IT'S one of the smallest coupe-cabriolets around and certainly one of the cutest.
With the roof up it has somewhat of an odd shape but with it lowered it's decidedly stylish and certainly eye catching, which is probably why the Nissan Micra C+C appeals to so many female drivers.
But don't be fooled. Despite its diminutive dimensions the Nissan Micra C+C has quality written all the way through it - like a stick of rock.
And unlike a lot of coupe-cabriolets this one is light and airy even with the roof in place - as that roof is made of glass.
When you want open top motoring the whole thing disappears in just 22 seconds, and you don't have to touch a thing except one electric button. The Micra C+C is too civilised a car to ask you to fiddle with roof releases or to clamp the roof back on to the windscreen surround having raised it back into place.
The glass roof divides into just two sections and folds, clamshell like, into the boot space but still leaves enough room for a decent sized suitcase, although you would have to put it in first and raise the roof to get it out again.
What's really surprising about the C+C is the size of the boot. With the roof firmly in place it's enormous and has more space than the average family hatchback. In fact it is so large you could fit in a whole collection of suitcases for the family holiday.
One small downside of this is that the boot lid itself has to be large, and with the extra hinging to allow it to receive the roof, it's heavier that you would expect.
The Micra is listed as a 2+2 but while there are two seats in the rear there is no legroom to speak of to go with them. So unless you have really tiny children it's best to accept that this space is better viewed as an extra luggage area.
What's also impressive about the Micra C+C is the build quality and finish.
This particular car was the 1.6 Active Luxury which, at £15,495, is the most expensive in the line up but comes with all you could ever want in a small car and more.
Standard features include sports seats in nappa leather and Alcantara, automatic air conditioning, six-CD autochanger and 16 inch dark alloy wheels - not to mention a whole raft of safety features.
It also comes with Nissan's intelligent key, which basically means that as long as you have the key in your pocket the car locks and unlocks automatically as you put your hand on the door handle. The same thing applies to starting the car. You simply push down on the footbrake and turn a switch behind the steering wheel where the ignition key would normally go.
On the road the little car has a very solid, well put together feel about it and is exceptionally quiet. Despite being in the Micra family it is longer and lower than the saloon, which partly accounts for a completely different ride. And surprisingly it shares very few body panels.
It's not designed to be a sports car but the 1.6-litre will hit 62mph in a creditable 10.6 seconds, and I averaged 40mpg.
The Micra C+C is one of those cars that stands out in the crowd and with such good fuel consumption and the option of wind in your hair driving in just a few seconds it certainly has a lot of street cred.
FAST FACTS
Nissan Micra C+C 1.6 Active Luxury 2dr
Price: £15,495
Mechanical: 110bhp, 1,598cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 118mph
0-62mph: 10.6 secs
Combined mpg: 42.2
Insurance group: 7
CO2 emissions: 160g/km
BiK rating: 19%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust