What they said when the Nissan Micra was new… (Dec 9 2002)
IT is the new baby of the car world, it's made in Britain and it's brilliant.
This is a car that will take the mini market by the scruff of the neck and set new standards for lovers of tiny cars.
Modern, futuristic and with keen prices, the latest Micra is a classy cutey that just oozes style.
Chic, curvy lines, bulbous headlamps and plenty of glass deliver maximum appeal - and Nissan must know it is on to a winner.
The Micra is dynamic inside as well. Roomy and well appointed but well thought out, it is absolutely refreshing in every aspect.
Nissan has announced it is bringing forward the on sale date of the new Micra to January 15 and it has also revealed prices will start from £7,495. That is slightly more than the current version which is available from £7,250 but there is really no comparison between old and new.
I have just put two top range versions of the new car through their paces and both are remarkable.
A 1.2 litre five door SX will set you back £10,495 and a three door SVE version with a 1.4 litre engine comes in at £10,295 and both are terrific value for money.
They are perfect cars for the city slickers who demand flair and cleverness from their car while being kind on the pocket.
Exhaust emission figures of 141g/km for the 1.2 litre put it in the lowest tax banding for the private motorist while the bigger engine just misses out at 154g/km which results in a £120 a year road tax fee.
Not surprisingly the 1.4 litre is more comfortable at motorway speeds than its smaller counterpart, but both are capable of reported top speeds in excess of 100mph. Better still the 1.2 litre can average a claimed 48 miles to the gallon, 44 for the 1.4.
They are nippy and easy to handle, and despite the bulbous shape easy to park. Nissan has even thought of adding bulges to the top of the headlamp lenses to point out where the front of the car ends.
A turning circle of less than 30 feet is class leading and at just 12ft 4ins long and 5ft 5ins wide the Micra is easy to park.
At this level the new Micra comes as fully equipped as imaginable and there are a few features that are truly innovative.
Not least the intelligent key system that uses a credit card sized piece of plastic to unlock the doors and enable the car to be started at the turn of a switch to the side of the steering wheel. Like the system used by Nissan's sister company Renault in the new Megane, the card does not have to be slotted in to the car to make it work - you can keep it in your pocket and it will still function.
All new Micras come with advanced braking systems, remote control central locking, a CD player and even "walk you home headlamps" but the SX and SVE have such added goodies as climate control, operated by some snazzy ivory coloured switches and smart leather/fabric upholstery.
For such a small car the amount of luggage that can be carried has been maximised by a sliding rear seat that can increase boot space from nine to 13.5 cubic feet and there is significant additional storage space beneath the front passenger seat cushion in these higher grade models.
On the high-tech side, the digital information centre in the middle of the facia can even be programmed to remind you of important dates - anniversaries, birthdays and the like - as soon as you start up.
And another feature I have never come across before is a sliding tray which comes out of the glovebox. Big car features such as automatic rain sensing wipers and a rear wiper that clears the back screen as soon as reverse is selected are all included.
The new Micra was one of the most popular cars at the Birmingham Motor Show in October when it made its UK debut with more than 9,000 people expressing interest.
That is not surprising since it really is a breath of fresh air in the car world. This new Sunderland-built supermini is one of the best small cars of all time and it is just great that it is all home grown.
Words: Chris Russon
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