The Pixo name returns to Nissan’s lineup, and doesn’t it look great?
The first Nissan Pixo was a Suzuki Alto in all but name, but this new one is a rebodied Renault Twingo. In terms of quality, that's like moving from an Ikea-clad student flat to a penthouse suite full of artisan European furniture.
You can see the Twingo base in the shape of the passenger compartment – the windowline and the rear window are exactly the same as the Renault version. But the Pixo has a higher bonnet than the Twingo, with new integrated headlights in a sharp design.
There are lots of fun little details to pore over, such as the tiny smiley face emoticon in the tail-light and embossed pixellated graphics. Plus, the Minecraft-like five-spoke wheels should be in the car design hall of fame.
To our eyes, the Pixo is a more successful reinterpretation of the original Renault product than the latest Nissan Micra – which is just a bit less good looking than the Renault 5. The Pixo and Twingo also have a third sibling – the latest Dacia Spring.
The interior design is broadly similar to the Twingo, with Nissan’s input being limited to changing the badge on the steering wheel. Fine by us – the digital instrument cluster and Google-based touchscreen work well, and there’s a row of physical climate controls underneath.
Like the Twingo, but unlike the Spring, the Pixo has two individual, sliding rear seats, allowing you to boost passenger space or boot space when the need arises. With the seats pushed forwards, the boot measures 306 litres, with another 50 litres underneath that can be used for cable storage. Fold both seats down and you’ve got 1,221 litres to fill, which is an astonishing amount given the size of the car.
The 27.5kWh LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery is carried over from the Twingo and Spring (Springo?). You’ve got a 161-mile range in the Pixo, or potentially more in stop-start traffic. Fast-charging at 50kW is standard (again, Renault gives you this as standard but you have to pay extra for it in the Dacia), giving a 15-80% topup in under half an hour. The Pixo also supports 11kW bi-directional AC charging.
Pixo prices haven’t been announced yet, but the bigger Nissan Micra exactly matches the Renault 5’s starting price. Hopefully the Pixo will match the Twingo’s starting price, which is ‘under £20,000’.
Nearly new Nissans available now
Perhaps the Pixo is too small for you or you need a new car now. In which case, check out our used Nissan electric cars for sale or read our Nissan reviews.
