Nissan Micra (2017-2022) review

In a competitive supermini market full of talented rivals, the Nissan Micra may not always receive the recognition it deserves. But, the fifth-generation model is a stylish, small five-door hatchback that offers decent space and impressive levels of safety

The Micra handles well enough, too, although a limited engine choice lets it down, while there's no efficient hybrid technology to help boost fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions. There are better alternatives available; the Renault Clio (our current Supermini of the Year) being a standout choice. However, if you're after a small family car that's easy to drive and attractively priced, the Nissan Micra might be worth a look.

About the Nissan Micra

The Nissan Micra has built a reputation over many years for affordability, reliability and ease of ownership, but rarely has this perennially popular supermini been accused of being stylish.

That all changed with the arrival of the fifth-generation Micra which was unveiled at the 2016 Paris Motor show. The French fashion capital was a fitting location for the debut of a model that had cast off its dowdy old clothes to take centre stage on the catwalk with a highly fashionable new look.

While it retains much of the previous model’s engineering under the skin, the fifth-generation Micra also benefits from a 1.0-litre turbocharged engine that gives Nissan’s supermini the technical leg-up it needs to compete with some of the best in its class. Coupled with an array of safety kit and a decently engaging drive, in 2017 we recommended the Micra as one of the supermini best buys.

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Since then, the Nissan Micra has slipped down the rankings as rivals such as the Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio and Volkswagen Polo fought back. The Fiesta is more fun to drive, the Clio more practical, while the Polo has a more upmarket interior, but the Micra is still a satisfying proposition – especially as it retains the original values that have underpinned the car’s appeal across previous generations.

A favourite with driving schools and new drivers across the UK, the Nissan Micra has been a staple of the supermini class since 1983. The first and second generations served up Japanese reliability on a plate, with a decent price to boot. The Micra Mk3 added rounded styling to the mix that added to the car's charms, but the Mk4 was a more restrained design in comparison. One common thread between all of these models is their lack of driving fun, but the Micra has always been a safe choice.

While the looks are sharper, the new Micra gets the last car's running gear under the skin. However, it has been completely updated to make sure the car is competitive, and includes some cutting-edge electronic tech taken from other Nissan models, like the Qashqai. As before, the Micra is five-door only, although Nissan has put the rear door handles in the window frames to give the car a sportier look.

The Mk5 Micra originally offered the choice of a 70bhp 1.0 litre or a 87bhp turbocharged 0.9-litre three cylinder petrol engine. A more performance-oriented 115bhp petrol and a 89bhp 1.5-litre diesel were also available. An update in 2021 saw these engine options reduced to a single 91bhp 1.0-litre petrol turbo. All models feature either a six-speed manual or a CVT automatic transmission.

The refresh also included a simplified trim line-up, with three specifications on offer: Acenta, N-Sport and Tekna. All cars get cruise control as standard, as well as automatic emergency braking and a lane departure warning system. Move up to N-Sport and you benefit from Alcantara seats, a rear-view camera and parking sensors, a black exterior pack and 17-inch alloy wheels. The Tekna trim level includes a Bose audio system, NissanConnect navigation and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

While we've mentioned the Fiesta, Clio and Polo as being hugely talented rivals, the SEAT Ibiza and Skoda Fabia are also both strong contenders. The Citroen C3 adds some youthful style to the mix, with the Peugeot 208 being the upmarket sister car to the C3.

Elsewhere, other Far Eastern rivals include the Toyota Yaris, Mazda 2, Hyundai i20, Kia Rio, Suzuki Swift and Honda Jazz, while the Vauxhall Corsa is another staple of the class that shouldn't be ruled out.

Engines, performance and drive

It was never known as a car that you'd want to drive for the hell of it, and the latest Nissan Micra still isn't the most fun supermini to drive, but it's certainly an improvement. It handles sweetly enough, and all cars get the Active Ride and Active Trace Control electronic systems from the larger Qashqai. The former applies the brakes over bumps to keep the body tied down, while the latter brakes an inside wheel in corners to help stick to your chosen line.

The ride is a little fidgety, with a firm edge even on smaller wheels, but it’s refined at speed. However, next to the precision of a VW Polo and the comfort of a Citroen C3, the Micra simply lacks sparkle.

The steering has just about enough weight to it, but doesn’t have much feel. While the five-speed manual has an imprecise nature when compared to rivals.

Nissan addressed the Micra's relative lack of power by introducing a new 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder unit. It was initially available with 99bhp or 115bhp, but now comes solely as a 91bhp version.

0-62mph acceleration and top speed 

The naturally aspirated 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre diesel are no longer available. Instead, the Micra range now includes just the 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol motor.

We thought the 99bhp version was a decent all-rounder in regards to refinement and power. The 115bhp version also makes for the best driving Micra as it is allied to revisions that unlock a shade of extra poise from the supermini. The suspension is 10mm lower, and the steering is upgraded to offer some much needed dynamism. However, it's still not as smooth riding as the Volkswagen Polo and not as fun to drive as the Ford Fiesta. The sprint from 0-62mph takes 9.9 seconds, with Nissan claiming ‘warm hatch’ status. But, in reality there are much faster versions of rival superminis.

With 91bhp and 160Nm of torque, the newer IG-T five-speed model manages 0-62mph in 11.8 seconds, with the CVT automatic version needing an extra 1.2 seconds to cover the same sprint.

MPG, CO2 and running costs

The 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol is definitely better suited to the Micra, with the shorter distances most superminis cover meaning that petrol will be a better option (compared to diesel) for the long-term life cycle. The previous 99bhp turbocharged unit with the five-speed manual gearbox delivered 50.4mpg, while even the 115bhp Micra returned a respectable 47.9mpg on the WLTP combined cycle.

Emissions for the most powerful 115bhp engine were rated at 133g/km, while CO2 figures for the 99bhp engine varied depending on wheel size, but started from 126g/km for the manual version and 140g/km for the CVT auto.

Nissan claims the newer 91bhp five-speed manual model will return an average of 53.3mpg, with CO2 emissions of 121g/km. There's an efficiency penalty if you opt for the CVT auto, which manages a 47.1mpg maximum and 137g/km of CO2.

Insurance groups

The Micra isn’t just efficient, it’s also cheap to keep on the road thanks to some low insurance group ratings. If you go for the entry-level 1.0-litre car in Visia+ trim, it sits in group 1E, which is very appealing for young drivers.

The least powerful 1.0-litre petrol is unsurprisingly in the lowest insurance group of the range, while the DIG-T 117bhp version sits in group 11. The Micra still remains cheaper to insure than the VW Polo, which can only manage as low as group 8 and goes all the way up to group 28.

Depreciation

Our expert data suggests that the Nissan Micra should hold onto around 50 per cent of its original value after a typical ownership period of three-years and 36,000 miles driven.

To get an accurate valuation on a specific model check out our free car valuation tool...

Interior, design and technology

With its sweeping lines, floating roof and angled bonnet, the fifth-generation Micra is certainly striking. It’s a revolutionary look for the car, and it’s easy to see just how different this Micra is from the dumpy previous model. There’s something of the Renault Clio about it too, with the hidden rear door handles being an obvious parallel with a car that shares plenty of tech under the skin.

Get inside and the changes are similarly huge, with a high-quality feel in evidence throughout. The contrasting colour schemes are optional, and will appeal to drivers looking to make more of a statement, but overall the design is neat and smart. The material quality is high as well, with soft-touch finishes in all the right places, although there are some cheaper bits lower down. It's fairly reminiscent of the Qashqai in terms of displays and button layout, and is pretty easy to get on with.

Nissan has gone big on customisation options this time round, and you can choose plenty of contrasting colours for the interior – and also decals and coloured inserts for the exterior as well. There are even inserts on the alloy wheels that allow further personalisation opportunities.

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Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Apple CarPlay comes as standard on the Acenta version, but sat-nav with traffic information comes as part of the Vision Pack (about £700), which adds NissanConnect touchscreen navigation. This is standard on Tekna cars.

The smartphone integration is nicely done, with Apple CarPlay giving you access to apps that allow music and entertainment on the move, as well as the ability to use Siri voice control from your smartphone to perform simple local searches using Apple’s Maps app. Android Auto has also been added, so rival smartphone users have the same user-friendly features at their disposal.

The seven-inch screen’s graphics aren’t of the highest calibre. However, with hot keys flanking either side of the display, it’s easy to jump to different sections of the infotainment system. It’s worth mentioning that a Bose stereo upgrade is also available, which features speakers in the headrests and plenty of power for a supermini sound system. This is a neat set-up, and adds extra quality to the car's stereo without resorting to cranking up the volume.

Practicality, comfort and boot space

The Nissan Micra is a five-door, with the rear door handles hidden up in the window frame near the C-pillars. In essence, the Mk5 car had to replace the previous generation and the Note small MPV, too, and Nissan has worked hard to make sure the Micra is as practical as possible. It listened to feedback from customers and incorporated new key features that improve its usability.

For example, the 10-litre glovebox was designed to fit a two-litre drinks bottle, and you can get 1.5-litre bottles in the front door bins. There’s also storage in the centre console ahead of the gearstick, both for phones and larger objects.

Dimensions and size

At 3.99m long, 1.74m wide and 1.45m high, the Micra is a totally different shape to before – it’s longer and wider, but lower than the previous car, with dimensions comparable to a VW Polo.

Leg room, head room & passenger space

Since it’s bigger than before, the Micra offers more space inside for passengers. There’s more head and legroom, and while the back seats aren’t particularly spacious, there’s a decent amount of room for most people. The low ceiling means headroom isn’t a strong point, though.

Boot space

The 300-litre boot is one of the bigger spaces in the supermini class, but the Honda Jazz and Kia Rio both have bigger load areas. The Micra’s boot has also been designed to accommodate the most common items, such as large suitcases, more comfortably than rival cars'.

With the 60:40 split rear seats folded down, load space goes up to 1,004 litres, which beats the Citroen C3’s 922-litre area, but not the practical Skoda Fabia’s 1,150-litre offering.

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Reliability and safety

​Nissan has been very generous with the Micra’s safety kit, and all UK cars get a long list of impressive tech on board as standard. There’s the expected Isofix child seat fixings, six airbags, ABS, stability control and seat belt warnings, but a hi-tech safety pack also comes on all cars.

This means you also get lane keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian recognition, road sign recognition and high beam assist. That’s a very impressive list of kit for the price, and means that the five-star Euro NCAP score the Micra was awarded with the Safety Pack applies to all models sold in the UK.

The Micra didn't feature in our 2022 Driver Power satisfaction survey, although Nissan was represented in the top-75 list by the Qashqai SUV and the Juke crossover.

Warranty

The Nissan Micra comes with an industry-standard three-year warranty, which is the same as most of its rivals. The Hyundai i20 and Toyota Yaris both have five-year warranties, though, and the Kia Rio beats even that with seven years. Nissan says that the decals available as customisation options are covered under the standard warranty, too.

Servicing

Nissan offers a range of fixed-price servicing packages. Costs obviously vary according to model and whether you opt for a major or minor service.