Nissan Micra Ti 2015 Review

Nissan Micra 2015 Review

Nissan's Micra hatch has been a small-car stalwart in Australia for two decades, with more than 51,000 finding homes here since 1995 and the latest-generation K13 attracting just over 2400 customers in 2014 – its fourth year on sale following its local launch in December 2010. They're relatively small numbers – and about 45 per cent down on the previous year – in a fledgling micro-car segment that contracted by almost a third last year and was led by the cheaper Mitsubishi Mirage the now more expensive Fiat 500. In the absence of the short-lived Micra-based Almera sedan, Nissan hopes the second Micra upgrade in two years will improve the popularity of its smallest and cheapest model before it's replaced by an all-new model within another couple of years.

This is not so much a car review but a spec-check, because the MY15 Micra brings no mechanical changes from the upgraded model released in January 2013, when it introduced a new 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine across the range.

As such, the latest Micra is powered by the same 56kW/104Nm DOHC triple as before, matched to the same five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions.

That might sound lame, but it's par for the course in a class where all of its most direct sub-$15,000 micro rivals come with the same gearbox options (or a CVT auto, in the case of the Suzuki Celerio and Mirage) and even less performance – except for the Mirage, which outputs 57kW, and the Holden Barina Spark, which offer 59kW and 107Nm, but is heavier at 967kg.

In fact, the paltry outputs are quite adequate in this tiny 3825mm-long body, which weighs just 943kg, even if the diminutive three-pot sounds coarse around 6000rpm and would work better with more ratios in its auto-box, which delivers best results with the overdrive off button pushed around town.

There's just enough power on the freeway, where the tiny five-door presents stability that belies its size, and only the significantly lighter 830kg Suzuki Celerio feels (slightly) quicker in this class, despite packing a smaller (1.0-litre) and less powerful (50kW/90Nm) triple than consumes more than a litre less 91 RON petrol per 100km than the Micra (5.9L/100km).

While the original Micra was imported from the UK, Australian sourcing of the current generation has switched from Thailand to Indonesia and now India.

Like the Suzuki, the Nissan is well screwed together and displays a good level of interior fit and finish, although there are hard plastics on every cabin surface, the steering wheel doesn't telescope and we found the front seats too hard, flat and high, even with the adjustable driver's seat at its lowest position in the Ti we drove.

There's good vision in all directions though and plenty of head room, but the Celerio offers acres more rear leg room – although boot space is lineball at about 250 litres in both cars, augmented by a 60/40-split rear seat.

It's also a good match for the Micra in terms of handling dynamics, which are at least a cut above both the Mirage and Spark.

Sure, the steering's a little vague and body roll pronounced when hustled, but the Micra's chassis feels taut, its body well insulated and ride quality plush enough, even if the tyres can get noisy on broken roads.

The MY15 facelift brings with it a new bonnet, fresh headlights, redesigned front bumper with 'V' grille, revised tailgate and new wheels.

Together with a new 'Miami Blue' hero colour, the exterior updates give the Micra a more distinctive look than before, but the K13 remains far more vanilla than either its original namesake or its effeminate predecessor.

The freshen up continues inside, where there's a revamped centre stack, new instruments, updated seat upholstery and other trim changes.

We covered the spec changes here, but at this end of the market it's worth recapping the fact Nissan's city-car range still opens at $13,490 plus on-road costs for the entry-level ST manual, while the auto costs the same $1800 extra at $15,290.

Now thrown in at no extra cost at the most popular base level is cruise control, rear power windows, USB connectivity and factory-fit Bluetooth with audio streaming – features expected even in the cheapest new cars.

At the same time, however, the mid-grade ST-L variant has been axed from facelifted line-up and in its place is a revised Ti flagship that now costs $2000 less than before at $16,990 plus ORCs – the same as the discontinued ST-L auto.

Extra standard features for the auto-only Ti, which also gains Bluetooth with audio streaming and USB connectivity, is 5.8-inch touch-screen satellite-navigation and a reverse camera, giving the top-shelf Micra a big lift in equipment and putting it on par with many more expensive light-cars.

On the flip side, however, some Ti equipment has been removed, including i-Key, rear parking sensors, climate-control, handbag holder and electric folding mirrors.

So at base level the Micra and Celerio line up almost identically with a better than average driving experience and more standard equipment than you also might expect, including six airbags, stability control, anti-lock brakes, four speakers, power windows, driver's seat adjuster, 14-inch steel wheels and a space-saver spare. They both also come with a four-star ANCAP safety rating.

And while the Suzuki stacks up better here because it costs at least $500 less and includes on-road costs, the up-spec Micra Ti steps ahead with a number of extras the single-model Suzuki can't match, such as a reversing camera, touch-screen navigation, 15-inch alloys, foglights and auto headlights – albeit for $3000 extra.

Then again, at $17,000 plus ORCs the Ti is well into the same price territory as larger and more dynamic German designed light cars like the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo, even if they're not as well specified.

So while the base Micra ST remains one of the best -- and best value -- value city-cars on the market, the Ti flagship stacks up against similarly priced cars only if you prioritise equipment over space.