It was around ten years ago that the last Nissan Micra was sold on our shores - back then, petrol was 71 cents a litre and the Aussie dollar got you 77 Yen. The exchange rate is now hovering at around 100 Yen, which has allowed Nissan to bring this little car in at a starting price of $14,990.
The price will probably be reviewed if our dollar drops in the near future. A key factor in keeping the price low has been the strategy of bringing in only a single version: a five-door hatch with a 1.4-litre petrol engine and four-speed automatic transmission. Overseas markets also get the choice of a 1.5-litre turbo diesel, 1.2 and 1.6-litre petrol engines, with the options of manual and continuously variable auto boxes.
Sourced from Japan, the car that has arrived here is already three years old, but Nissan says it has another three years of life. Design-wise there's no reason to doubt that, because the styling looks fresh amidst Aussie traffic. It's still a tall-proportioned little bubble, but the nose is less rounded than I remember it being on the one we waved goodbye to a decade ago, and the rear's rounded haunches give it a cheeky appeal.
The patterned chocolate fabric on the seats and doors is clearly aimed at the younger market, as are the cream-coloured controls on the centre stack. There's a reasonable amount of equipment for the price, including air-conditioning, driver's armrest, central locking and 14" steel wheels. But there's no light on the vanity mirror, and no tachometer. Storage solutions include a clever drawer under the seat and a second compartment in the glove box. A $1700 option pack gives you 15" alloy wheels, MP3 compatible six-stack CD player and twin-side and curtain airbags.
Safety and security fit-out incorporates an immobiliser, childproof rear door locks, side intrusion beams and a collapsible steering column, and includes anti-lock brakes (disc front, drum rear) with braking enhancement systems, speed-sensitive power steering and twin front airbags, but the middle of the back seat gets only a lap belt. At this stage we are not able to get the stability program on some of the overseas models, but it will be brought in as soon as it is available.
With its high roof line, the cabin offers plenty of headroom and doesn't feel cramped for shoulder space in the front. However, the rear seat is not where you'd want to put a couple of adults for a long trip. Tilt but no reach adjustment on the steering wheel can make it a bit tricky to find the best driving position.
As you expect from a small engine, it takes about 14 seconds to get the car up to 100km/h. It's certainly nimble enough to dart in and out of traffic gaps, but there's not enough there to fight off a bigger rival if they decide to force the issue.
A best-in-class turning circle of 8.8 metres makes it easy to get around tight spots and corners, with the parking dimples on the front headlights helping to judge where the car's corners are. To test that out, we headed into a couple of backstreet laneways, traversing an obstacle course of wheelie bins. The Micra came through undefeated and unscratched.
A bonus for those on a budget will be the car's claimed fuel economy of 6.8L/100km, although with a better-sorted transmission it could even go a bit lower.
But even with the standard four-speed auto, the Micra will offer a lot of fun - particularly to the targeted first-time buyer in search of a cheeky-looking car to do the beach and café rounds.
AUTO FACTS
Price: $14,990
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Power: 72Kw, 137Nm
Fuel: 6.5l/100kms
Good: Great turning circle and you can park almost anywhere
Bad: No ESP yet and lash seat belt in centre rear
By ANDREW KOCH
