Micra major marvel

THE Sunderland-built Nissan Micra sits in the supermini class, which is arguably the most hotly contested sector of the UK car market.

It attracts all types of drivers, from those who live in the city and need a runabout, to pensioners who want something “sensible”, small families, learner drivers and young, inexperienced drivers who need something that is cost-effective to run in terms of fuel consumption and insurance.

The only snag with the Nissan Micra was that it was looking rather fuddy-duddy. Please welcome the all-new Nissan Micra...

The biggest compliment you can give this new Micra is that it looks nothing like its predecessor. It’s thoroughly modern and utterly desirable. The quality of build by the workers at the Sunderland plant is outstanding and the high levels of reliability are a gimme.

Something else has changed – the new Nissan Micra is great to drive. It offers serious fun to keen drivers, yet still manages to pootle around town without a hiccup. The ride is comfortable at all times.

Prices for the new Nissan Micra start at a very reasonable £11,995 and there are more than 100 different configurations in terms of colour, trim and accessories.

The range includes five different trim levels and three engine choices. The power units are a pair of petrol engines (1.0-litre 70bhp and 0.9-litre 89bhp) and a 1.5-litre, 89bhp diesel. The pick of the trio is probably the 0.9-litre petrol unit, which gives you a 0-60 time of 12 seconds and a fuel return of up to 64mpg. If you want the ultimate in economy, head for the diesel, which will stretch things to around 88mpg, while still being as quick as the 0.9 petrol model. In terms of trim, you get five to choose from but even the entrylevel Visia comes with Bluetooth, tyre pressure monitor, electric front windows, remote central locking, front fog lights, auto headlights and wipers, lane departure warning and automatic emergency braking. However, you’d have to shell out an extra £950 to get the Visia+, which adds air conditioning and stop-start technology to improve your economy.

Overall, the new Nissan Micra is a quantum leap from the previous version. It is great to drive, very economical, comfy, well equipped, should be utterly reliable and represents excellent value for money. If you are looking for a car in this class, make sure the Nissan Micra is on your list of test drives. It can’t fail.