Nissan Micra X-CVT review and test drive

With growing number of vehicles and large traffic jams, automatic cars have started gaining popularity as many customers now looking at the ease and convenience that they offer. Gone are the days, where automatics meant low fuel efficiency and boring drives. Today’s automatic vehicles offer good performance without any compromise on the fuel efficiency. One such vehicle which promises to offer is the Nissan Micra.

We recently test drove the Micra X-CVT to highlight a few features of the new age automatic cars which fits the economical pocket and are ideal for daily commutation.

Nissan launched the Micra in 2009 and bought in the Micra X-CVT with the new facelift in June 2013. The Micra was one of the early entrants into the premium hatch category along with Volkswagen Polo and SKODA Fabia. The car has not sold in large numbers but has been able to generate decent response.

Exteriors

Nissan Micra when launched in India did not appeal to the mass market, the reason being its feminine looks and not so exciting exteriors. The facelift has tried to correct the setbacks with new boomerang headlamps combined with a sporty looking bumper equipped with large air damps. The new V-Shaped grille with a little dose of chrome resting on the honey-comb pattern grille has given the car a more premium appeal. The front defiantly looks a lot better now as compared the previous one. The fog lamps are reserved for the XVP trim which is currently available in the diesel engine option only. Overall the front does look a lot better now.

Moving to the side, the profile remains unchanged except for the diamond shaped alloy wheels. The rear section gets a pair of new LED tail lamps which were one of the first in-segment when launched back in the year 2013. The overall design is very curvy and the looks compact.

Interiors

The interiors layout has not changed much, but the look and feel of the same has been improved a lot. The piano black finish centre console gives a premium feel and complements the beige interiors. Leg room is good for all the passengers including the rear when the front seats are pushed back. Many storage bins are provided like dual glove box, cup holders in the front, bottle holders in the door and a small slot in the centre. A few chrome elements are added to give it a upmarket appeal.

The overall interior design seems plain but is well built as it is spacious with good leg room for all the passengers.

Performance

The Micra X-CVT is powered by a 1.2 3 cylinder petrol engine which develops 77 PS of max power at 6000 rpm which is 1 PS more than the manual version and max torque of 104 Nm at 4400 rpm. The engine is mated to a CVT transmission which according to the company offers the best performance and mileage as compared to its competitors.

Depress the brake pedal and push the start button and the car starts instantly.

The Micra is best for stop go traffic and performs well on city raods. It does resist when you try to accelerate harder, reminding you of a variomatic scooter feel. The car cruises  to speeds of 150 km with ease. Overtaking needs to be planned as you don’t get the required confidence when done unexpected. The X-Tronic also offers a sport mode button which allows the engine to rev higher and offers slightly more sportier fee.

Comfort & Convenience

The Micra has been loaded with comfort convenience features. The key less entry allows you to simply walk inside without unlocking it using a key. Just press the small button on the handle bar and all the four doors of the car unlock.

The driver seat can be adjusted for height, length and back rest while the steering only has rake adjustments. The seats are wide enough to provide good shoulder support and are quite comfortable for long journeys. The steering offers a good grip to hold and the multi-function buttons allow to increase & decrease volume, shift tracks and also handle the calls. Bluetooth pairing is quick and easy.

The Micra comes with an 2 DIN audio system with USB, Aux-in and Bluetooth connectivity. The Sound quality is decent but could be better considering it is a premium segment car.

The USB & Aux-in slots are placed towards the passenger and may be a bit difficult to reach.

Safety

In terms of safety the Micra comes with

Verdict

The Micra CVT is one of the best option if you want a premium automatic apart from the Honda Jazz. It offers lots of space, comfortable seats and decent features list. Nissan may have not tasted success with the Micra hatch but with the premium hatchback gaining more limelight, they could have an advantage in the future.

Technical Specifications

Dimensions

Prices (ex-showroom)

Competition Basket

Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai i20, Volkswagen Polo, Honda Jazz

Image Gallery

Brochure

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