Brand new Nissan Micra arrives in SA
With South Africa’s small car market booming, manufacturers are doing everything within their power to stay ahead of the curve. Nissan has followed suit and have released a car that tries to punch above its weight. They aim to kickstart sales at around 300 units per month with an end goal of embedding themselves in the South African small car market. With an interior that looks and feels a notch above its class and a punchy turbocharged 0.9L engine, with good economy, it promises to be an incredibly good city run-around.
Getting into a small city-hatchback and driving 200Km with a smile on your face says something about this car. The new Nissan Micra is worlds apart from the outgoing model and to most, is barely recognisable both inside and out.
How does it drive?
Friendly and predictable, but by no means a full spec sports car, Nissan Micra is fun and lively, even in torrential Cape Town rain. On the meandering R321 the car remains composed and soaks up uneven roads and bumps with ease. The small capacity engine although incredibly capable needs to be worked to make power, which means that the quoted consumption of 5.1L/100Km comes closer to 7L/100Km with spirited driving peppered in-between civilised cruising
Interior
Inside this compact class hatchback are where the major changes lie. Nissan has added leathery material to the sides of the centre console and the dashboard has been livened up with a colourful, patterned material which is soft to the touch. There is now an incredibly intuitive touch screen infotainment system which controls the audio and navigation while also incorporating apple car play. The patterned front and rear seats are incredibly comfortable even on long journeys, but the sloping roofline means rear passenger headroom is drastically lessened. Isofix comes standard for the rear seats.
What are your options?
There are 3 options to choose from – Namely the Visa, Acenta and Acenta Plus (In ascending order). All models come with a 0.9L 66kW powerplant and a 5-speed manual transmission. Prices start at R233 500 through R272 400. Among the many optional extras are sporty stickers packs, chunky 17” alloys and an orange seat and interior trim.
Verdict
The all-new Nissan Micra is a simple yet effective tool. It is comfortable, predictable, spacious and powerful enough for everyday driving. Nissan has pivoted slightly with the new Micra – with the target audience now enjoying technology and features borrowed from higher-end vehicles. The overall product has been made more exciting with buyers now able to opt for a colour vinyl wrap to make the car look sportier. A punchy engine and completely redesigned angular look on the exterior hint at the Micra being synonymous with fun and efficiency.
