Nissan Micra NISMO S 2015 Review - International

Nissan Micra NIMSO S
Quick Spin
Sodegaura, Japan

What happens when Nissan's banzai performance arm, NISMO, goes to town on the Nissan Micra? Exhilaration levels increase, that's what! For $13,490 you can buy a regular Micra and it’ll get you from A to B and it’s about as exciting as licking stamps. But this one is a different animal with more power, stiffer suspension and a look that screams 'I win at life'.

I've always had a soft spot for hot hatches and in general, the smaller the better. So when the offer to drive a Nissan Micra (aka Nissan March) with extra herbs and spices was made, I jumped.

And I'm glad I did because although this compact corner carver isn't going to set the world on fire, it's got charm, it's got charisma and it's just what Nissan needs in its micro car line-up.

At first it was the Autech-designed body kit that caught my eye, the front end lower and bolder, with neatly tucked-away LED driving lights flanking the large lower air dam. Like all NISMO models a subtle red pinstripe runs the circumference of the car, along the pumped side skirts and a sporty rear apron, the latter featuring a puny diffuser.

NISMO has also added a different exhaust and although it didn't play particularly endearing or memorable music in the cabin, it's got more voice than its donor car whose 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine generates just 56kW and 104Nm. Glass half-full, right?

An extra cylinder and increased displacement ensures more mumbo, the beefed-up Micra NISMO's 1.5-litre four-cylinder gaining 29kW and 52Nm, for a total of 85kW at 6000rpm and 156Nm at 3600rpm.

It might not sound like much mojo but in a lightweight car (1010kg kerb weight) with firm suspension and direct steering, it's more than enough to have a bit of fun.

Enter the short Sodegaura race track in Chiba prefecture, Japan, and hustling the car into the first corner after the main straight revealed a significantly flatter attitude than the regular Micra. Together with recalibrated electric power steering guiding the car through corners, it turns out to be a satisfying affair.

After giving the lead driver (in a Nissan Teana!) a bit of a gee-up and throwing the Micra a little harder – and far less politely – into a few corners at the Sodegaura Forest Raceway, the 16-inch Bridgestone Potenza RE-II tyres (205/45) worked well with the chassis to deliver a feisty, almost go-kart feel. With this in mind, I drove it deeper into corners, threw caution to the wind and, as predicted, it began to shift and slide around more. In a good way.

It's this lively, predictable nature that makes it so much fun to bomb around in… Not unlike when a kid discovers the risky but satisfying combination of a lighter and a can of fly spray, it's good old-fashioned fun.

The NISMO-tuned Micra defaulted to mild understeer if pushed too hard but it was all very progressive. It doesn't snap or fidget, it simply says 'I'm gonna slide now' and it does. Finding the car's grip limit was easy and enjoyable and although there's drum brakes at the rear, the stoppers were up to the task of taming the Micra’s impetus.

Heavily bolstered seats embrace your torso with a kung-fu grip and the Alcantara steering wheel and alloy pedals are nice touches too, making the drive more memorable. For a car this small, it feels a lot sportier and more upmarket than it should.

Acceleration isn't mind-blowing – this is no Ford Fiesta ST in the propulsion department – and the five-speed manual felt a bit loose and had a long throw. That said, blasting through a couple of gears saw 120km/h on the speedo fairly rapidly and the engine spun freely beyond 6000rpm.

Competition? Maybe the Suzuki Swift Sport. That is a $24,490 proposition and although it pumps out more power (100kW) it's got just four Newton metres more twist and weighs more as well. And the Suzuki's interior can't touch the NISMO-fettled Micra.

After a handful of laps and plenty of poking and prodding throughout the impressively finished interior, I'm thinking a car like this would be an absolute bargain for around $23,000. It has a striking look and a premium feel, especially with its large touchscreen infotainment and sat nav system. Combine that with engaging and accessible performance and this vehicle would give the Micra range – and the NISMO brand – a tasty little entry point.

There's been a lot of talk about the NISMO brand and its Australian introduction… and in particular which specific cars will be on offered here and when.

The hard-charging Nissan GT-R NISMO is a slam dunk and will likely kick off proceedings later in 2016, but at the opposite end of the spectrum is this little whipper-snapper, the Micra NISMO S. It's not going to set any lap records on the track or make big profits for the company but it’s entertaining and easy to drive at the limit, and I reckon it would be a great little unit to attack your favourite backroads with.

Nissan Australia won't rule the Micra NISMO S out for this market and although it's yet to confirm its plans regarding NISMO timing and models for Australia, it says this particular rip-snorter is "unlikely".

More's the pity, because this car is a lot more fun than licking stamps.

2015 Nissan Micra NISMO S pricing and specifications:
Price: $23,000 (estimated)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 85kW/156Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel: N/A
CO2: N/A
Safety Rating: N/A

Also consider:
>> Suzuki Swift Sport (from $24,490 plus ORCs)
>> Peugeot 208 GT-Line (from $27,490 plus ORCs)
>> Renault Clio GT  (from $25,490 plus ORCs)