standard while a CVT is optional.
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| The 1.2L 3-cylinder provides 79 horsepower and 80 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Nissa) |
Driving the Nissan Micra
As I've stated, I had a great time blasting around the streets of Irvine in this small car. Although this was the suggested urban route, roads like the eight-lane Sand Canyon Ave are large enough to fit 14 or more Micra's across, I got cozy with the Micra driving around Great Park on top of negotiating through traffic on Irvine Blvd.
Although streetlight racing is not the greatest idea with a 79-hp car, it did prove that without taking the throttle to the floor, I was easily capable of keeping up with anxious cabby drivers, F350 Super Duties and regular sedans.
Once back on the clutch, the engine sparks to life from its start-stop, and into 1st gear, the 2014 Nissan Micra slides off the line easily. The shifter's action is light and precise and that's a good thing as in order to stay within the power-band, the lever needs to move regularly.
The ride comfort and quality are impressively good, better than the
Qashqai I also drove. The Micra's compliant suspension feels incredibly well-sorted and adapted to our roads. Despite the 3-pot and relative “cheapness” of the car, NVH was kept to a minimum unless the local authorities were chasing me...
Steering and brakes were also up to snuff. Seriously, in the drive department, nothing would need to be done for our market.
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| Despite the 3-pot and relative “cheapness” of the car, NVH was kept to a minimum unless the local authorities were chasing me... (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre) |
Inside and Out of the 2014 Nissan Micra
I am convinced that this little car would do some serious damage in the microcar segment. Granted, my tester was a fully loaded model, but replace the alloys by wheel covers, remove the fog lamps and the rear spoiler, and the 2014 Nissan Micra still stands tall.
I've long thought that the better designed small cars were the
Kia Rio and
Ford Fiesta, but the Micra could easily knock one of the two out...
More praise goes to the cabin. A number of the components are familiar such as the HVAC controls and steering wheel that are also found in the
Cube. The result of decent fit and finish is a dashboard that is attractive and well laid out.
There's plenty of room for four adults, and the deep trunk is unexpectedly capacious.
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| In the cabin, a number of the components are familiar such as the HVAC controls and steering wheel that are also found in the Cube. (Photo: Nissan) |
Comparing the 2014 Nissan Micra
The 2014 Nissan Micra would rival with the aforementioned Rio and Fiesta on top of the
Hyundai Accent,
Mazda2, Mitsubishi Mirage,
Chevrolet Spark and
Toyota Yaris,
Honda Fit and, to a lesser extent, the
smart fortwo.
I'm a big fan of the Fit and Rio, but I think the Micra could take them on.
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