THE Nissan Micra Sport SR is funky. How do I know? My daughter told me so.
At the age of 11 her driving days are still a while off, but nevertheless she informed me that the Micra, or something looking much like it, would be her first car. Bought of course by yours truly.
Her views to one side for a moment - the revamp of the Micra helps expand its range of potential buyers from the decidedly older market to a much hipper, younger set.
Clearly the design gurus at Nissan were told to weave their magic, and they've largely succeeded.
The exterior of the Sport SR gets a new bodykit and paint job not for the faint-hearted. The result is an edginess in design terms the Micra never had before.
It stands out from the crowd never failing to attract the interest of passers-by and fellow motorists.
Step inside the car and the button-pushers among you are catered for with a high level of specification that gives a buyer oodles of kit for the £10,995 price-tag.
On offer are a radio/CD player, central locking, electronic brakeforce distribution - handy in a small car with a big attitude when the lights go green - and electric front windows.
Also included are power steering, wheel-mounted stereo controls, electric door mirrors, climate control, Alcantara upholstery plus automatic headlights and wipers.
The rear bench is able to slide backwards or forwards maximising luggage and legroom - but sadly not both. The boot is small when the bench is at its rearmost and when folded forward to increase the load area, it takes up a lot of space.
The front-seat occupants are well looked after, but the curved roof means rear headroom is a little tight for adults.
The driver benefits from a steering wheel that adjusts for height and an adjustable seat so most people will be able to find a comfortable position.
Visibility is excellent all-round due to the expanse of glass given to this city car.
The dash is neatly laid out and easy to use with all the controls clearly labelled.
Nissan have reduced the number of engines available in the Micra from six to four with the 1.6-litre petrol unit powering the model I drove.
It gives the car plenty of get up and go around town as well as being a reasonable performer on the motorway. An average fuel economy figure of almost 43mpg and low insurance and company car tax bills make it easy on the wallet.
The other engines on offer are 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre petrols, and a 1.5-litre diesel.
The Micra handles competently with a decent amount of grip, but the ride is on the firm side - in line with its 'Sport' tag - so don't expect much give when it comes to bumps, humps and hollows.
The Micra may be small but it contains a large amount of safety equipment including front and side airbags, seatbelt pretensioners and active headrests. Stability control is also fitted to the Sport model.
Nissan has an enviable record for reliability which the Micra does nothing to harm as it's well put together and feels tough enough to cope with anything the big city can throw at it.
FAST FACTS
Nissan Micra 1.6 Sport SR 3dr
Price: £10,995
Mechanical: 110bhp, 1,598cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 114mph
0-62mph: 9.8 secs
Combined mpg: 42.8
Insurance group: 6
CO2 emissions: 158g/km
BiK rating: 18%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust