Nissan Micra (2013-2016)

By Jonathan Crouch

Models Covered

5DR HATCH (1.2 12V, 1.2 DIG-S PETROL)

Introduction

With slicker styling, a much-improved interior, more equipment and better value for money, Nissan’s heavily revised fourth generation Micra supermini turned over a new leaf in 2013. As before, it was impressively space efficient and offered the option of a clever supercharged 1.2-litre petrol engine that was not only eager but also both frugal and green. It may be sensible rather than sporty, but this very affordable contender delivers in exactly the areas a small car should. Let’s check it out as a used car buy.

The History

Think of a small Nissan and you tend to think of this one, the Micra. It’s represented the brand in the supermini segment since the early Eighties, with this fourth generation version taking over the mantle at the end of 2010 before significant improvements in the middle of 2013 brought us the revised model we’re going to look at here.

The fact that changes were introduced so early in the product cycle underlined how vital it’s always been for the brand to get this car right. This is, after all, a very significant model in Nissan’s history, in second generation form the very first Japanese design to win the coveted European Car of the Year award, a recognition of its status as the first Far Eastern supermini purpose-built for Western tastes. To make absolutely sure, Nissan decided to build the MK2 model in Britain and style both that second generation version and its successor with a daring flair that perfectly suited the ever-more image-conscious small car market. These were cars perfectly in tune with their times – which in a way, this one was too.

It stood as a perfect example of the power of global economics. That was the only way to explain how Nissan managed to make the fourth generation Micra cheaper to British buyers, despite switching its production from Sunderland to India. By 2013, the improved MK3 Micra we’re going to look at here was being used as part of Nissan’s two-tier approach in the small car segment, taking on budget-minded Korean superminis from brands like Hyundai, Kia and Chevrolet. This freed up the larger Note model to attack more expensive European small contenders in the Fiesta and Polo sector.

If you’re going to buy a MK4 Micra, this post-2013-era version is the one to have. By this point, quality issues from the Indian factiory had been sorted out and nicer cabin materials were being used in the space-efficient interior. Plus a clever supercharged engine option gave pokey power with diesel economy. This model sold until a revolutionary fifth generation Micra was launched early in 2017.

What To Look For

Most owners of revised fourth generation Micras seem to be pretty satisfied with their cars but inevitably, we did come across a few issues. One owner felt that the car got through front tyres more quickly than it should have, the person in question having to replace a set of front tyres at around 25,000 miles. There were also reports of owners having to prematurely replace front offside and front nearside wheel bearings, while one buyer had to pay for a new clutch and slave cylinder not long into his ownership period. Another found she had to pay for new wiper blades every year and thought the car’s tracking needed o be corrected more frequently than was normal.

Another owner we found had had to replace the battery under warranty and had a drop link in the suspension fail. We also came across an owner who discovered a small patch of rust on the top rear corner of the car under the tailgate. Other than these things, simply check for the usual small hatch problems – kerbed alloys and interior trim scratches caused by unruly kids.

On The Road

It’s now become quite common for auto makers to switch from four to three cylinder engines in their small cars in their quest for greater efficiency. The downside of that is that a three cylinder layout is fundamentally unbalanced – and usually feels it from the moment you set off and your ears begin to adjust to what in many cases is a bit of a din. But not here. In fact, after an initial drive in this Micra, so smooth and melodious was the tone from beneath the bonnet that I had to check the spec sheet to reassure myself that there were actually three cylinders beating there.

There are in this case – whichever flavour of 1.2-litre petrol power is chosen. There’s no diesel option and there doesn’t need to be because the top 98PS DIG-S variant is pretty much diesel-frugal, potentially returning nearly 70mpg and offering a sub-100g/km CO2 figure. That this Nissan can manage that while still delivering a perky engine capable of 62mph from rest in 11.3s on the way to 112mph is impressive. In the supermini segment in this era, only Ford’s Fiesta 1.0-litre EcoBoost 100PS model can match eager performance with green-minded economy in this way – and new versions of that car cost nearly 25% more.

Overall

The Micra, Nissan thinks, should be small, easy to drive and very affordable, both to buy and to run. This improved post-2013 MK4 version ticks all those boxes and in some ways is a very refreshing change in a segment still prone to bring us cars that are ever- larger, sportier, more sophisticated and, inevitably, more expensive. This model takes precisely the opposite approach, simplified to appeal to buyers in more than 160 countries but still intentionally compact, yet deceptively practical. It is in fact one of the most space-efficient cars we can think of.