2015 Nissan Micra a great little runabout
What is a car but four wheels, seats and a steering wheel? Basic transportation: It’s all anyone really needs. But for a long time, an inexpensive yet still fun-to-drive car has been missing from Canada’s automotive landscape.
Enter the 2015 Nissan Micra.
Inexpensive? The base S model starts at $9,998. No frills, this car. One has to manually crank the windows open and closed. There are people who appreciate this kind of simplicity.
Next, there’s an SV trim, which adds heated and body-coloured side mirrors, remote keyless entry and power windows to the basic car. It starts at $13,698.
Finally, there is the sporty SR version, with a rear roof spoiler, side sill spoilers, front fog lights, 16-inch alloy rims and contrast-stitch seats. It has an MSRP of $15,748.
Regardless of the trim, a 1.6-litre inline four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual gearbox lurk under the hood. Across the range a four-speed automatic transmission is an available option.
Meet this week’s Reader Review test driver, Lynne Nieman. She’s a Calgarian who says, for her, simpler is better. Nieman likes bare-bones sensibility, and can do without technology, such as a navigation system or Bluetooth connectivity in a vehicle.
She learned to drive in Saskatchewan, and vehicles she has owned include Volvos, Toyotas and Mazdas. She now drives a 2008 Mazda3.
“I need a vehicle that does well in the city and on the highway — basically stable enough to withstand crosswinds and passing semi trucks,” Nieman says of her transportation needs. “I also like something small enough, that offers a tight turning radius, and is easy to handle. Finally, it has to be good on gas.”
Sounds like the Micra should fit Nieman’s needs, so she spent a week behind the wheel of a 2015 Micra SV. To be honest, the SV actually had more goodies than Nieman expected, including power windows and an automatic transmission. The car was also equipped with the optional $500 convenience package, which included a rear-view camera and an upgraded sound system with 4.3-inch colour display. As tested, her Micra cost $16,733 including freight and pre-delivery inspection.
From the start, the car made a favourable impression.
“I’m sorry, the only word I can think of is ‘cute,’” she says of the Micra’s styling. “The front was quite stylish and modern, with the grille and the look of the headlights — they look like big eyes. The back end was a bit more squared off and staid, but overall it’s a goodlooking car.”
Nieman says the Micra was simple and intuitive inside. Everything was where she expected to find it, but she did lament the lack of a centre console or cubby where she could stow keys and other personal effects.
“The instrument cluster was well laid out, and easy to read, but the gauge for the fuel level was a little different,” Nieman says. “It’s a series of bars that indicates how much gas is in the tank, and I’m sure you’d get used to it. Also, there’s no temperature gauge, and I like to see in winter when the indicator moves off of the ‘C’ before I turn on my heater.”
Interior fit and finish got high marks, and Nieman liked the upgraded charcoal cloth upholstery and trim that comes in the SV. The driver’s seat bolster was firm, but once she had it adjusted, Nieman says it was a comfortable place to be.
“I was surprised by the get up and go this little thing has,” Nieman says of the Micra’s performance. “It was, to me, very responsive. I didn’t have to floor it to pass someone, it felt very immediate.”
The Micra was taken for a highway run, and Nieman says the car handled well. She never felt at a disadvantage in terms of power, the transmission shifted with alacrity, and the cruise control held her speed precisely where she set it.
“The ride was a bit stiff,” she says. “Over bumps, potholes and cracks, the car noticed every one of them, and you felt it. But the handling was simply gorgeous. You could spin into a parking lot like nobody’s business, and it had a very tight turning circle. I always felt in control of the car, and it felt like it was hugging the road.
“I didn’t find the car to be noisy, neither the engine nor the wind was obtrusive.”
Nieman says the rear hatch was easy to open and close, and she felt the utility quotient was quite high for a vehicle as small as the Micra, but the back seats would have to be folded forward for any real cargo carrying capability.
Overall, Nieman thought the Micra represented good value for the money.
“I personally could do without the Bluetooth and the backup camera this Micra had, but it would be a great little runabout for around town and the occasional highway trip,” she says. “It’s so easy to park and it’s easy to handle — there’s a lot to recommend the car.”
DRIVER’S JOURNAL
Day One Picked up the car, and I liked the look — cute and sporty. Once inside, the first thing that had to happen was to remove the rear seat headrests — they took up a lot of the already small rear window view space. Once that was taken care of, and exterior mirrors adjusted to the way I wanted them, we were all set. The controls for headlights, windshield wipers, etc., were all intuitive and easy to find.
Day Two Up early and off to work. A cold morning and had to scrape frost. I was surprised not to find an engine temperature gauge on the instrument panel. Nonetheless, the car warms up quickly. This little machine really has some nice pep to it if you need to accelerate to change lanes. Had to cross the city for an evening event. I’m taking naturally to the feel of this car.
Day Three A run for groceries after work. My green bins fit on the floor of the hatch. I would have liked a hand pull loop on the inside of the hatch door, though. At one stop, I made the mistake of leaving the headlights on and opened the driver’s door, only to be met with a shrill buzzer sound. A nice soothing chime would have been more welcome!
Day Four More errands to run. I DO love this little machine every time I have to pull in to a parking spot! It handles so beautifully! One stop was a visit to my aunt, and I offered her a ride. She was quite impressed: comfortable ride, lots of interior room. This would make a perfect replacement for her aging Plymouth Sundance! (I did not have an opportunity to carry passengers in the back. I think it would have been a little short on legroom for any tall/large people.)
Day Five Had a morning coffee appointment across town. On my return, I decided to take the car out for a bit of a highway spin, so headed out Highway 8 to the traffic circle, and up to the Trans Canada back into the city. In and out of cruise control was smooth. There was no wind to speak of, which made me wonder what the car would be like to handle if it had to buck a crosswind.
Upon my return I took it to get its bath to prepare for the beauty shoot tomorrow. Took it to the local wand wash — took about ten minutes and $4!
Day Six The car did not move today except for its photo shoot. A couple of interior design features I would ask Nissan to do over: the cup holders are in front of the floor gear shift, which is an accident waiting to happen if you ask me. There is no centre console: where do you put your stuff ?
Day Seven Today was summer-like weather, so I tried out the air conditioning for the first time. Took a run down to the deep south for an evening event, and lo and behold, the gas tank is empty! I estimated I have put on only about 450 km so far. I was not a fan of the new horizontal bars design for the gas tank indicator. When the gas tank is low, the tank indicator flashes with an estimate of how many kilometres you have left to go; I found this annoying. When I filled the tank, it took only 35 litres (it has a 41 L capacity). With the kind of driving I do, I might have to fill this tank twice a week. Had to say goodbye to this lovely little runabout, but I think I’m glad I’m getting my own car back.