Seeing this cute little car, which we got for a test in a funny blue color, I immediately smiled involuntarily. Its streamlined shapes, funny optics with protruding "horns" and almost complete absence of overhangs create the image of some tropical bug. This appearance is especially popular with the fair sex — behind the wheel of a Nissan Micra you see women much more often than men. After the recent restyling, the model has become even more attractive, acquiring a new front bumper with fog lights and transparent turn signal repeaters.
In high spirits, I approach the car, press a small black button on the door handle, and the lock obediently opens. Wow! There is a keyless entry system here. For a small class car, this is very unexpected. There is no usual key at all — it is made in the form of a key fob. And the engine is started with a small round handle in place of the usual ignition switch. Inside, the Micra is very similar to its platform sibling, the Nissan Note, but with some differences in details. And the interior here is excellent! The original and pleasant texture of the plastic on the front panel, a neat and informative instrument cluster, a comfortable steering wheel with music control buttons and stylish climate control "washers" — everything is made with quality and pleases the eye. The only fly in the ointment is the seats, which have no lateral support at all.
But those who like to stow small items in compartments will be in for a pleasant surprise — there are plenty of them! In addition to the standard door pockets, the Micra has a spacious "hiding place" under the front passenger seat and a convenient tray in the glove box for A4 documents. Rear passengers will also be fine. For particularly tall people, there is a rear seat that adjusts longitudinally. Driving without luggage? Then you can safely slide it back. And if you need more space for cargo, slide the seat forward and increase the trunk, and you can go shopping. If you need to transport something bulky, the seat back can be folded down.
The cute and comfortable interior is made with quality and from pleasant-to-the-touch materials.
The ergonomics of the Micra are in perfect order. All buttons and switches raise no questions and do not make you dig into the manual to find their purpose. The only thing that slightly spoiled the impression was the automatic transmission selector. It moves in a straight line, and due to the lack of indication on the instrument panel, you can sometimes miss the desired position.
The trunk and rear seats are not impressive in size, but the sliding rear seat allows you to find a good compromise. And the tray for A4 documents is very convenient!
Well, now — let's go! Under the rather loud but pleasant roar of the 1.4-liter 88-horsepower engine, the blue "bug" leaves the underground parking lot. The first meters along Moscow streets surprise — the Micra merges into traffic quite confidently and causes no discomfort at all. And this is not only due to its compact size and excellent visibility. The "automatic" transmission, although 4-speed, responds to the driver's actions quite adequately and does not annoy with long delays. And if you press the "Overdrive off" button, limiting the gearbox to three gears, you can even have some fun — especially since the electric power steering is not too intrusive, and with increasing speed the steering wheel becomes heavier and more informative. The brake pedal is also well tuned, allowing precise modulation of deceleration.
The bright and original appearance is unlikely to allow the Nissan Micra to be confused with any other car. But the design is still not for everyone.
After a couple of hours of driving around Moscow, you forget that you are behind the wheel of a small car with an openly "feminine" appearance. The behavior on the road is quite "adult", comparable to cars of a higher class. The Micra's suspension steadfastly withstands potholes, joints and tram tracks of Moscow roads, without causing unpleasant emotions and providing sufficient comfort. The decent stock audio system with a 6-disc changer thoughtfully increases the volume as speed increases. Automatically switching on headlights and wipers allow you not to think about changing weather and time of day. And Moscow drivers do not offend the Micra — with polite behavior, they always let it pass. Maybe they hope to see a pretty blonde behind the wheel?
The Nissan Micra is a native resident of the metropolis, but country trips are not alien to it either. The car confidently holds 160 km/h on a suburban highway without straining the driver. And it dives into corners quite willingly, of course, within reasonable limits. The relatively soft suspension and narrow "economy" tires (175/60 R15 Continental EcoContact) are not the best allies for attacking steep bends. However, you slip out of the seats, devoid of lateral support, before the car slides off the arc with the front axle. But such cars are not bought for this, and the mentioned 160 kilometers are mostly covered in a week. So let's leave racing to other cars and switch back to measured driving along the night highway, enjoying the pleasant illumination of the instruments and decent sound insulation.
The Nissan Micra only looks like a toy from the outside, looking at the world with surprised eyes. In all other respects, it is a quite "real" and balanced car.
To sign up for a course of "microtherapy", you need to pay at least $12,990. For this money, a 3-door Micra in Comfort-M trim with an 80-horsepower 1.2-liter engine and a manual gearbox is available. Of the pleasant little things — only ABS, 2 airbags, heated front seats, headlight washers and an electric package (heated mirrors and front power windows). The next step is the Comfort trim with the same engine for $14,750 ($14,300 for the 3-door version). It already includes air conditioning, a sliding rear seat, body-colored bumpers, mirrors and tailgate handle. For an automatic transmission, you will have to pay an additional $1,000.
You get the Nissan emblem and headlight washer in the base trim, but the convenience of not taking the key out of your pocket and body-colored door handles are the privilege of the "top" Luxury version.
And the Micra we tested with the 1.4 engine and automatic transmission is offered only in the "top" Luxury trim ($18,680), which includes all of the above. The only surprise was the absence of electric rear window lifts. However, the perfectly working climate control allows you to forget about their existence altogether. The three-door in this version will be $450 cheaper. Active drivers are addressed by the Tekna trim, available only with a 5-door body and a manual gearbox. It differs from Luxury in tinted head optics, a roof spoiler and special interior trim. Tekna is priced at $18,380 for the version with a 1.4-liter engine. Less ambitious "drivers" can save $1,030 by choosing the version with a 1.2-liter engine.
After driving the car for a couple of days, you finally understand that the Nissan Micra is not at all a "dummy" with a bright appearance, but a full-fledged and very balanced car. It is excellently equipped, easily moves in dense city traffic, happily shows off its plump but elegant shapes in traffic jams, cheerfully rushes after other cars when starting from a traffic light, and if necessary, will take a cheerful company to the dacha. And most importantly, it does not cause unpleasant emotions or irritation, and is always able to lift your spirits with its sessions of microtherapy.
Here is the revised test drive text:
## Nissan Note: small, but mighty
When I was offered to test drive the Nissan Note, I honestly didn't expect anything extraordinary. A compact hatchback designed for the city — what could be interesting about it? But, as practice has shown, I was wrong. This little one can surprise.
You immediately notice its dimensions. The length is only 3715 mm, but inside, as the saying goes, "it's cramped, but not offensive." Thanks to the high roof (1525 mm) and thoughtful layout, you feel quite at ease in the rear seat. But the most interesting part is the rear seats. They can not only fold in a 60/40 ratio but also slide forward and backward! I haven't seen such a "feature" in any of its classmates. This allows you to vary the legroom for passengers or the trunk volume. The latter, by the way, ranges from 371 to 584 liters — impressive numbers for such a small car.
Under the hood, we have a naturally aspirated gasoline engine with a displacement of 1.4 liters (1386 cm³), producing 88 horsepower at 5600 rpm. Torque is 128 Nm, available from 3200 rpm. By modern standards, it's modest, but for the city, it's more than enough. Paired with a five-speed manual, the engine comes alive. Acceleration to 100 km/h is, of course, not sports-car-like (I unfortunately didn't remember the official figures, but the feeling is brisk), but for active maneuvering in traffic, it's more than sufficient.
What I really liked, though, is the suspension. Up front — classic McPherson struts, at the rear — a torsion beam. The tuning seemed exemplary for this class: energy-intensive but not "jelly-like." It swallows small joints and potholes with enviable composure, and on larger bumps, it doesn't annoy with shaking. The steering — with electric power assist, light and informative. The turning circle is only 9.8 meters, making U-turns on narrow streets and parking in "pockets" a pleasure.
The brakes also didn't disappoint. Up front — ventilated discs, at the rear — simple drums. But the main thing is that the base includes ABS, brake force distribution, and even Brake Assist. You feel confident even during hard braking.
Inside — pleasant minimalism. Leather steering wheel, silver inserts on the panel, a convenient drawer under the passenger seat. An audio system with a CD player, with controls on the steering wheel, is a nice bonus. The onboard computer will show fuel consumption, which, by the way, pleased: in the city — about 8.6 liters, on the highway — only 5.8. Combined cycle — 6.8 liters. For a 975-kilogram car, that's an excellent figure.
As for safety, everything is in order: front and side airbags, active headrests, three-point seatbelts with pretensioners, ISOFIX anchors, as well as a chip key with immobilizer and central locking.
The Nissan Note is not just a compact hatchback. It's a well-thought-out city car that surprises with its practicality and driving comfort. It doesn't try to be sporty or flashy, but it does its job flawlessly. If you need a smart, spacious, and economical car for a metropolis, this "little one" definitely deserves your attention. It proved to me that big capabilities can be hidden in a small body.