Nissan Micra Tested 2007-01-01

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Environment Rating Close to the end of its life, so Nisssan is not trying too hard to stay competitive. Lowest CO2 figure is 120g/km of CO2 - or about 20 g/km behind the class leaders. Overall Rating Average. Still a decent supermini, although smaller and less practical than more modern rivals. Nice to drive and cheap to run.

Summary

The current generation Micra's cute styling has aged surprisingly well, and it's still D169a reasonable selection from the bewildering choice thrown up by the supermini segment.

The big downside is its relative lack of space when compared to more modern rivals like the Fiat Grande Punto and Vauxhall Corsa. The Micra has poor room for rear seat occupants and a tiny boot - although it makes up for much of this with decent standard equipment.

The upside is a very well constructed interior, a decent driving position and a terrific little chassis - even the most basic Micra is a great companion over a winding "B" road. And although the little Nissan is clearly happiest in town, motorway performance is respectable for a car of this type.

The basic 1.2 litre petrol engine combines excellent fuel economy with enthusiastic performance. It's hardly a rocketship, but it's certainly fast enough for the Micra's target audience. The 1.4 petrol motor is only slightly faster, and we can't see much point in the 1.6, which is expensive and offers barely "warm" levels of performance. The Rena+D167ult-derived DCi diesel is impressively punchy and very frugal.