Nissan Micra interior, tech and practicality

Everything we like and dislike about the layout of the Renault 5’s interior is present in the Nissan Micra. Nissan has done little except change the badge on the steering wheel and offer a few different interior trimmings.

The two screens are placed next to each other on top of the dashboard, although it’s a bit disappointing that the smaller driver’s display leaves a large plastic bezel above it.

You don’t have to rely on the touchscreen for everything, because there’s a delightfully tactile row of metallic physical controls underneath. The steering wheel is full of proper buttons as well – they look like touch panels but operate with a reassuring click.

One minor annoyance that the Micra shares with various Renaults is the sheer number of stalks around the steering wheel. Sprouting out of the right-hand side of the wheel is the column gear shift, the wiper controls and the audio controls – plus the drive mode selector. They’re all different shapes and all feel unique, so your fingers will quickly memorise which is which, although it’s still quite easy to hit the wrong one while you’re manoeuvring.

Most Micras come with a smart black interior, although it’s not exactly exciting. You need to go for the top-spec Evolve model if you want the ‘Audacious’ interior (blue and white upholstery with orange piping) or the ‘Chill’ interior (beige and white upholstery with blue piping).

We’d swerve the base-spec Engage model, because it’s only available with the smaller battery and with three boring monochrome paint colour options. Standard equipment is decent, though, with lane-keep assist, auto emergency braking, rear parking sensors and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Advance unlocks both battery options and the full palette of colours, including two-tone paint schemes. It’s also the cheapest trim to give you the full Google infotainment integration, which is well worth having. On top of this, Advance adds in a wireless phone charging pad, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, adaptive cruise control and a reversing camera.

Top-spec Evolve only comes with the bigger battery, and includes even more equipment such as a heated steering wheel and heated front seats.

You might expect to see the same infotainment system as in a Juke or Qashqai, but instead it’s a very lightly reskinned Renault system. Happily, the Micra’s infotainment system is a joy to use. The native menus offer zingy graphics and quick responses, and the sticky bar of shortcut icons makes it easy to jump from one function to another.

Go for a mid-spec or high-spec model and you’ll enjoy built-in Google Maps, Google voice assistant and access to the tech giant’s app store – so you can download extra functions to the car. That could be YouTube for catching up with your favourite channels while you’re charging, or an internet radio provider for receiving a vast selection of stations. Having Google Maps integrated into the car’s screen gives you live-traffic updates, recent road layout changes and the ability to find EV chargers and plan long journeys around your stops.

The audio system is different for each trim level, too. Basic cars get a four-speaker system, Advance includes two extra speakers, and top-spec cars feature an upgraded nine-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo.

Rear-seat space is more compact than we’d like, but a couple of average-sized adults will be happy enough for short-ish journeys. Legroom is adequate but tall adults will feel like they’re hugging their knees, while headroom is similarly adequate because the floor is higher to accommodate the battery pack. That also means there’s not a lot of foot room under the seats.

Although the new Micra is wider than before and you’ve got five seatbelts, it won’t be comfortable for three people sitting across the rear bench. The middle seat is very slim and the seat base is raised up, so whoever’s sitting there will feel awkwardly perched and very close to the roof.

Intrusion from the wheel arch makes the door opening quite narrow, which will make it harder to get in for passengers with limited mobility. The aperture is also likely to make it tricky to negotiate a child seat in, although the easy-access Isofix points reduce the stress of clipping it in properly once you’ve got it through the door.

The Micra’s 326-litre is about average for the supermini class, and it’ll be enough for a couple of suitcases or sports gear. There’s a chunky load lip to overcome, however, and not much in the way of hooks or tethers to keep your stuff from rolling around.

When you need extra luggage capacity, the rear seats fold in a 60:40 split to offer a maximum of 1,106 litres. Annoyingly, the seats don’t fold flat and leave a giant step that makes it tricky to load certain items.