Nissan Micra Review

Some Nissan Micra models have been boxy, some have been rounded and a bit froggy looking. The new Micra, somehow, is both at the same time.

If you're looking at the previous shape Micra, read our used Nissan Micra review here.

The new car's comically oversized (yet squinting) headlights are said to recall the Micra of the 2000s, while the Micra can’t avoid having the squared roofline and window shapes of the Renault 5 – which the Nissan is heavily based on.

There are actually a number of differences in the styling if you look at the two cars together – such as the shape of the wheel arches, the black plastic cladding and the indent line running along the top of the doors. Nissan offers a different colour palette to the 5, with darker and more sophisticated options.

But, at a glance, the Micra looks almost exactly like the 5.

Handily, the 5 is a really strong starting point, with a great infotainment system, a well-sorted driving experience, strong range and charging figures, and user-friendly controls. So the Micra was never going to be a bad car.

A potential key selling point of the Micra over the 5 is that, if you keep your Micra serviced at Nissan, the warranty extends to six years/100,000 miles. Renault’s warranty (and Nissan’s standard one) is three years or 60,000 miles. And you’re getting the Micra for the same price as the 5.

Despite a couple of small Mount Fuji outlines in the Micra’s cabin, no one will be fooled. The interior is nearly entirely carried over from the Renault 5. Again, that’s no bad thing, with a crisp dual-screen infotainment setup and the availability of Google’s impressive infotainment software to sync the car with your phone – which invariably will have your entire life on it.

Material quality is decent for the car's price. Most areas feel like they’re built to last and there’s plenty of standard equipment. Like the previous Micra, the cabin feels sophisticated and grown up.

And, like the previous Micra, rear-seat space is a bit limited. Taller passengers will feel hemmed in in the back seats, while the smallish rear doors could make access a little tricky for some people.

The 326-litre boot is about 10% bigger than the petrol Micra. It’s a fairly deep space with a chunky load lip to get things over, but the square shape will make it easy to fit in a couple of suitcases or a weekly shop.

Even though it’s electric, the new Micra gives you more choice under the bonnet than the old one. The vast majority of last-shape Micras had a 1.0-litre petrol engine, but here that’s been swapped for either a 120hp or 150hp electric motor. Both are quicker off the line than a petrol Micra.

If you pick a smaller-battery model, you get the lower-powered motor, and if you pick a longer-range version you’ll get the 150hp motor. The smaller 40kWh battery enables a maximum range of 196 miles, and will be absolutely fine if you’re mainly going to be driving around town. The larger 52kWh option increases the range estimate to 257 miles. Both fast-charge from 15-80% in half an hour or so.

The Micra drives very nicely, with nothing drastically wrong to sour the experience. It feels stable and sturdy, and its suspension offers a good blend of comfort and control. The Micra's shortness helps it feel agile, especially around town.

In these built-up areas, you can do most of your driving without touching the brake pedal. The Micra offers full one-pedal driving so, with the regenerative braking setting at its max level, the car will bring you to a stop when you take your foot off the accelerator.