Used Nissan Micra: everything you need to know

The Nissan Micra is a well-rounded five-door small car that served as the entry-point into the popular Nissan range of new cars, sitting below the Nissan Juke and the Nissan Leaf electric car.

It isn’t the most youthful of small cars around, having been launched back in 2016. But this does mean it represents particularly good value as a used car.

There are plenty of cars to rival the Nissan Micra including the Vauxhall Corsa, the similar Renault Clio and of course the ever popular Ford Fiesta. Take a look at a Nissan Micra for sale on heycar to discover just what’s on offer.

Should you buy a Nissan Micra? 

The Nissan Micra is one of the more compact small cars on the outside, measuring less than 4.0 metres long. This makes it easy to drive and straightforward to park in the city, while a decent ride quality and eager 1.0-litre turbocharged engine make it as painless as the 1980s original. 

Rear passenger space and boot capacity are okay – again, not the best, but perfectly acceptable. Front-seat comfort is good, particularly in Nissan Micra N-Sport guise thanks to its Alcantara seats and cool knee pads. Nissan Micra Tekna models also get an innovative Bose sound system with speakers built into the driver’s headrest for a vivid surround-sound effect. 

Even the base Nissan Micra Acenta is well equipped, considering the car’s great-value pricing when new. You get air conditioning on all Nissan Micras, plus automatic lights and wipers, a license-protecting speed limiter and a crisp 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It has all the functionality you’ll ever need, and even the convenience of steering wheel remote controls. 

Nissan also offers an automatic version, with a CVT-style Xtronic gearbox. The ‘single gear’ effect isn’t for everyone, but the turbo engine’s pulling power helps keep engine revs low in everyday driving. This version delivers the ultimate ease of use when driving a Nissan Micra. 

We like the 92PS 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine, which is effervescent and good on fuel, while OK insurance and low overall running costs mean it should be a cost-effective choice to run. Factor in the active safety tech to keep you safe and secure on the move, and the Nissan Micra remains a car that’s worth a look as a used car.

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What's the best used Nissan Micra model to buy?

To get the best value for money out of your Nissan Micra, we would pick the Acenta trim with the optional sat-nav, reversing camera, and parking sensors. 

Both the older 90PS petrol and newer 100PS model have sufficient flexibility to work in town and on the open road, but pick the latter if you have the choice. It's can stretch its legs on the motorway and overtake quicker.

While we're well aware that most supermini buyers do not cover high enough mileages to need a diesel, for those that do, the Micra is one of the best of the breed. It's quiet and smooth, requires less encouragement than any of the petrols, and can do 70mpg in real world conditions. For a tiny niche of used buyers, it'll be a perfect fit.

Used Nissan Micra fuel economy and performance

Nissan rationalised the engine range for the 2023 Nissan Micra line-up. It focused around a single IG-T 92 petrol motor, which you could buy  with either a five-speed manual transmission or an Xtronic CVT automatic. We still prefer the newer IG-T 92 petrol engine because it’s very smooth and easygoing, with a reasonable amount of pulling power. 

• Nissan Micra 1.0 IG-T 92 petrol: The sole Nissan Micra engine in 2022 is the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo called IG-T 92. As its name suggests, it has 92PS, serving up 0-62mph in 11.8 seconds and average fuel economy of up to 53.3mpg. If you want an automatic instead of the five-speed manual gearbox, the CVT-style Xtronic auto takes 13.0 seconds to reach 62mph, and averages up to 47.1mpg. It costs around £1,350 extra.
• Nissan Micra 1.0 73 petrol: The least powerful petrol option when this Micra was first launched in 2016. It offers 73PS for 0-62mph in a slugghish 16.4 seconds while delivering a claimed combined economy of 61.4mpg and 103g/km of CO2 emissions.
• Nissan Micra 1.9 IG-T 90 petrol: The most popular engined when new and now the most common on the used market. It has 90PS and with its turbocharger offers flexible driving coupled to 64.2mpg average economy and 99g/km emissions.
• Nissan Micra 1.5 dCi 90 diesel: This 1.5-litre turbodiesel comes from Renault and is a solid worker. It's smooth and happy on the motorway, and it will provide close to its claimed 88.3mpg average economy, while emissions are rated at 85g/km.

What used Nissan Micra trim levels are available?

The most recent Nissan Micra model range comprises three trim levels, representing core, sporty and luxury specifications. 

• The Nissan Micra Acenta is the entry-level trim level, with a standard spec that includes air-con, LED daytime running lights, and a touchscreen infotainment system boasting standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. 
• The Nissan Micra N-Sport is the most stylish Nissan Micra, with an on-trend ‘black pack’ appearance on the outside, and cool Alcantara seats within. Climate control air-con helps maintain a comfortable temperature inside, no matter what the weather is like. 
• The Nissan Micra Tekna is the most upmarket Nissan Micra, with a premium-look interior and standard sat-nav including live traffic info. It also has a Bose surround-sound audio system, which features two speakers built into the driver’s headrest.

Used Nissan Micra dimensions and boot size

The Nissan Micra’s exterior dimensions are: 

• Length: 3,999mm
• Width: 1,743mm
• Height: 1,455mm
• Ground clearance: TBA

The Nissan Micra’s boot space is:

• 300 litres
• 950 litres with rear seats folded

Used Nissan Mictra road tax

Early Nissan Micra from this generation that was launched in 2016 will have their road tax based on a sliding scale of prices. The good news is the 90PS petrol and 1.5-litre turbodiesel both qualify for free road tax thanks to their sub-100g/km emissions. The 73PS petrol will cost you £20 for a year's road tax at the time of writing.

All Micra that went on the road from 1 April 2017 will pay the same flat rate of £180 each for road tax.

How much is it to insure a Nissan Micra? 

The Nissan Micra should be a reasonably affordable car to insure. Although the sole 92PS turbo engine means insurance ratings aren’t among the lowest possible groups, car insurance from group 8 (out of 50) is still reasonable. Nissan Micra N-Sport and Tekna versions will be a little more expensive than base Nissan Micra Acenta, due to their sportier styling. 

Read our full Nissan Micra review