Skip advert
Advertisement

Nissan Pixo

New city car is cheapest model in Nissan's range... Will it be the talk of the town?

Overall Auto Express rating

3.0

How we review cars
Find your Nissan Pixo
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The Pixo shows great forward thinking. By joining forces with Suzuki, Nissan has delivered a new car in an unfamiliar sector. The model is clean and frugal, as the market demands at the moment. But you can’t get away from the fact that this is an Alto in Nissan clothing. Had bosses given it a proper makeover, they could have been on to a real winner!

Advertisement - Article continues below

If you rate yourself as an expert car spotter, you’re probably already wondering why this Suzuki Alto has a Nissan badge. In fact, this is the all-new Pixo – and it’s the first product of a partnership between Nissan and Suzuki.

Independent car development has become an expensive luxury, so the firms have joined forces to cut costs. The Pixo will be the first Nissan city car to be sold here when it arrives in June. It’s also the first model from the brand to wear the Pure Drive badge – reserved for the most frugal variants in the range.

As well as sharing most of its design and engineering with the Alto, the Pixo is built at the same plant in Delhi, India. Nissan has tried to emphasise the differences between the cars, but apart from the grille, headlights and bumpers, there is little to tell them apart.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

EQC

2023 Mercedes

EQC

21,307 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £26,000
View EQC
Focus Vignale

2020 Ford

Focus Vignale

59,430 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £14,676
View Focus Vignale
Puma

2023 Ford

Puma

30,377 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £14,597
View Puma
C4

2023 Citroen

C4

20,443 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £14,297
View C4

Inside, the Pixo doesn’t exactly inspire, although it’s neat and tidy. The fabric-trimmed seats are comfortable but plain, and the centre console, dash and door trims have all been finished with cheap plastics.
While there’s plenty of room up front, passengers aren’t likely to enjoy travelling far in the rear. Hinged windows and limited legroom make for an uncomfortable experience. Plus, the boot is small, offering only 129 litres of space.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The similarities to the Alto come to the fore again out on the road. The top-of-the-range Tekna model we drove was fitted with the four-speed automatic gearbox, a £910 option that’s also available on the Acenta. It's good value for money, but its also worth pointing out that the same option is also available from Suzuki's Alto, priced only £600.

The Pixo is primarily a city car, and despite the auto’s sluggish and delayed responses, its tiny footprint and simple driving experience mean it’s great for getting around busy towns.

Power comes from the same 67bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine as used in the Alto. It propels the manual model from 0-60mph in around 14 seconds, but the longer ratios of our self-shifter turned the dash into a crawl.

The auto took 17 seconds to complete the benchmark sprint – and it felt like it. Things don’t really improve once you’re up to speed. In fourth gear, it seems as if the engine is struggling no matter how many revs it’s pulling. And when you reach a corner, body roll is as much of an issue as it is in the Alto, while the steering offers little in the way of feedback.

Bumpy surfaces are a real challenge for the bouncy ride, too. When the Pixo hits dealers here, three variants will be offered. For a great-value £5,995, the entry-level Visia gets ABS, a CD player and front airbags as standard – but not a lot else.

Pay an extra £750, and the mid-range Acenta adds central locking, folding rear seats, electric windows and
side airbags. Spend a further £900, and the Tekna comes with air-conditioning, curtain airbags and an ESP stability system.

Grabbing all the headlines, though, will be the sub-£6,000 Pixo. Not only will it be the cheapest car Nissan sells, it also promises the lowest running costs of any model from the firm. The manual version of the Visia returns an impressive 64.2mpg and emits 103g/km of CO2.

There’s also talk of an even cleaner stop-start variant, producing 95g/km – so with the Pixo, Nissan is certainly making a bold statement to the rest of the industry.

Rival: Peugeot 107
As well as offering cheeky looks, a roomy cabin and strong residuals, the 1.0-litre 107 can return up to 62mpg. While there is no sub-£6,000 Pixo-rivalling variant, the little Lion is an appealing budget choice.

Skip advert
Advertisement

More reviews

New & used car deals

MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £26,995Avg. savings £8,094 off RRP*Used from £13,199
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,255Avg. savings £1,848 off RRP*Used from £7,649
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,625Avg. savings £2,261 off RRP*Used from £13,211
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £18,725Avg. savings £4,199 off RRP*Used from £15,337
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025