2017 Nissan Micra

The Nissan Micra hit the Japanese market in October of 1982 with the purpose of competing against the Honda City and the Toyota Starlet, and as a replacement for the growing Nissan Cherry, which had outgrown the supermini sector. Since its initial debut, it has seen four different generations with the most recent debuting in 2010. The Micra has received a mid-cycle facelift since then, but it’s about time for another generational overhaul, and Nissan is already in the testing phase.

What we’re looking at here is what we believe to be the fifth-generation Micra, and even though it is under heavy camo and padding, it looks like it will be dramatic redesign over the current model. Sources have indicated that the new Micra will use the CMF B platform that has been developed within the Renault- Nissan alliance, which will also underpin the next-generation Nissan Juke.

As you can see from a glance, the new Micra will likely borrow some design cues from the Nissan Pulsar and the Nissan Sway concept that we saw last year at the Geneva Auto Show. We expect the new Micra to make its official debut later this year at the Paris Auto Show, but there is no official word on its release. Until Nissan does pull the sheet off its redesigned Micra, let’s take a look at the spy shots and see what we can make out.MARCH 30, 2016 - FIRST TESTING SESSION


Exterior

Ok, so there is a lot of padding and camo here, so going over specifics is going to be tough, but what we can see is that the new Micra looks like it will be longer. If you compare these spy shots to the current Micra, the front end looks to be a bit longer, and the rear end definitely has a longer overhang. Furthermore, it’s pretty clear that the rear hatch has a completely new shape with more of an angle to it than before.

Furthermore, it’s pretty clear that the rear hatch has a completely new shape with more of an angle to it than before

All body lines on this test mule have been covered with a significant amount of padding, but we can tell that the headlights will now be longer and less bug-eyed than before. They look to extend further into the front grille, which looks to be significantly smaller than that of the current model. It also appears that front fascia will be dramatically changed, with the camo revealing a silhouette of large vents to the side of a significantly smaller air dam. The fog lights will probably still be located in the corners of the fascia, but will likely be positioned inside these new vents and surrounded by a trim insert.

It might be a visual trick with all that padding, but it looks like the body itself will be a bit wider below the waistline, which means that body line between the headlights and taillights will likely be more dominant than before. Expect changes to the body lines on the near the side skirts as well, since we see some significant padding there too. For now, these pictures raise more questions than answers, but it looks like the new Micra will be sportier than before and a huge departure from the current model.

RENDERING

 Nissan Micra
Now that we’ve seen the most recent spy shots of the Micra, we asked our artist to work his magic to show us what might be under all that camo. As you can see, we expect the Micra to have that dominate Nissan Nissan grille with the large chrome outline. Furthermore, the front fascia will be rather aggressive with the fog lamps recessed into the fascia, and the headlights will be long, thinner units that feature a Z-shaped LED strip between the two bulb units.

On the sides, a smooth body line elevates from the front fascia until it turns toward the rear and curves ever so smoothly with the contour of the front wheel arch. That body line terminated just below the side view mirror, where another body line swoops downward and travels toward the rear, running parallel with most of the waistline. As with most of our renderings, we don’t have a view of the back, but our rendering does depict wraparound taillights – a cue inspired by the spy shots we have on file. All told, we’re looking forward to seeing how well our rendering compares to the Micra when it rolls out from underneath its sheet.

Interior

Our photographers weren’t able to get close to the interior, so at this point, the inside is a complete mystery. The current model has a pretty upscale interior for a miniature economy car, so I don’t expect to see much change in this department. The instrument cluster will likely remain the same with a small TFT display in the middle. I suspect the infotainment screen may grow slightly, but at the kind of price point the Micra carries, don’t expect anything outrageous. I suspect Nissan will continue on with the same basic design on the inside – functional and to the point – with a basic center console, and a majority of the controls integrated into the center stack. With any luck, Nissan will use better materials on the interior to get rid of that excessively cheap look and feel of most interior panels.

Drivetrain

 Nissan Micra
At this point, the drivetrain options are also a complete mystery. We expect the new Micra to be offered with a range of three- and four-cylinder gasoline engines. When it comes to the current model, there is only a 1.2-liter that is offered in two different flavors. It offers 78 horsepower for the base option, and 97 horsepower for the high-end unit. In base form, the current Micra can hit the 62 mph stretch in 13.7 seconds with a five-speed manual or 14.5 seconds with the CVT. In range-topping form, the car can do the same stretch in 11.4 seconds with the manual or 11.8 with the CVT. Even if Nissan goes with a new set of engines for the new Micra, don’t expect these performance figures to change much, if at all. We’ll update you with the latest information as it is released, so stay tuned.

Prices

It is still way too early to talk about pricing at this point, but don’t expect too much of an increase. In current form, the Micra starts out at £7,995 for the base model and climbs all the way to £15,115 for the range-topping Tekna trim with a 1.2-liter and a CVT transmission. Those prices compute to the Micra running between $11,499 and $21,739 at current exchange rates.

Competition

FORD FIESTA

 Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta will be one of the primary competitors of the new Micra, and comes with a range of engines including a 1.0-liter EcoBoost, a 1.5-liter TDCi diesel, and a 1.6-liter TDCi diesel. Power output ranges anywhere between 79 horsepower and 123 horsepower, with the 1.5-liter diesel offering 74 horsepower and the 1.6-liter diesel offering 94 horsepower. The performance-oriented ST trim offers a 1.6-liter with 198 horsepower for those who really want the little car to go. Pricing ranges from £10,145 for the base model up to £19,545 for the ST-3 model. At current exchange rates the Fiesta ranges between $14,600 and $28,130.

Read our full review on the Ford Fiesta here.

HONDA JAZZ

 Honda Fit EX-L - Driven
The Honda Jazz is known as the Honda Fit here in the U.S. and Japan, and has only been around since 2001. The newest iteration came to be in 2013 when Honda debuted a heavily revised model with new styling and a new interior. In most European markets, the Fit is only available with a 1.3-liter four-cylinder that produces 101 horsepower and 91 pound-feet of torque. At the time of this writing, the car can be mated to a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed semi-auto. Pricing starts out around $19,400, which puts it in line with where the higher trim levels of the of the Micra will sit. With that price point, however, the Fit comes standard with features that you won’t find in the lower trim levels of the Micra, including cruise control, idle stop, and a rear view camera.

Read our full review on the Honda Jazz here.

Conclusion

 Nissan Micra
From the look of the car in these spy shots, the next-generation Micra should be significantly more attractive than the current model. It should include a much sportier front end, and I suspect it will get a little more love in the technology department. I like that a base model can be obtained so cheaply, but Nissan should consolidate the trim levels a little more. Either way, I look forward to seeing what the new Micra looks like with all the camo gone. I’m not a fan of little cars like these, but I can appreciate the fact that Nissan appears to be stepping up its game with the Micra. Now we just have to wait for the official unveiling to see all of what is going on.