Topic: Road Trip: The $9,998* 2015 Nissan Micra

[Autos_Editor]

The ninety-nine cent road trip.
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[JohnnyMac]

Not many articles on this website make me laugh but this one sure did hit a funny bone.  Great write up.  Of course this car is great value in base form (as most cars are really) but it sure does lose it's luster the more kit you put in it.  That being said I've seen a bunch of these on the road lately.  I've driven the Versa Note and thought it was a great car with quite a bit of space inside.  If this Micra can match that, I can see why it's a popular car.

[SaskSpecV]

"Having introduced the staff at Timmy Ho’s to a crash course in herpetology" 

As a Saskatonian, I've got to admit you've outdone yourself here Brendan - even better than your myriad of Simpsons references!

Finally saw my first Micra on the roads yesterday - looks pretty decent in person.  How does the interior space compare to the Versa Note? Is it significantly smaller, or pretty close?

[Rupert]

    I liked the Triumph TR6...but it was a bit of a pig to drive. The clutch was heavy with sudden engagement  and the engine grudgingly gave of it's power. Yeah...all 98 HP of it from a poorly aspirated push rod 2 1/2 litre straight six lump. To be sure though, emission controls were in their infancy here and we did not get the er..120 or so HP of the fuel injected UK version. Still the beautiful wooden (real) dash and Smiths instruments and reachable glove compartment...so some of the above quirks could be forgiven and probably all of them on a sunny summer day with the top down on the B roads of New Brunswick.

   Why the TR6 talk...well this little car has 10 more HP and decent torque in what might be a lower weight. Although I have not checked the weight of the old TR lately. The TR would not do 100 MPH and felt a bit iffy at the 98 it would do whereas this little Micra I am pretty sure would manage the 100 out of the box...not that I will ever urge it to do so. It comes with a double overhead cam and fuel injection and CVVT and drives no power steering pump.(electronic steering) Chain timing gear drive and it looks like a single belt to drive alternator and air conditioner (AC not on the entry level model perhaps).
With respect to the talk about being throwable etc., for most of us it means that it feels planted with decent steering on the highway and yeah perky and readily parkable around town. A little joy to drive and use. Plenty of headroom so that folk taller than myself might find it acceptable. Don't be looking for a Tardis here though. It's a small car and if the room behind the rear seat may compare favourably with other similar cars...it's not very much. In this regard the Versa Note might be a better choice for some...it's a bit larger platform. The glove compartment goes down to Australia.

   For all that...I suppose that other than the above similarities the TR6 and the Micra are worlds apart. The speed limits now are lower and there are no Datsun 510s about now to be dusted by...hmm maybe not. But on a warm summers day....yeah...a sun roof would be nice. Something that you don't get soaked trying to erect in a sudden shower.

   

   

[Fobroader]

What a great article, very well written, I actually LOLed a few times, for realzies. I like this little car, I dont know how you can walk into a Nissan dealer, look at this thing, look at the Versa and not go home with a Micra....Im still looking for a wrecked Juke so mixmanmash and I can turn this thing into a proper awd, turbo, new age Pulsar GTI-R  This is the perfect spec for this car to, manual, no options, the perfect car for the everyday grind.

[micha]

What a great article, very well written, I actually LOLed a few times, for realzies. I like this little car, I dont know how you can walk into a Nissan dealer, look at this thing, look at the Versa and not go home with a Micra....Im still looking for a wrecked Juke so mixmanmash and I can turn this thing into a proper awd, turbo, new age Pulsar GTI-R  This is the perfect spec for this car to, manual, no options, the perfect car for the everyday grind.

You mean like this? And it's in Edmonton.

http://www.impactauto.ca/runList?act=conditionReport&stockNumber=DVD86&rowpos=&act=search&branchInfoHidden=true&make=NISSAN&model=JUKE%20S/SV/SL&rowpos=0

[Fobroader]

What a great article, very well written, I actually LOLed a few times, for realzies. I like this little car, I dont know how you can walk into a Nissan dealer, look at this thing, look at the Versa and not go home with a Micra....Im still looking for a wrecked Juke so mixmanmash and I can turn this thing into a proper awd, turbo, new age Pulsar GTI-R  This is the perfect spec for this car to, manual, no options, the perfect car for the everyday grind.

You mean like this? And it's in Edmonton.

http://www.impactauto.ca/runList?act=conditionReport&stockNumber=DVD86&rowpos=&act=search&branchInfoHidden=true&make=NISSAN&model=JUKE%20S/SV/SL&rowpos=0

To the secret lab!!!

[Blueprint]

One little mistake: the base Micra has plastic wheel covers over steelies, not alloys!

http://www.autos.ca/galleries/2015/index.php?level=picture&id=5290

Fob, your dream Pulsar would sport a CVT if you pick a Juke awd drivetrain...but I've seen worse ideas in the LeMons series!

[Brendan McAleer]

One little mistake: the base Micra has plastic wheel covers over steelies, not alloys!

http://www.autos.ca/galleries/2015/index.php?level=picture&id=5290

Fob, your dream Pulsar would sport a CVT if you pick a Juke awd drivetrain...but I've seen worse ideas in the LeMons series!

Argh! I literally thought "Steelies" and typed "Alloys" there. Terrible - I'll get it fixed.

Micra Turbo has existed in the past:

[jaari]

If it's a review on a 5pd why do the pics on the hatch show the blue cvt decal in all the exterior pics

[wing]

I LOLed at Dan Bilzarian

[pi314]

Great review. At current street price I'd pick a Fiesta over this as it comes with AC.
Great value in the Micra though.

Yeah I think the fiesta, base S (available in sedan and hatchback!) is probably the best deal due to AC. Sometimes the Focus comes really, really close in price as well.

[2JDM]

A fine choice, much better than the POS Mitsubishi Mirage.

[Arthur Dent]

One little mistake: the base Micra has plastic wheel covers over steelies, not alloys!

http://www.autos.ca/galleries/2015/index.php?level=picture&id=5290

Fob, your dream Pulsar would sport a CVT if you pick a Juke awd drivetrain...but I've seen worse ideas in the LeMons series!

Argh! I literally thought "Steelies" and typed "Alloys" there. Terrible - I'll get it fixed.

Micra Turbo has existed in the past:

Actually that had a supercharger AND a turbocharger 

[blotter]

what a great read!

and great pic in front of that frozen waterfall.
 

[Brendan McAleer]

If it's a review on a 5pd why do the pics on the hatch show the blue cvt decal in all the exterior pics

It's not the CVT badge - you get it on the 4sped automatic as well. It's just there to make you feel better, somehow, for some reason.

[Noto]

As always, Brendan, 

I do, however, have to admit that I have ordered a single Timbit before...meh, I just wanted a little bite and found a dime on the ground.  Then again, I've also ordered a single Timbit and paid for it with a credit card.  Meh.

At current street price I'd pick a Fiesta over this as it comes with AC.

^^This.  Not so much the assertion of take a Fiesta over a Micra, but that the $9,998 Micra does not have A/C is a deal breaker in my mind.

How does the front window defog if no compressor to dehumidify?

I recently drove both a Fiesta and a Versa Note.  While I prefer the Fiesta, the Versa is hands down a better value and a better car.  This coming from someone who over and over again has hated the Versa, until I drove it.

I want to drive this Micra before I make any thoughts about it.

[pi314]

Better value? I dunno... Ford is clearing out 2013 fiesta starting at 10, 300 right now...

[Noto]

Better value? I dunno... Ford is clearing out 2013 fiesta starting at 10, 300 right now...

I don't disagree with you, I was just saying that my point was related solely to the Micra and not as a comparison.

Trust me, I love the Fiesta/Focus.  So much fun to drive.

[mlin32]

I would agree, the Ford Fiesta would be my subcompact car of choice. I don't know about some parts of Canada, but in the US, dealers will practically throw money at you to buy a Ford Fiesta. Or BMW X1. Or VW Tiguan.