Good looks; nice drive; obvious quality; sharp pricing
Front suspension a tad noisy over bumps; no cruise control; needs a diesel option
Increasing numbers of Australian new car buyers are downsizing. Compact car sales grew last year by more than 21,000 vehicles with predictions small car could amount to around one-third of the total market within just a few years.
With lots of new entrants, it’s an ultra-competitive scene, so the message from buyers to manufacturers of small cars is simple: ”If you want a slice of this action, you need to bring your ‘A-Game’ “.
Nissan has certainly come to play with the all-new Micra sharply priced and nicely specified to tick all of the boxes for buyers in this league.
2011 Nissan Micra ST-L Overview
Nissan says buyers of the all-new Nissan Micra will mostly come from three groups: first time new car buyers seeking contemporary design, innovation and agility; those buying a second family car keen on good performance and low running costs; mature buyers downsizing but still demanding safety and convenience.
Nissan has delivered on those ideas with the all-new Micra which is technically slick, practical and great to drive.
Oh and prices start from $12,990.
Some would suggest the corner milk bar would be making more profit on a chocolate bar than Nissan and others in this no-holds-barred compact car segment are making on complete cars. But that’s all good news for new car buyers.
To see how things stack-up in the all-new Nissan Micra, Car Showroom enjoyed an extended evaluation of two models – the entry-level ST manual ($12,990) and mid-range ST-L automatic ($16,990).
2011 Nissan Micra Engine
Nissan Australia should be commended for including the handy 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engine as the entry-level for the Nissan Micra. Modern engine technology means today’s three-cylinder engines are handy performers and offer clear fuel consumption benefits.
With 56kW of power at 6,000rpm and peak torque of 100Nm at 4,000rpm we found the entry-level Nissan Micra ST was more the competent in both city and rural conditions. And with fuel economy as low as 5.9l/100kms plus exhaust emissions as low as 942g/km…well you’ll be an infrequent visitor to the fuel pump.
In order to meet the twin requirements of fuel frugality and fun-to-drive, Nissan’s engine designers opted for a long stroke design for the new 1.2-litre powerplant. This ensures plenty of torque is available in low to mid-range engine speeds – as used in everyday traffic.
Nissan Micra ST (as tested) and Ti models run the 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine which is good for 75kW of power at 6,000rpm and peak torque of 136Nm at 4,000rpm while returning fuel consumption as low as 6.5l/100kms.
2011 Nissan Micra The Interior
The all-new Nissan Micra rivals previous segment benchmarks, Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 in providing a stylish interior with an up-market feel well beyond its retail sticker. That comes from a combination of modern design, nice tactile feel for the plastics and switchgear, plus high quality materials for the seats and trim.
Both the Nissan Micra ST and ST-L we tested run the same seat cloth and are virtually identical inside except the ST-L gains electric rear windows (ST has electric for the fronts only).
We liked the round instrument binnacle and nice layout for the conventional gauges (large speedometer and smaller rev-counter). In the middle of the speedo is the drive computer screen and this can be programmed to give reminders of important dates like anniversaries and birthdays.
To the left, on the center console - and nicely trimmed in modern silver - are the audio system (Bluetooth-compatible, four-speaker single CD with MP3 input and remote steering wheel controls) and the air-conditioning. Further to the left is the glovebox with a clever additional storage rack.
Front seats are reasonably supportive and offer height adjustment. The nicely trimmed three-point steering wheel only adjusts for rake.
The rear seat legroom is on par for this segment and the seat split folds 60/40 for access to the luggage area (capacity 251-litres).
2011 Nissan Micra Exterior & Styling
Nissan Micra might be a compact hatchback but that doesn’t mean it skimps on the technology – a perfect example is the roof. Nissan Micra has some noticeable grooves and scallops on top, which blend into the subtle rear spoiler - these reduce noise-producing resonance inside the cabin (often an issue at speed in compact cars) and also minimize drag for reduced fuel consumption.
Overall the design of the all-new Nissan Micra is more sophisticated than its predecessor. The large glasshouse gives the Nissan Micra a taller appearance and the prominent wheel arches - while not as exaggerated as the Mazda2 – are contemporary and stylish, lending a substantial on-road appearance.
And the previous model Nissan Micra’s over-size headlights have gone – the all-new model features a more conservative front end (range-topping Ti models gain a chrome surround for the front grille).
2011 Nissan Micra On The Road
Our extended test allowed the opportunity to put both the 1.2-litre ST and 1.5-litre ST-L Nissan Micras through our test procedures covering all types of city/rural conditions.
Our advice for those on tight budgets would be to not dismiss the 1.2-litre model – it’s a pocket rocket which more than holds its own, even on freeways and twisty mountain roads. For example at 100km/h the 1.2-litre Nissan Micra cruises at 3,000rpm in fifth gear while the larger 1.5-litre is equally comfortable at just 2,800rpm in fourth gear (automatic transmission) – not much to split them there.
Sure, over our high-speed mountain roads loop you needed to frequently shift cogs in the manual five-speed to maintain momentum in the Nissan Micra ST – but that slick gearbox was sporty in its operation and response from the 1.2-litre was impressive for a three-cylinder.
Both models displayed excellent grip and high standard chassis balance over the twisty stuff.
Of course around town is the natural domain for most Nissan Micras – the 3,780mm overall length, minute 9.0-metre turning circle (Nissan says this is smallest in class) plus excellent all-round visibility delivers an easy-to-drive – and park – package.
2011 Nissan Micra Challenges
With speed cameras breeding faster than a locust plague, the Nissan Micra (like many other rival compact cars) should have cruise control as standard.
Melbourne’s numerous tram and train track crossings produced some noise/harshness from the front suspension of the Nissan Micra (again a trait shared with many rivals).
And we reckon the Nissan-Renault alliance must have a small modern turbo-diesel engine somewhere which would fit under the Nissan Micra bonnet.
2011 Nissan Micra Verdict
At Car Showroom we’ve been huge fans of the all-new Nissan Micra since our first acquaintance and this extended test of both ST and ST-L variants confirmed our opinion that this is one of the very best amongst the current crop of compact hatchbacks.
It’s got looks, the practicality and driving dynamics from the top shelf.
And Nissan has certainly got the pricing spot-on
2011 Nissan Micra The Competition
Without a doubt the compact hatchback segment is one of the most competitive. The good news for new cars buyers is that competition is resulting in great cars at great prices.
Ford has just updated the Fiesta lineup and added a sedan variant, the Hyundai i20 is an award-winner, Mazda2 is great (and also has a sedan option), Honda’s Jazz and City are both slick, while Toyota’s Yaris, the Holden Barina and Suzuki Alto/Swift are big-sellers because they’re competent as well.
To be absolutely certain you need to take your time and look for the best deal.
