“Once you have caught the moment to switch, you go like the fire brigade”
With the name ‘Micra’, Nissan has a now iconic name on its hands. Although the Micra badge was not always attached to the most sparkling models, it does have a positive association. Whether the provisionally last generation, internally called K14, is able to uphold that name? Owners and users share their experiences with the Nissan Micra.
Although the Micra, launched in 2016, quietly disappeared from the scene, it is not excluded that a successor with the same name will come. This will share its basis with the new Renault 5. This is nothing new for the Micra, of which the generation discussed in this article already shared genes with the Renault Clio. Under the hood there was a choice of a 1.0-liter three-cylinder with 71 hp and two compact three-cylinder turbo engines with 0.9 and 1.0 liter capacity.
Known numbers? Beats! This is indeed the 0.9 and 1.0 TCe engines that have been delivered in various Renaults. Although the 1.0 was briefly available with 100 hp, you could only buy it with 92 hp in recent years. Those who wanted a diesel could opt for a 90 hp 1.5 DCi, but as is usual in this segment, it played a role in the margin.
Space and ease of use
Despite the name, the last generation Micra is no longer a small car. Compared to its predecessor, it grew no less than 21.9 centimeters in length, which brings the total to just under 4 meters. Whether the Micra is also a spacious car? That depends on your perspective. “The space in the back is downright lousy. I’m 1.75 meters tall and I’m stuck behind myself,” said the owner of a 2018 Micra Tekna. “My head hits the roof and my knees are squeezing against the front seats,” he concludes his lament. Positive note: “The trunk space, on the other hand, is more than spacious at 300 litres. It can easily fit three weekend bags.”
Speaking of that perspective, a taller owner experiences the space as follows: “The interior space is good. 3 kids fit in the back seat when my wife is driving. When I’m driving, with my 1.91 meters, it’s just tight to sit behind me. But for family trips we have a different car.” Another tall driver barely uses the back seat. His experience is as follows: “In terms of comfort, nothing to complain about, I’m 1.90 meters tall and I have plenty of room. In fact, I don’t even have the seat all the way back.” Owners are generally very positive about the atmosphere on board, including this driver of a 2018 Micra N-Connecta: “During the test drive, I noticed that the Micra had much better response to the steering wheel than the Clio, the seat is much more comfortable and the whole interior looks much more up-to-date.”
How does the Micra drive?
The last generation Micra looks smoother than any previous generation. Whether that translates into a corresponding handling? “Driving characteristics are very pleasant. Although most of the technology comes from France, it is certainly not a soft carpet,” says a Micra driver who has probably never driven a Renault Clio. He continues: “The Nissan is rather firmly sprung and likes a fast corner.” The comment is supported by another driver. “The handling is very nice, I’m a sporty driver myself and I’m surprised how fast you can go through the corner with this car.” That road behavior also has a downside. “Note: the car has fairly stiff suspension and, in combination with the 17-inch wheels underneath, is not intended for the driver who prefers a comfortable ride.”
A more frequent comment relates to the engine character. It seems to take a while before the turbo builds up power, so that the engine just starts to pick up speed when one is about to upshift. Experience that this owner as follows: “When starting off I noticed that I had to get used to the clutch and the way of upshifting. Around 2,800 rpm, the turbo suddenly kicks in and you get a big push in your back, even if you accelerate very slowly. This is exactly the rev range you want to shift into when driving in the city. The heads present in the car therefore shoot backwards when accelerating and forwards when shifting. Not very comfortable.”
This driver also had to cross a threshold: “I had to get used to shifting gears. If you don’t shift gears at the right time, the engine is as dead as a dodo, but once you’ve got the gear, it goes like the fire brigade. After a while you get used to it and you have a nice car that keeps up with modern traffic.”
The owner of a 100 hp three-cylinder recognizes this behavior from a test drive, although it did not bother him. “The suddenly emerging turbo in the previous 90 hp version did not bother me in the test car, but with this new engine that has also been solved. The turbo comes in gradually.”
Infotainment and controls Nissan Micra
Nissan’s multimedia system does not get its hands together. The tone is set by the owner of a 2018 copy: “A state-of-the-art entertainment system, that’s how Nissan announced this. They were absolutely right if this had been introduced ten years earlier.” The experience is complemented by another rider. He notes: “The navigation is far behind. Roads that have been changed more than a year ago are not shown on the map. As a result, you are forced to use your own navigation system for longer distances.” In addition, the screen appears to reflect in sunlight, making fingerprints stand out even more.
Positive notes – yes – sound for the audio system. The Bose system in particular is driving drivers excited. “The sound is very good and you can adjust it to taste,” writes this Tekna driver. “I have the bass slightly heavier than the standard setting and it is deep. Despite the heavy bass, nothing creaks in the interior.” A boost for the multimedia system: “Connecting to my iPhone via Bluetooth is quick and easy. Hands-free calling works well and I can also be heard on the other end of the line.” The owner of an ’18 Micra Tekna concludes: “The music system was great from minute 1, much better than anything I’ve ever been used to”.
Problems and irritations with Nissan Micra
We do not encounter major reliability problems while reading reviews, although that does not mean that the Micra is faultless. A common complaint relates to the climate control. Nissan’s climate control system tends to heat the cabin more than necessary. “Nissan fails to make and keep the climate in the car pleasant,” writes an owner who suffers from this. “It’s either too hot or too cold and it usually makes it stuffy.”
Practical experience Nissan Micra: conclusion
All in all, the last-generation Micra seems like a great choice on the more forgotten side of the B segment. Those who opt for an early 90 hp version will have to deal with a difficult to dose engine power, which generally also applies to the automatic climate control. According to owners, those looking for optimal driving comfort should look further: the chassis of the Micra is quite sturdy, which is perceived as a plus by sportier drivers. Apart from some of the aforementioned striking features, the car seems to please its drivers.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl