Nissan Micra review
The new Nissan Micra might be from a Japanese brand, but it’s built in France and designed in the UK; a varied birth, but one that still comes together as a cohesive whole
Our opinion on the Nissan Micra
The new Nissan Micra draws (very) heavily from the Renault 5, so shares its highs and lows pretty much to a tee. But this is a good thing because we love the R5, and it means we love the new Micra too. Its combination of a funky interior, cute styling, decent efficiency and a well-balanced, fun to drive demeanour make this the best Micra in generations. So while it potentially lacks the originality of its French counterpart, there’s still plenty of unique design to give it its own character.
| Key specs | |
| Fuel type | Electric |
| Body style | Supermini |
| Powertrain | 1 e-motor, 40kWh or 52kWh battery |
| Safety | TBC* |
| Warranty | Three years, 80,000 miles |
About the Nissan Micra
The new Nissan Micra is an all-electric supermini that’s been developed in collaboration with Renault. Its compact size and upright proportions make it an ideal choice for buyers looking to buy an urban supermini, and comes packed with the latest technology inside the cabin and a striking look.
It’s only available with a five-door body, and while full UK specifications have yet to be finalised, we do know it’ll be available with two different battery options, and in three different trim levels. Pricing is also yet to be determined, but we suspect it’ll start at around £24,000 for the entry-level 40kWh model, rising to somewhere around £30,000 for a top-spec Micra with a larger 52kWh battery pack.
Used - available now
2019 Nissan
Micra
15,117 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £10,702
2019 Nissan
Micra
10,351 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £11,700
2022 Nissan
Micra
30,349 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £10,499
2018 Nissan
Micra
37,640 milesManualPetrol0.9L
Cash £7,699Look closely at the Micra and you might find an element or two in common with the new Renault 5, but as it’s one of our favourite new superminis on the market, this is no bad thing. However there are still plenty of differences between the two, not least their dramatically different design.
Performance & driving experience
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In a distinct contrast to the previous Micra generations, this new all-electric one has been designed from the outset to be electric only. This doesn’t just mean the car is more expensive than before, it’s also physically bigger in order to fit its battery packs under the floor.
The recipe itself is not a complex one. There’s a single front-mounted motor doing propulsion duties and one of two battery packs powering it. The front-end is borrowed from normal supermini stock with a MacPherson strut-style suspension system, but the rear is more sophisticated and integrates a multi-link axle that’s unusual for the class – save for a MINI, and Renault 5, obviously.
Nissan says that the suspension hardware and tuning in the Micra are the same as in the Renault 5, but it was involved in the development process and was able to influence the setup. Unlike a Ford Fiesta or MINI Cooper, the Micra has rarely been one to offer driving thrills, so a grown-up driving personality was more on the cards anyway.
This much is clear in how the Micra conducts itself on the road. The suspension is secure and maybe a touch firm, but it’s never crashy. Helped by the accurate steering, it makes the Micra both easy to drive and confidence inspiring.
On our test drive we found the performance, when up and running at higher speeds, to be a little lacking, even with the more powerful 148bhp electric motor. At low speeds, there’s a little pitter-patter to the ride on the comparatively large 18-inch wheels - the same ones found on the Renault 5. Ultimately, these factors contribute to the Micra feeling more at home in the urban environments where it's been designed to excel.
Electric motors, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed
Nissan will sell the new Micra with two powertrain options in the UK, a base 40kWh model with 119bhp and a more powerful 52kWh model with 148bhp. Neither are firecrackers in terms of outright performance, but they offer good low-speed responses and help the Micra feel nippy and agile in and around town.
Acceleration isn’t too bad on paper, and the electric Micra will feel substantially quicker off the line compared to superminis of the past. The base 119bhp model will take 9 seconds to reach 62mph, while the 148bhp variant shaves a full second off that. These performance figures start to tail off at higher speeds, however, with both cars limited to 93mph at the top end. This is partly down to the motor being relatively low geared, and partly to the somewhat upright stance leading to compromised aerodynamic efficiency.
| Model | Power | 0-62mph | Top speed |
| Nissan Micra 40kWh | 119bhp | 9.0 | 93mph |
| Nissan Micra 52kWh | 148bhp | 8.0 | 93mph |
"The more powerful Micra feels nippy around town and at low speeds, but loses some of its verve on the motorway.” – Jordan Katsianis, senior staff writer.
Range, charging & running costs
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Nissan’s pair of powertrain options effectively put the Micra into two distinct categories. The 40kWh option is unashamedly directed at urban use, with 198 miles of range possible on the WLTP cycle. Efficiency and range will deteriorate at a consistent high speed cruise, so we’d suggest the larger 52kWh battery to anyone doing a lot of motorway journeys.
With the larger battery installed, the Micra’s range increases to 260 miles on the WLTP cycle, which is likely to drop to around 200 miles with some motorway usage. Auto Express is currently running the closely related Renault 5, and we’re averaging efficiency of 3.9 miles/kWh, giving a theoretical range close to that 200-mile figure.
| Model | Range | Peak DC charging | Insurance group |
| Nissan Micra 40kWh | 198 miles | 80kW | N/A |
| Nissan Micra 52kWh | 260 miles | 100kW | N/A |
Electric range, battery life and charge time
In order to bring it in at a low price, without compromising on the high amount of standard kit, the Micra’s battery performance and charging speeds aren’t exactly groundbreaking.
The smaller 40kWh battery pack is limited to 80kW DC charging, which will top the battery up from 15 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes.
Nissan’s larger 52kWh option ups the charging speed to 100kW, helping retain the 30-minute 15 to 80 per cent top up time. Both battery options feature an 11kW on-board charger for slower AC charging at home or at slower public chargers.
A nice addition that Nissan does have over the Renault 5 is a set of paddles behind the wheel to easily adjust the regenerative braking. There are three settings, plus a full e-pedal mode that’s capable of bringing the car to a complete stop without the need to use the brake pedal. The Nissan forgets your chosen setting when turned off, however, so if you’re a serial e-pedal fan, you’ll need to re-select it every time you pull away. It’s annoying, but also a simple task to perform with the paddles.
| Model | Battery size | Range | Insurance group |
| Nissan Micra standard-range | 40kWh | 198 miles | N/A |
| Nissan Micra long-range | 52kWh | 260 miles | N/A |
Interior, design & technology
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If you’re going to base your new small EV on an existing car, why not take from the best? Well that’s exactly what Nissan has done with the new Micra, but whereas the powertrains, chassis and general driving experience are pretty indistinguishable, the design is where the Japanese company has been more assertive.
Fundamentally, the size, proportions and most of the glass is shared between the Micra and Renault 5, but thanks to lots of clever changes you could almost forget that the two are related. Styled at Nissan’s Paddington, London, design studio, the changes start up-front where the bonnet has been lifted and fitted with distinctive new lighting.
Rather than the oblong shapes on the R5, the Micra instead uses oversized circular LED daytime running lights to frame the nose, with tiny rectangular headlights mounted within. All the important sheetmetal has been changed, with simpler surfacing and a distinctive line running from the headlights through to the rear end. This has been affectionately called the ‘gelato scoop’ within Nissan’s design team.
The contrasting lower bumpers and wheelarches are finished in gloss black across all models, and all come with one of three 18-inch wheel designs that are unique to Micra. The most distinctive in our opinion are actually the plastic wheelcovers fitted to the entry-level model, which mimic the wheels on Nissan’s new Leaf.
The rear end is where things are the most distinctive. Nissan has fitted another round lighting motif and inset the rear screen. These are fundamental differences to the R5, and complete the job of separating the Micra from its French cousin. There’s also a range of bright colours and contrasting roof finishes to choose from, including a few blue and red options that you won’t find on the Renault.
Inside, the cabin’s much closer to the R5’s, which is no bad thing. It feels well designed and comes full of interesting detailing, such as the waffle-cone rooflining and contrasting fabrics on the doors and dashboard. Without such an obvious retro connection, the colours and materials feel a little slicker, and depending on the model, actually ape the sportier Alpine A290.
The seating position is a little high, but then it needs to be to see over the screen housing, which feels a little clunky and plasticy in contrast to the thin, low-profile housings you see in other Nissan models.
One Renault-inherited element which we’re less fond of is the wand and stalk arrangement behind the steering wheel. There’s no less than three different mechanisms housing different controls to the right of the steering wheel which can be confusing. One is the gear selector itself, which does without any form of ‘Park’ mode and forces you to select ‘Neutral’, which doesn’t come naturally.
Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo
Nissan’s dual-screen layout feels high-spec and well executed for a car in this class, even if it's lifted directly from the Renault 5. As such, if you’re coming from a different Nissan model you’ll notice there’s not much in common between the systems, but this isn’t a problem.
The Micra's main 10-inch touchscreen is well sized and easy to use. Its menu structure is clear and the always-visible menu bar and climate control elements make it easy to navigate. The best bit is that Google Maps is directly embedded into the infotainment system, so you get active route planning, traffic alerts and even location data such as how many EV charging points are in use at public fast charging hubs.
If you log into your Google account, it’ll even show all your favourite locations and suggest different destinations based on the times of the day that you usually travel – this is surprisingly useful, if a little creepy. If you’re more of a Waze user, that’s also integrated right into the user interface. All-in, it makes the Micra’s a much nicer system to use than the standard Apple Carplay or Android Auto phone pairing setup – although these are still fitted as standard with a wireless connection.
The driver’s display is configurable and shows key information with funky graphics, while still being clear. It can also display your navigation – regardless of which navigation app you’re using – but it can be a little laggy when changing between views.
Boot space & practicality
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Such is the reality of small electric cars, that the Micra’s bloated external dimensions in relation to previous generations don’t exactly yield a corresponding growth in interior space. Just like the Renault 5, the Micra is a little tight inside, something exasperated by the small windows, dark rooflining and tall dashboard.
In the front row, there is good small item storage, though, including decent-sized door bins, cupholders in the centre console and even an oddly-shaped storage compartment that’s about the perfect size for a set of wireless earbuds – Nissan (and Renault) know who their intended audience is.
In the second row, the flat floor does mean that footroom isn’t too bad, but there’s limited leg and head room, and the floor itself does sit quite high on account of the batteries being stored underneath.
Visibility out isn’t great, looking forward or out of the back, but the standard parking sensors and camera setup do make manoeuvring the car in tight spaces easy enough.
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Dimensions | |
| Length | 3,974 |
| Width | 1,830 |
| Height | 1,499 |
| Number of seats | 5 |
| Boot space | 326/1,106 litres |
Dimensions and size
At just under 4m long the Micra isn’t that much longer than its predecessor, but at nearly 90mm wider and around 45mm taller, it nearly headbutts c-segment cars from class above. This extra height is entirely down to the need to fit the battery pack under the floor, which has forced the whole car upwards.
Boot space
The Micra has a 326-litre boot which is about average for the supermini class. Taking into account the car’s large dimensions it isn’t particularly impressive. While the space is square and usable, the loading lip is quite high, compounded by the relatively high ride height.
You can fold the seats down in a 60-40 split, and when you do, space increases to a much more usable 1,106-litres. When folded, the seat bases don’t leave a flat floor. There’s also no under-floor or under-bonnet storage, so you’ll need to store the charging cables in the main space, which can be annoying if they are wet and/or grimy.
Reliability & safety
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The one area where we think buyers would like a little more Japanese influence and a little less of the French is reliability but the Micra is beholden to its gallic underpinnings. However, there hasn’t been much poor reception to the Renault 5 so far, and being such a new model that is an impressive feat.
Safety scores will also mimic the Renault 5, which, despite Renault’s typically flawless record, only records a 4-star rating. Testers suggested that this rating was given due to a lack of consistency in the car’s performance with differently sized occupants, and the fact it lacks a centrally-mounted front airbag.
However, four stars is still a great rating and it’s one the new Micra will probably match due to the shared underpinnings and equipment.
| Key standard safety features | Euro NCAP safety ratings |
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Buying and owning
- Best buy: Nissan Micra 52kWh mid-range model
We haven’t driven the full range of Micras as it won’t be reaching UK roads until late 2025. However, judging by the Renault and its figures, we’d suggest that a mid-level model with the 52kWh battery will be the best buy thanks to a reasonable price and good range.
While the 40kWh model will be cheaper to buy, there are other very inexpensive cars that have a better value equation – think of the likes of the new Fiat Grande Panda or Citroen e-C3.
Alternatives
We can’t stop mentioning the Renault 5 in this review, and so it remains at the top of the list for alternatives. However, if you’re not so keen on the retro-chic design of the Renault and want something that looks a little more modern, the Micra is an excellent choice. Without firm pricing, we can’t say for certain which will be the better buy overall, but it’ll probably depend on the monthly payment – or what colour you prefer.
Outside of this pairing, Micras fitted with the smaller 40kWh battery could be put up against the Fiat Grande Panda or Citroen e-C3. Neither feels as well specified or as substantial as the Nissan, but they are less expensive and have just as much charm. The BYD Dolphin Surf could be considered a rival too at its very high end, but the Nissan’s infinitely better across the board at its price point.
The larger 52kWh model will knock on the door of more expensive rivals, but will occupy a nice gap underneath something like an electric MINI Cooper or Peugeot E-208 - offering similar range and kit for less.
Deals on alternative cars to the Micra
Nissan Micra pictures
Frequently Asked Questions
The Nissan Micra is a great car, but it’s also essentially the same as the Renault 5, so pick between the two as if they were trim lines, not different models.
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