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There hasn’t been a Nissan Micra on sale in Australia for the reason that Japanese producer dropped it from the lineup in 2016, shifting its focus to crossovers and SUVs.
At present, the Juke is the smallest Nissan you should purchase, however elsewhere the Micra has lived on, and now there’s a brand new and totally electrical ‘K15’ technology. The unhealthy information is it’s not confirmed for Oz, however that might change.
The fact is that it’s nothing greater than a re-bodied Renault 5, however given the rave evaluations the French hatchback has earned, that’s not precisely a foul factor. There are two battery choices obtainable, with the bigger being good for a 416km WLTP vary.
To see simply what Australians are lacking out on, we obtained behind the wheel of the Nissan Micra at its European launch in Rotterdam.
How a lot does the Nissan Micra value?
As there aren’t any confirmed plans for Nissan to convey the Micra to Australia, there’s little level in discussing value, but when it have been to come back right here, it could possibly be fairly an inexpensive automobile if the Renault 5’s pricing in Europe is something to go by.
In most markets, the R5 undercuts the Renault Megane E-Tech by round $15,000, so if the Micra have been to match Renault’s pricing mannequin, it may value from slightly below $40,000.
Nonetheless, that’s greater than many small Chinese language EVs, such because the BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora, however the Micra could possibly be a extra inexpensive various to the Mini Cooper.
What’s the Nissan Micra like on the within?
It’s apparent that Nissan blew most of its finances on restyling the Micra’s exterior, because the cabin requires an professional degree of spot the distinction with the Renault 5. For probably the most half, that’s no unhealthy factor, particularly with a number of the options it has.
The dual-screen format is an efficient one and includes two 10.1-inch shows sandwiched collectively, with the infotainment touchscreen barely angled in direction of the driving force.
It’s wrapped in a high-gloss black encompass with chunky bezels. For the driving force, there’s a easy digital instrument show that makes it simple to see the battery’s state of cost and vary remaining, alongside the chosen degree of vitality recuperation – which is adjustable by way of paddles on the again of the steering wheel.
That’s similar to what Renault makes use of, with the one distinction being the Nissan badge on the airbag cowl. A satellite tv for pc drive mode button is straightforward to search out together with your proper thumb and the remainder of the multifunction controls are easy sufficient to function.
It’s quite a bit busier behind the steering wheel. Apart from the lighting capabilities on the left and wiper controls on the fitting, there’s additionally a column-style drive selector and a stubby quantity and track-skip dongle jutting out from beneath the wiper stalk – homeowners will get used to it, but it surely appears unnecessarily cluttered.
Extra optimistic is the financial institution of correct toggle buttons for local weather settings and window demisters, all positioned beneath the central vents beneath the touchscreen.
The infotainment system is a Google-based working system that faucets immediately into the automobile’s mind, so in the case of planning longer journeys the Google Maps navigation can plot charging stops if wanted.
It would additionally present a predicted battery state of cost whenever you attain the vacation spot. You additionally get a Google Assistant and there are different apps obtainable by the Google Play retailer.
Moreover, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available in the event you choose to make use of the apps in your cellphone. A useful wi-fi charging pad within the centre console can hold your machine topped up on the go, and in the event you look just a little extra carefully, you’ll see a line drawing of Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji on it.
The entrance seats are manually adjustable and fairly snug. Equipping the entrance passenger seat with ISOFIX baby seat anchor factors is one other sensible transfer in our e book.
Space for storing is at a premium right here, but it surely’s a small automobile, in order that’s to be anticipated. Materials high quality is nice, however the upholstery choices aren’t as interesting as these obtainable within the Renault 5.
Rear passenger area is kind of restricted within the Micra, which is a part of the compromise of getting 18-inch wheels as customary. Two adults can slot in there, however legroom is restricted.
A 326-litre boot is ample for a automobile of this dimension, and in the event you do want extra cargo area, the rear seats can fold ahead, boosting capability to 1106L, although the seatbacks don’t fold utterly flat.
| Dimensions | Nissan Micra |
|---|---|
| Size | 3974mm |
| Width | 1744mm |
| Peak | 1498mm |
| Wheelbase | 2540mm |
| Cargo capability | 326-1106L |
What’s underneath the bonnet?
Nissan plans to supply two electrical motor choices for the Micra. The automobile featured right here is the extra highly effective 110kW model that’s paired with a larger-capacity 52kWh battery, giving it a driving vary of 416km.
| Specs | Nissan Micra 52kWh |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single-motor electrical |
| Battery | 52kWh lithium-ion |
| Energy | 110kW |
| Torque | 245Nm |
| Drive sort | Entrance-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1524kg |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 8.0s |
| Vitality consumption (claimed) | 14.7kWh/100km |
| Vitality consumption (as examined) | 15.8kWh/100km |
| Claimed vary | 416km |
| Max AC cost charge | 11kW |
| Max DC cost charge | 100kW |
The cheaper 90kW model with 225Nm of torque is paired with a 40kWh battery, and may formally cowl 319km on a single cost.
The efficiency on faucet seems like simply the correct quantity for a automobile of this dimension. For positive, it may really feel a bit stronger – it’s able to dealing with extra energy and it does in order the Alpine A290. This extra highly effective variant of the Micra feels properly balanced with its dimension and efficiency.
We haven’t had the chance to drive the bottom model, which additionally advantages from a slight weight discount because of the smaller battery. Nonetheless, we really feel that the lowered powered output might end in an identical general driving expertise, with just one second separating the variants within the claimed 0-100km/h sprint.
How does the Nissan Micra drive?
Nissan might have restyled the outside of the Micra, however the optimistic information is that its engineers didn’t perform any alterations to the underpinnings or how the automobile is ready up for the street.
That’s good as a result of the Renault 5 is already fairly a candy little factor to drive, with assured, assured street dealing with and suspension that sits simply on the fitting facet of agency for on a regular basis use with out ever being jarring.
Regardless of the Micra not being an overtly sporty automobile – as its energy output signifies – it nonetheless drives with goal and proves you don’t at all times want bucket a great deal of energy to have an pleasant driving expertise. Nevertheless it feels most at house in city settings the place decrease common speeds masks any output deficit in comparison with another EVs.
Equally, you’ll be able to have a little bit of enjoyable within the Micra whenever you present it a twisting sequence of bends. The steering has a direct really feel, which, mixed with the automobile’s compact dimension and weight, makes it extraordinarily simple to put on the street.
Simply as importantly, for all of the crispness of the steering in the case of cornering, it doesn’t really feel fidgety when cruising at freeway speeds.
With Alpine having already confirmed what the chassis is able to with the A290, it’s not arduous to think about what a Micra Nismo could possibly be like, although execs we steered that to have been fast to shoot the thought down. There’s a Sport driving mode that may be chosen by way of a steering wheel button, however most homeowners are prone to go away it within the default setting.
However, the Micra copes with the on a regular basis stuff admirably and the adjustable regenerative braking (obtainable solely with the larger-capacity battery) supplies a constant brake pedal really feel.
When turned as much as its highest setting, the one-pedal perform is right for stop-start metropolis site visitors and is straightforward to evaluate in additional open settings as a method of slowing down the plucky little Nissan with out utilizing the brake pedal too usually.
Ought to you’ve the necessity to take action, the Micra is able to towing, and each variations are rated to haul as much as 500kg on a 12 per cent incline.
What do you get?
The Micra affords a fairly good suite of apparatus, even from the bottom degree.
2026 Nissan Micra tools highlights:
- Adaptive cruise management
- Heated entrance seats
- Heated steering wheel
- 4 driving modes
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Wi-fi smartphone mirroring
- Reversing digital camera
- Harman Kardon 9-speaker stereo
- 10.1-inch touchscreen
- Built-in Google Maps
- Warmth pump
The Micra will probably be provided in 14 exterior paint colors, with two-tone color choices providing the selection of a black or gray roof.
Is the Nissan Micra secure?
The Nissan Micra has not but been assessed by Euro NCAP or ANCAP, however taking a look at how the Renault 5 carried out in impartial crash testing ought to present an excellent information to its security because the automobiles are similar underneath the pores and skin.
Normal security tools consists of:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane departure warning
- Clever cruise management with braking
- Driver monitoring system
- Blind-spot help
- Rear parking digital camera
- 12 parking sensors
The Renault scored a four-star security ranking, dropping factors for not having knee and centre airbags as customary, nor facet chest or facet pelvis airbags for rear passengers. The shortage of kid presence detection additionally misplaced it marks so, in abstract, it scored 80 per cent for grownup and baby occupant safety, 76 per cent for susceptible street customers and 68 per cent for security help.
Nissan equips the Micra with an excellent degree of security tools, although you’ll want to maneuver as much as larger trim ranges to get a number of the extra superior stuff. All variations get autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keep help and lane departure warning, together with a driver monitoring system to ensure you’re taking note of the street forward.
Velocity restrict warnings are actually obligatory in Europe, however realizing how a lot these audible alerts can irritate some drivers, the Micra has a security mode setting that, when pressed twice, mutes such alerts. These default to being lively at first of every journey, however no less than there’s a fast method of muting them with out having to faucet your method by varied sub-menus on the touchscreen.
How a lot does the Nissan Micra value to run?
With the Micra being comparatively mild, it doesn’t shortly eat by a lot of its electrical vitality on the transfer.
The official consumption determine for the longer-range model we drove is 14.7kWh/100km, and we averaged about 1kWh/100km over that.
Absolutely charging the Micra’s 52kWh battery at a mean evening charge value of 20c per kWh will value simply over $10. That’s not too unhealthy contemplating its driving vary, particularly in the event you’re sometimes doing lower-speed and shorter journeys.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Nissan Micra
The brand new Micra EV is a worthwhile addition to Nissan’s mannequin vary, particularly with the next-generation Leaf making the predictable transition to a crossover.
Though this Micra continues to be smaller than the earlier Leaf hatch, it may nonetheless be a viable possibility for consumers who don’t want a bigger automobile and wish to make the change to electrical.
Other than a cluttered dashboard format and small rear seats, the Micra affords an excellent stability of efficiency and effectivity in a bundle that’s higher to drive than it must be. Disgrace it could by no means be offered right here.
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MORE: Might the Nissan Micra return to Australia as an EV?
