"but there is no differential so when one wheel is off the ground it gives you that lovely one-wheel peel and smoke, hey look a one wheel burnout! Racer excuse #1"
Why, that is EXACTLY what a differential does, so of course the car does have one. Surely you mean - it doesn't have a LIMITED-SLIP differential. Only two FWD cars do, the Civic Si and VW GTI PP and they cost multiples of this minnow.
I am intrigued by this car though. It's made in India, Thailand, Brazil and Mexico, maybe even Japan. Plus a tin shed out back in the Comoros Islands. The Americas north and south get the four cylinder gas engine, but the UK and Australia get a 3 cylinder thrummer of 1200 cc (plus a diesel) called the DIG-T. Depending where you live, it's either a Micra or a March. So there's that. And no CVT but a 4-speed auto. On the face of it, it seems like more popular motoring dross from Nissan.
The UK reviews generally diss it as a rubbish car, with doughy handling and a scary highway/motorway demeanour. Yes, really. The exact same car with 3 cylinder engine in Orstrailia gets thumbs up for being cheery with good highway behaviour but with lousy gas mileage. A Brazilian review on the 4 cylinder in TTAC didn't find it encouraging at all. The UK was home to the manufacture of earlier Micras till 2010, and they draw invidious comparisons about the new ones compared to the old ones.
Canadian reviews have been positive, like Brendan MacAleer's one here on autos.ca. Perky, etc. Fun even. With a presumably heavier 4 cylinder lashed over the front wheels than the 3 flogged worldwide, this seems counter-intuitive. How can the same car get such different reactions depending on location? It is a mystery.
So, I'll have to go and drive one to see whether it's actually OK and up to a Hyundai Accent which strikes me as a better deal with the typical options needed to make a Micra livable. My friend's daughter got rid of a Fiat 500 for an Accent and couldn't be happier.
Meanwhile, here in Canada we race the Micras. Why? Judging from this entertaining report it's not because of handling finesse, as you have to manhandle the little beast. Maybe it's just for chortles and free advertising.
