My mom and I came to Canada in 1981 with pretty much nothing except a few boxes of our important possessions. Mom worked hard and slowly rebuilt up our home base of stuff. Needless to say it was a pretty big milestone when she purchased her first ever car over here. This was a HUGE deal. The year was 1993. She was a used model and it was a terrifying decision to make.
That little Nissan Micra was an amazing car. Easy on the gas and could go ANYWHERE. About this I am not kidding. I have fond memories of driving up to SFU through frozen snowy roads while bigger cars wiped out and gave up all around me. Mom and I took it camping and on road trips up the Coquihalla to Merritt and back again. It was an epic little car. Thus I was very happy to hear about Nissan bringing it back for 2015.
I got to take out the Micra SR which is their top package that still rolls in under $20k. The base model starts at under $10k and in this day an age you can’t beat that. Another thing you can’t beat is the mileage. Now granted, I only tooled about a bit around the city while I was reviewing the car, but I have to say the gas barely blipped.
The mighty Micra is no doubt a small car but they have maximized the space in very clever ways. The roof is high and fit myself and my 6′ 1″ tall husband with room to spare. There is room in the back for 3, but not in the most luxurious way. It is a squeeze and much better for two in the back, especially if you are putting in baby seats. The cargo is not huge either. Not compared to the Versa Note. However it is ample for a good grocery run and the fact that the rear seats do the helpful 60/40 split enhances the versatility.
The dash and console have been designed with the driver in mind, ensuring all audio and HVAC controls are easy to read, access and use. The large gauges in the instrument panel are clear and bright, contributing to the interior’s clean, sophisticated look. As well, the large colour screen of the available display audio system adds vibrant detail to the cabin. I love that this tiny car, that you can park anywhere, has a back up screen.
The Micra is basically a reflection of European models and taste. Small, economical and fun to ride. It is a fun economical city car that can manage busy roads and shrinking parking spots. A bit of a squeeze for a family like mine, but I really enjoyed revisiting the car after all these years. Nissan continues to impress me with all their models. They build stylish, safe and economical cars.
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