Nissan Micra (2017-2022) Review

Written by Andrew Brady

6/10
heycar ratingComfy, smart but flawed hatch
  • 2017
  • Small hatch
  • Petrol, Diesel

Quick overview

Pros

  • Perky three-cylinder engines
  • Generous safety equipment
  • Modern, attractive interior

Cons

  • Not the most economical
  • Poor rear headroom
  • Fidgety ride in N-Sport trim

Verdict: Is the Nissan Micra a good car?

"The fifth-generation Nissan Micra is a huge improvement over the car it replaced. It has a stylish design, a smart looking interior, and is stuffed with lots of safety gizmos. Unfortunately, though, it still lags behind the contemporary competition in a number of key areas, especially practicality and comfort, and the jittery low-speed ride could be a turn off."

Nissan Micra (2017-2022) Review: right exterior

Over the years, the Nissan Micra has been something of a cheap and cheerful option, often popular as a first car for new drivers and prized for its easy, approachable driving character. With the fourth generation of the car, though, it really lost its way, because it wasn't all that cheap and wasn't at all cheerful: in fact, it was one of the least competitive small cars of its time.  


Luckily, that changed with the arrival of the Mk5. New from the ground up, it was better than the old car in every possible respect, but naturally, prices rose to match this new upmarket approach. It has a generous level of safety equipment, a welcoming interior and strong turbocharged petrol engines (along with some weedier ones), all boosting its appeal.


Nissan tried to make this version of the Nissan Micra feel sporty, and while it does tackle corners in a tidy fashion, the jiggly ride on uneven roads in town detracts from this car's otherwise sophisticated demeanour. It settles down on faster roads, and in fact it's an excellent cruiser: we just wish it felt as composed in suburban situations.


This mixture of good and bad faithfully sums up the whole experience in this car. The interior looks great, it uses some posh materials and feels solid, but is let down by some obvious cost-cutting in important areas. Passengers in the front get loads of space and some thoughtful details, but in the back it's cramped and dingy.


There are a confusing number of trim levels to choose from, too, and the choices you make can have a big impact on the exterior styling and technology on board. In its most basic forms the Nissan Micra feels stripped out and dated, where high-spec models have decent integrated infotainment hardware and lots of equipment. We think the mid-range Nissan Micra Acenta with a 100PS engine is your best bet.


Looking for a used car for sale? We've got 100s of Nissan Approved Used Cars for Sale for you to choose from, including a wide range of Nissan Micras for sale.

If you're after a small used car that looks smart, and has sharp handling and impressive interior quality, all for an affordable price, then the Micra is worth considering. However, if ride comfort or ultimate practicality are high on your list of priorities, you'd be better off with one of the many alternatives due to the Micra's jittery ride and cramped cabin.

The Nissan Micra lines up against budget-friendly rivals such as the Hyundai i20, Skoda Fabia and Kia Rio. Still, each of this trio has a bit more room inside than the Nissan. 


Yet its sharp styling and generous safety kit could tempt buyers away from sophisticated and chic small cars, including the Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, and more grown-up Volkswagen Polo. All are fine all-rounders that feature some of the nicest interiors in this class, with plush materials and slickly integrated on-board gadgets. 


Buyers looking for a bit of excitement behind the wheel should check out the Ford Fiesta. It remains the best small car to drive (even though it's been taken off sale by Ford), with supple suspension, agile responses, and tidy body control. If comfort is a priority, the Citroen C3 has low running costs, armchair-like seats and a spongey ride for soaking up bumps in the road.

Comfort and design: Nissan Micra interior

"What once was the Micra’s biggest weakness is now one of its strengths. The cabin feels very European, which means it was designed to impress buyers in a competitive market, not just built down to a low price."

Nissan Micra (2017-2022) Review front interior

That means it now looks attractive and modern, with a lot of styling cues borrowed from the brand's hugely successful SUVs like the Qashqai. The large set of clear dials are simple to take in with a glance, and (on Acenta trim and upwards) the Micra has a touchscreen infotainment system integrated neatly into the centre of dashboard. 


This connects to your smartphone, but unlike in some rivals, there are still physical buttons for stuff that you need quick access to, like the air-con or stereo volume. Some important switches (including the bonnet and fuel filler cap release) are down by the driver's right leg, but once you're learned where they are you won't forget.


The use of bright, light colours gives the Nissan Micra's cabin a lot of appeal when many other small cars feel dingy and drab, but Nissan hasn't overlooked the important stuff. The driving position is good, as all cars come with a height adjustable seat and a steering wheel that can be moved towards you, not just up and down.


Only the N-Sport model gets an armrest, and you don't get lumbar support, but the standard chairs are grippy and supportive, and we can't imagine having too many complaints, even after spending a few hours driving.


One word of warning, though: the swoopy rear doors and thick window pillars conspire to make rear visibility pretty poor. You'll want to find an example with rear parking sensors: these weren't standard on lower-end trims.

No one can deny that this generation of Micra made a quantum leap upmarket compared to its predecessor. Soft-touch materials cover most of the upper dash surfaces, and the appealing design is refreshingly bright.


The controls feel robust and weighty, the doors close with a satisfyingly deep thud, and it all seems very well constructed, free from creaking panels or flimsy feeling trim. On the priciest versions, you could add a stitched faux-leather panel to cover the centre console (in a variety of colours) to liven up the looks, for a small price.


Yet just when things were starting to look really rosy, Nissan brings you back down to earth with a bang. We praised the nice materials in the Nissan Micra’s cabin, but only the most expensive Tekna models give you a soft leather finish for the steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake (and they still have manually winding rear windows).


You will touch these three areas every single time you go for a drive, so it would be nice if they weren’t made of hard plastic and rubber. It cheapens the whole experience of sitting in the cabin, especially when almost all competitors offer this on mid-range versions.

If you like staying connected behind the wheel, then avoid the Visia+ trim. It comes with a tinny two-speaker stereo, Bluetooth and a USB port, but not much else, and is good for little more than tuning into local radio.


Stepping up to the Acenta feels like skipping forward a decade in time. Suddenly your Micra will have a nice 7.0-inch colour touchscreen, four speakers, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility. This means that you can use your mobile's mapping apps, so you're unlikely to need the built-in nav that was an optional extra.


The display itself is bright, but doesn't have the sharpest graphics. The touch response can be ponderous, especially on cars fitted with sat-nav, as it takes ages to plan a route or pinch into a specific part of the map. Some of the icons are rather small, but it has a handy set of shortcut buttons so you can bypass the screen.


On top spec models, you get a TomTom-based nav that's less intuitive than just using your phone, and a BOSE stereo that includes speakers built into the driver's headrest to create a convincing surround-sound effect.

Roominess inside the Nissan Micra is a classic tale of two halves; generous up front, but decidedly mean in the rear.


Let's start with the good stuff. Whoever sits upfront gets loads of head- and legroom, and it feels wide inside. 


The glovebox is really deep (Nissan reckons it'll carry ten litres worth of stuff), and there are nice touches like the big tray in front of the gearstick that is wide enough for a modern smartphone, and illuminated by LEDs at night.


You'll find a pair of shallow cupholders between the front seats, and door pockets large enough to hold a big sports bottle and a few snacks with room to spare. You might need the extra stowage, though, as those in the back get nowhere to put their personal items apart from the thin map pockets, and a small cubby to share.


Unfortunately, things continue to go downhill for those in the rear. Headroom is tight, so taller friends may not thank you for giving them a lift, and small windows make it feel claustrophobic. Legroom is also at a premium, and rivals such as the Skoda Fabia and Hyundai i20 provide quite a lot more.


If you often need to carry more than one adult, the lack of room will be a major issue, but with three seats fitted with ISOFIX anchors (two in the back, one in the front) at least the Micra is quite good for carrying kids. 


Trouble is, the mounting points are hidden far back in the seat base, and the rear doors are quite narrow, so it can be a bit of a wrestling match to get a bulky rear-facing seat manoeuvred into place and securely tightened.


The boot is also a disappointment. While it can fit a reasonable amount (300 litres is average for the class) it has a high loading lip to heave stuff over, and you don't get an adjustable floor to minimise the drop in height.


You can fold the seats down in a two-way split to increase the capacity, but they leave an awkward step that stops you being able to slide stuff straight in. If load-lugging is a priority, get a Honda Jazz or Fabia Estate.

Handling and ride quality: What is the Nissan Micra like to drive?

"On the road, the Micra has a grown-up feel that belies its small size. The standard car has light controls that make it undemanding to drive in town, and easy to navigate into tight parking spaces or squeeze into gaps."

Nissan Micra (2017-2022) Review: backright exterior

So far, so normal then. It's when you leave the city that its mature character starts to impress. The ride has a firm edge on broken Tarmac that disappears on the motorway, where the Micra settles into a stable, planted cruise that gives it the feeling of reassuring security that is normally the sole reserve of bigger, heavier cars.


Once you find yourself on more twisty roads, the steering doesn't weight up with the same consistency as some rivals (especially the Ford Fiesta) so you'll sometimes need to adjust your steering angle going into a corner. Body control is good, though, with lean kept to a minimum and no unwelcome float or bob over bigger bumps.


What's less ideal is that its stiff setup doesn't deal especially well with potholes and other, sharper ruts at lower speeds. It fidgets on patchy surfaces, and the wheels will occasionally thud into imperfections that its rivals could glide across.


It's not uncomfortable, but it's less composed than the best small cars, and it gets worse in the 117PS model. That's because this car has a lowered ride height and larger 17-inch wheels as standard, plus quicker steering. It's a set of changes designed to inject some sportiness into the mix, but does more harm than good to the ride.


While you do get more communication through the steering wheel from this setup, it takes the Nissan Micra's road manners from a bit firm to downright unsettled. That's why we'd avoid this engine, and also N-Sport trim.

The fifth-generation Nissan Micra has been offered with a variety of different engine options during its time on sale. It started out with a 0.9-litre turbo petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel, both with 90PS. We never got to try the former, but the latter was great, with a lot of mid-range shove and surprisingly good refinement. The dwindling popularity of this fuel (and sky high PCP costs) killed it off.


Shortly after launch, a naturally aspirated 1.0-litre petrol was added to the range. It made the car cheaper to buy, but with just 71PS, we found it to be woefully underpowered and, if we're honest, dangerously slow. Give it a wide berth when buying used. 


Later on, a pair of turbocharged three-cylinder petrols was introduced, delivering either 100PS through a five-speed manual gearbox, or 117PS through a six-speed manual gearbox.


The good news is that they are both decent performers. Either engine can easily handle motorway duties or overtaking, and are urgent enough in-gear that they demand little effort from the driver. With just a 1.0-litre capacity, the response at low revs can bit a little flat, but once it gets into its stride this is a peppy, responsive motor that has more than enough grunt to get you moving, even in its lowered-power form.


Of the two types of manual gearbox, neither is especially precise, with a long shift that can feel vague or have you searching for the right gear.


Buyers did have the option of fitting an automatic gearbox to the 100PS model, but unlike the slick dual-clutch systems in the Hyundai i20 and Volkswagen Polo, it uses what's called a continuously variable transmission (CVT). This type of gearbox is not known for its refinement or precision, and suits driving at steady speeds instead. In the Nissan it's actually surprisingly smooth, but it strangles performance somewhat, making this Micra a whole two seconds slower going from 0-62mph than the manual version with the exact same 100PS engine.


Later on, a single engine option was offered, a 1.0 turbo with the output throttled back to just 92PS, offered with either the five-speed manual or the CVT.


Of the lot, we think the manual 100PS motor is the one to seek out on the used car market. It's a fair bit cheaper than it's more powerful counterpart, and only a little slower, which in turn is not as powerful as a Renault Clio or Ford Fiesta in similar spec.

Normally small cars excel in typical urban environments like multi-storey car parks and congested streets, but feel out of their depth and tiring once you find yourself on faster A-roads and long dual-carriageways.


In the Micra, the opposite is true. Its three-cylinder engines, which can feel flat and a bit thrummy at low revs and send vibrations through the pedals, settle down into a more relaxed gait, and the ride smoothes out, too.


As long as you stick with a sensible wheel size (this means below 17 inches) then road noise is quite nicely isolated from the cabin. The Micra also has an acoustic windscreen to help filter out wind noise at speed. It's not the most tranquil supermini - that title still goes to the Polo - but feels mature and relaxing, which we like.


The discontinued 1.5-litre diesel was also a hushed performer, with a six-speed gearbox to keep the revs low on the motorway, and none of the idle clatter that people sometime expect from this type of fuel. The gearbox is not very precise or positive, but with a light clutch, it's relatively easy to drive smoothly in stop-start traffic.


Choose the CVT, and it won't blare or drone as often as the same type of gearbox in, say, a Toyota Yaris (in fact that car feels like a tin can compared to the Micra at 70mph) but we wouldn't choose it over the manual.

One of the Nissan Micra's biggest assets is its vast array of standard safety gear. It was one of the first small cars to feature automatic emergency braking on every single model in the line-up, just one of its many driving aids.


This vital piece of equipment uses a forward-facing camera to scan the road ahead, detecting other traffic. If the driver gets distracted or fails to spot an obstacle, the car will flash a warning, and can also apply the brakes automatically.


It can stop you running into careless pedestrians or parked cars at low speed, and could save you thousands of pounds by helping you avoid costly repairs. That's just the tip of the iceberg, though. Nissan also provides a road sign reader, auto-dipping headlights, and lane departure warning.


If you do start to drift out of line, the Micra has the ability to gently nip the brakes to steer you back into your lane. You can turn this system off it you want, though, as it can feel a bit unnatural the first few times it intervenes.


Some of this equipment was previously optional (as part of a safety pack) which explains why the Nissan got just four out of five stars from Euro NCAP when it was crash tested in 2017. When it was retested with the kit that was later made standard, it gained the extra star back, with strong ratings in most of the individual categories, too.


Every model comes with six airbags, cruise control with a speed limiter, a hill start assistant that gives you a second to build the revs up to make clean getaways uphill, and of course stability control and ISOFIX points.


From N-Tec trim onwards you get rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. These should help you keep your alloys off high kerbs and the bumpers free from small dings and dents. Any buyers lacking confidence in their manoeuvring abilities could add this kit to Acenta models (as part of the Vision Pack) for a few hundred quid.


The Intelligent Around View monitor is a 360º parking camera that's very impressive, but feels like overkill. It came as part of the Vision+ Pack offered on Tekna trim, which threw in a Blind Spot Warning system as well.

MPG and fuel costs: What does a Nissan Micra cost to run?

"Officially, the most popular petrol will manage just over 50mpg, at least according to the WLTP figures. This makes the Micra pretty average for a small car. Not the thirstiest by any means, but far from the most frugal."

Nissan Micra (2017-2022) Review: backleft exterior

The discontinued 1.5-litre dCi diesel was the only version with seriously miserly consumption. It claimed to return over 88mpg, whereas our Real MPG owners managed an average of 69mpg, still not to be sniffed at.


Predictably, choosing the CVT automatic gearbox or punchier engine will adversely effect what you'll be able to manage in mixed driving conditions, as will upgrading to the posher trim levels with their larger wheels and heavier kit. Still, none should fall too far below 40mpg, which should mean going at least 400 miles between fill-ups.

Nissan as a manufacturer doesn't enjoy quite the impressive reputation for reliability as you might expect from a Japanese brand, finishing in 23rd place out of 33 manufacturers in the latest HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index, way behind the likes of Honda and Toyota. 


What might be slightly more alarming is that the Micra featured 18th on the list of the 20 least reliable models in the study.  The warranty isn't exactly inspiring, either, being bog-standard three-year, 60,000-mile cover.


There's been one recall issued with the 1.0-litre 117PS engine that corrected a fault that saw the engine stall when idling.

Its impressive haul of safety equipment means the Micra is one of the most affordable small cars to insure. How cheap you ask? Well, the older 71PS petrol in base Visia trim is in insurance band 1 out of total of 50 and that's as cheap as it gets. Take a look at our guide to the cheapest cars to insure for more. 


That puts it on a par with basic versions of the Skoda Fabia, Kia Rio and Volkswagen Polo, making it perfect for any newly qualified drivers, or those who have recently lost their no-claims bonus. Do bear in mind the entry-level engine's glacial performance might mean, ironically, that the car is less safe rather than more safe.


The turbocharged engine options are less affordable. Still, with the 100PS model starting in Group 8, and the 117PS version in Group 11, they're still not bad.

If you buy one of the few fifth-gen Nissan Micras built and registered before the new road tax rules were introduced in April 2017, then it's possible it could cost as little as £20 per year in VED road tax. Any Micra built after that will be liable for the same flat rate of road tax, which is currently charged at £195 per year. At least you won't be done over by the luxury car surcharge that appplies to cars costing over £40,000 when brand new, because no Micra costs that much.

Nissan Micra price

"The Micra is no longer on sale as a new car, but when it was, it started life being offered for between £12,000 and £17,000, approximately. By the time it went off sale, prices had risen to between £17,000 and 21,000."

Nissan Micra (2017-2022) Review: front exterior

Have a look on our classifieds, and you'll find the cheapest examples clocking in at around £7,000. These will likely have either the early 0.9 turbo engine, or the naturally aspirated 1.0-litre, and be in a mid-range trim level, but will probably be carrying fairly punchy mileages of between 50,000- to 70,0000 miles.


Prices for the diesel start at around £8,000 if that's what floats your boat, while to get what we think is the sweet spot in the range - the 100PS turgo petrol in Acenta trim - you'll be looking at just shy of £9,000. This will likely be a 2019 car with around 30,000 miles.

The basic Visia and Visia+ models are rather basic. You get steel wheels, plain black plastic mirror caps, a two-speaker stereo, with Bluetooth, and air-con, but little else. The next step up - Acenta - is much more like it. This car has a 7.0-inch touchscreen, DAB radio, 16-inch alloys, cruise control, plus Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity. It covers most of the important bases, but there are odd items missing; no Micra gets electric rear windows for some reason.


Imaginatively titled N-Sport cars liberally sprinkle the Micra with performance enhancing upgrades such as a set of faux-carbon fibre mirror caps, 17-inch alloys, Alcantara and faux-leather seats, keyless entry and start. Alright, so none of that is going to make you go any faster. Still, you do also get a reversing camera and rear parking sensors, which (given the Micra's poor visibility) is arguably going to be a bit more useful day-to-day.


Only the priciest Tekna versions come with a leather steering wheel and gearknob, which feels like a major omission given it comes on even the basic versions of some of its rivals. The top spec Nissan makes for this with the poshest materials, a fancy BOSE driver headrest speaker system, navigation, and climate control.


Nissan loves a special edition, and the N-Tec is one worth looking out for. It slots into the range between the Acenta and N-Sport. It gets a few of the visual upgrades from the latter, like black 17-inch alloys, but also adds sat-nav, and rear parking sensors.

Ask the heycar experts: common questions

Yes. So if you need to cram in more stuff than usual (like when starting university) you can extend the boot in the Micra by dropping the seats, but it’s not as practical as some rivals.
In just one generation the Micra went from a disappointing, dowdy and cheap mess into a desirable small car with a nicely finished interior and grown-up driving manners.
When it was launched there was no automatic version of the Mk5 Micra, but it’s an important option for many small car buyers, so a CVT auto for the 100PS petrol was been introduced later.
You mean the Micra C-C? Those letters stood for Coupe-Cabriolet and this car (designed and built in the UK) was launched at a time when the industry went nuts for soft-tops. Sadly, the trend was a short-lived fad, and buyers soon went off these strange small convertibles.

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