The brand new Nissan Micra,now in its 5th generation, will be built coupled with the Clio at Renault’s factory in Flins, France and shares some of the car’s underpinnings.The hottest Micra is more concentrated to European tastes compared to its lucklustre predecessor, that was made in India and had a low-rent feel to the cabin items.
Taking its design signs from the Sway concept car from the 2015 Geneva motor show,the brand-new Nissan Micra is longer,lower and wider than its predecessor,giving you extra interior space for residents,for which Nissan claims is best-in-class.The rear door handles are hidden in the rear pillar,the roofline seems to be floating and incorporates a spoiler,while up front there’s a unique V-shaped grille.Significant work has been carried out to minimize cabin noise,while aerodynamic efficiency is top-notch for a small car at just 0.29 Cd.
Technology plays an crucial part,with lane departure prevention,autonomous emergency braking
with pedestrian recognition,traffic sign identification, high beam support for the
headlights, and blind spot signal offered on all models.There’s also an smart 360 degree digital camera system and a seven-inch colour display that gives access to functions like Apple CarPlay,downloadable applications and the
navigation system.Nissan has teamed up with Bose for a new six-speaker sound system that uniquely incorporates
a pair of UltraNearfield stereo speakers that are built in into the driver’s head rest.
The engine range is brought bangup-to-date with a choice of an 89bhp 1.5-litre dCi turbo diesel unit or 89bhp 0.9-
litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine,although a normally aspirated 72bhp
1.0-litre powerplant will join the range soon after and will act as entry point for the new Micra series.The range will consist of five trim amounts,kicking off with Visia, Visia+, Acenta, Acenta+ and primary Tekna.A palette of 10 colours will be on offer,such as bright Energy Orange, with the option to colour co-ordinate the interior,as well.Although it’s
a little early to predict costs, a Nissan spokesman said that they will price the Micra in-range with its main opponents
like the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo when it comes in showrooms next March.That puts the cheapest diesel model at approximately £15,000 for a middle-range Acenta version.
One casualty of the Micra’s improved dimensions is the Note mini-MPV which is expected to be discontinued next year. Nissan’s Sunderland plant will keep to build the Juke B-segment crossover, as well as the Qashqai, which is ready to get a facelift next summer,including the availability
of autonomous driving technology.
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