I’m not fussed the new Nissan Micra is a Renault 5 underneath – and you shouldn’t be either | Stuff

The all new, all-electric Nissan Micra, which is a very cute little thing, brings back memories of the first generation example I got given once. It was a free gift from a mate heading overseas, and was a bit of a wreck. Unlike the one that replaced it, which wasn’t. Both were great, though, for their simplicity and practical appeal. The new Micra is much the same, but there’s a bit of a back story.

If you didn’t already know, the latest Micra incarnation is basically a cosmetically different version of the already hugely popular Renault 5. However, I don’t think it’s unreasonable for Nissan to take the basically brilliant foundations of the Renault 5 EV and bring to life a new version of the Micra. Considering both companies are part of one alliance, it seems sensible to repurpose a great idea while hopefully tapping into Nissan’s large (and frequently loyal) customer base.

But which to buy? Forgetting the Renault connections and taking this sixth-gen compact on its own merits, there’s plenty of appeal. It comes in three trim flavours: Engage, starting at £21,495, Advance, and the £28,365 Evolve reviewed here. There are two battery options, with the middle model being the most flexible when it comes to which bundle to choose and there’s also the ability to exploit the government’s £1,500 EV grant currently.

Cheekily, there’s a little more range to be had from the Micra too, which is likely down to its slightly less angular and therefore more aerodynamic exterior lines.

The styling

All the previous incarnations of the Nissan Micra have been instantly recognisable, and that continues with the latest design. The biggest difference in body shape between the Renault 5 and the Micra is at the ends. Both the nose and rear sections of the supermini have been completely revised, and both invoke memories of earlier cars.

At the front there are cute headlights, complete with their own welcome signature array when the car is approached by its owner. The rear end continues the same theme with circular taillights that are very distinctively sculpted.

Sandwiched in the middle is a core body shape that is, in essence, the same as the Renault 5. I do like the three alloy wheel options offered for the trio of trim levels and, at 18in on my test car, were sizeable but worked within the overall context of the car. Add it all up and the Micra is a good-looking thing, with a bit of character thrown in thanks to the effort of Nissan’s design team

Meanwhile, the interior is a neat twist on that of the Renault 5. Up front, there is the same pairing of a 10.1in screen in front of the square steering wheel, which is supplemented by a 10.1in infotainment screen. This is angled towards the driver, so anyone sitting in the passenger seat who has long legs might find the edge of this mildly annoying and slightly intrusive on a longer run.

Aside from that, the seats with their quality coverings, feel comfortable and very accommodating. Seating space is less generous in the back, however. Modern cars have fatter seats and beefier trim parts than those old-school Micras. So, while I’m not as sure I could move house using one with the Micra, as I did in years gone by, there’s still more than enough room in the boot for shopping and everyday essentials.

The drive

I was quite pleased to get treated to a variety of weather conditions during my drive of the Nissan Micra. Electric cars are notorious for their torque, even in small cars and picking my way around in wet conditions, the skittishness of the front-wheel drive Micra was very evident. It’s great fun though. I’m a big fan of the one-pedal driving mode in EVs and that works to great effect when behind the wheel of the Micra. Paddles in front of the wheel allow that to be lessened, but I kept it on one-pedal most of the time.

One thing that was quite apparent was the amount of wind noise, which seemed to be coming from around the front windows. However, it was a windy day when I did the bulk of the driving in the car, so I’ll reserve judgment on that aspect. Aside from that, the Nissan Micra goes nicely and feels fast enough, with that torque always on tap for quick entry and exits at junctions, roundabouts and the like. It’ll go around tight bends in the dry very nicely too and definitely provides a bit more go than some of those older editions.

As always, reviewing a decent car on good European roads is often a different experience to when it’s being driven on the pothole-peppered UK equivalent. In that respect, I was as impressed with the ride quality of the Nissan Micra as I was with the Renault 5. With both sitting on the dedicated AmpR all-electric platform, the basis for the ride is a solid one. I think the Micra feels great on the road and provides an excellent driving position.

Adding it all together, and the fact that the bigger battery can be topped up using a 100kW charger from 15 to 80% in around 30 minutes, also makes it practical for longer motorway runs too.

The technology

With the Nissan Micra pulling in the same sort of tech spec as that found on the Renault 5, I was confident all would be well and good. Indeed, it’s hard to see much to differentiate the two cars on the inside, save for the trim tweaks. The duo of displays that sit across the dash are nicely done and I do rather like the graphics in the sat-nav. There’s also the added convenience of Google Maps and the usefulness that comes with Google functionality. It all worked as expected.

Elsewhere, there is voice control along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android should that be required, although I found everything functioned properly and didn’t leave me wanting to connect my own phone. Naturally, this having Renault roots, there is a smattering of stalks behind the wheel, with those radio controls seen in the 5 adding another arm that protrudes from the column. It’s quite a busy arrangement, but fine once I got used to it.

Nissan still has its ProPilot assist driving aids to help along the way too, although switching off some of the more annoying aspects did involve some fettling to be carried out inside the touchscreen menu. Nevertheless, adaptive cruise controls and lane assist, amongst the other usual suite of goodies, all add to the appeal if ADAS is part of your in-car driving preferences. A heat pump as standard, plus the option to utilise Vehicle-to-Load, via a supplementary adaptor, are both solid bonus features.

Nissan Micra verdict

There are plenty of people like me who share a fondness for the Micra, and maybe that’s what Nissan is hoping will inspire people to buy it over the Renault 5. I think both compact EVs have their merits, with the Renault 5 being the more stylish of the twosome. Having owned those Micras in the past, though, does leave me with a fondness for the supermini. It’s come a long way since the first edition.

Overall, the Nissan Micra works to great effect and I’m looking forward to seeing one in the rather livelier red shade that’s on offer, instead of the multiple blue ones we had for the launch event. I’d also propose going for the middle-tier Evolve trim as it’s nicely finished off, But, if you really can’t do without all those premium trimmings then head in the direction of the Advance, which packs cool Harmon Kardon audio.

Nissan Micra technical specifications