Nissan Micra still on menu for Australia

Nissan Australia hasn’t given up on selling small passenger cars in Australia, where it’s only suck model is the $50,000 LEAF EV.

There’s a desire within the company to offer competitors for the strong-selling Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris and MG3 hatchbacks – and it appears Nissan is spoilt for choice.

The Japanese brand could bring back the Micra hatch, which is no longer a bubble-bodied micro-car but an angular, well-equipped and sophisticated city-car.

On the other hand there’s the Nissan Note, which is one of Japan’s top-selling compact cars and a vehicle that employs a unique e-POWER hybrid powertrain, using a small petrol engine as a generator while an electric motor drives the front wheels.

The Nissan Micra was axed in Australia in 2016 due to dwindling sales, but Nissan Australia chief Stephen Lester told carsales he wants to import the new-generation Micra, which was launched in Europe in late 2016.

“My view for Nissan Australia is that we still need a passenger vehicle – in this case being the Micra, being produced in Europe,” he stated.

The latest Nissan Micra sold in the UK and other EU markets is offered with all the latest tech, including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian recognition, semi-autonomous driver assistance systems, traffic sign recognition, auto high-beam and a modern infotainment system with a touch-screen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It even has the in-seat BOSE speakers that will make their Aussie debut on the new Nissan JUKE coming next month.

The most likely engine for Australia would be the 73kW 0.9-litre three-cylinder petrol engine.

“We’ll continue to work on it and continue to find ways to try improve the business case for it and other vehicles,” explained Lester.

“It’s an ongoing discussion with [Nissan] global on the vehicle. And I would’ve liked to have seen it sooner but there are obviously other pressing topics within the business that need addressing,” he said, referencing Nissan’s recent restructuring plan and the coronavirus pandemic that has hurt new car sales.

Nissan Australia’s current line-up includes five SUVs (JUKE, QASHQAI, X-TRAIL, Pathfinder, Patrol), one light commercial ute (Navara) and two sports cars (370Z, GT-R), plus the LEAF.

As utes and SUVs continue to attract buyers, traditional passenger cars are struggling.

“The segment is under a little bit of pressure, passenger vehicle in general,” conceded Lester, acknowledging that making a case for the Micra is still a challenge.

Nissan’s local boss said the Note could be a viable option Down Under and he talked positively about the e-POWER hybrid version.

Priced at the equivalent of around $23,000 in Japan, the Note e-POWER is propelled by a 80kW/250Nm electric motor that’s recharged by a small 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, and has a cruising range of around 700km.

“Micra and Note are fairly similar,” said Lester. “Note and Note e-POWER certainly has had a tremendous amount of success in Japan and e-POWER is really the cause of all that success in helping redefine the Note itself in the market.

“It’s not in the plans, as in set in stone or decided – we still need to work on how to make that happen,” he said of the Nissan Note.

With the new Nissan JUKE about to launch here and a facelifted Navara ute arriving late this year – and excitement for the upcoming Nissan 400Z brewing – Nissan Australia’s outlook appears positive.