Nissan's Micra gets tick from driving schools

Nissan's Micra Ti 1.5 will be popular among young driving students and older motorists. Photo / Supplied

British driving schools have apparently embraced the newest Micra with such enthusiasm that Nissan is thinking of bringing out a dual-control version.

Well no, I'm making up the bit about the dual controls, but the company is chuffed because the uptake says a lot about their Noddy-ish baby.

In fact, it's about as good an endorsement as you can get for a general-purpose runabout when you consider that driving schools need a car that's easy to drive, cheap to run and robust enough to survive on the mean streets in the hands of novices.

And because most driving students are young or young-ish, it's helping the third-generation Micra stretch its buyer demographics away from older motorists.

According to Nissan New Zealand's figures, more than 20 per cent of Micra buyers are over age 70 (it used to be 30 per cent) and another 20 per cent are aged 60-69.

This puts Micra in the interesting position of being both the first and the last car some people will drive.

New Zealand gets a pair of Micras, both using a 1.5-litre twin-cam, 16-valve engine producing 75kW and 136Nm, mated to a conventional four-speed auto rather than a constantly variable auto (CVT) that's now found widely on small cars.

The engine burns 6.6 litres per 100km overall and emits 154g of CO2 per kilometre. Because Micra weighs hardly more than 1000kg, the engine's output is enough to provide reasonable performance, including an 0-100km/h time of just over 12sec.

However, the engine gets noisy when asked to work hard. It's better in town or the suburbs - the environments for which it was designed - than on long trips along winding roads.

A base ST version, for $22,600, is well equipped with half a dozen airbags, ABS, stability control, brake assist with electronic brakeforce distribution, air conditioning, a trip computer and a single-CD sound system with four speakers.

The $24,100 Ti specification adds some styling enhancements, keyless entry, alloy wheels, climate-control air and cabin features such as a driver's armrest and a shallow bin in the front passenger's seat. This odd but useful addition lives under a hinged section of squab. Nissan calls it Integrated Bag Assist. You may find it good for hiding stuff, such as a laptop.

Micra's tall, four-door body design means it's easy to get into and out of, and boot size is generous. The interior is roomy for the car's modest dimensions, has plenty of small-item stowage and is finished nicely.

Although the dash is oddly designed, where else can you find an inexpensive car with a trip computer that will remind you of your birthday or wedding anniversary?

Fries or salad?

Nissan plans to sell the new Micra in 160 countries. Putting that in perspective, McDonald's is in a mere 122 nations. Micra, known as March in Japan and some other countries, has been in production since 1982.

Among export markets it's been particularly popular in Europe and more than two million were built in the UK between 1992 and 2010. Ours, however, come from Japan.

Alternatives

* Ford Fiesta LX 1.6 $25,490
* Mazda2 Classic 1.5 $24,645
* Suzuki Swift GLX $23,990
* Toyota Yaris 1.3L $23,090

Bottom line:

A worthy runabout that just gets on with the job.