Team-BHP - Nissan Micra : Test Drive & Review

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Nissan has just announced a 1.2 lt supercharged engine for the Micra which is available internationally. Nissan Announces New 1.2-Liter Three-Cylinder - Car and Driver Blog

Any news if we will get this in india?

Quote:

Originally Posted by selfdrive (Post 2025772)

Also, the review mentions that it is wafty at 140 - does this imply any lack os stability/ veering?

Lack of confidence, really. The Micra doesn't feel planted at those speeds. Its a city hatch thats...well, best within the city and at speeds < 120 kph.

Quote:

Originally Posted by clevermax (Post 2049890)

1) Steering is way too light and no feedback - not very confidence inspiring, in fact scary.
2) Turning radius is a bliss when driving / parking in city.
3) Turns heads!
4) Engine - just enough power for the car, not very peppy.
5) Gears - easy to operate, precise.

In short, a proper city car (as most Marutis are!!).

Quote:

Originally Posted by clevermax (Post 2050586)

I am comparing it with cars like Figo and Punto which are much much better cars compared to Micra.

Figo is sheer VFM, the Punto hardly so now. Either ways, VFM is relative and this discussion is best left to another comparo thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by prashanthyr (Post 2050840)

Not in the near future, I don't think so.

While us enthusiasts would always welcome more power, I don't think the Micra needs it. Its got a light zero-feedback steering, a suspension that is tuned for comfort and isn't really fun to drive. What purpose would a supercharged engine serve in such a car?

I had been to the Nissan plant recently and saw the testing of the diesel version going on in full swing. So i guess we can expect this on road very soon. The price is expected to be in the swift diesel range.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajman28 (Post 2083247)

They have finally started bookings for the diesel version. Saw an ad in todays newspaper. And here is the link for the same info:

Nissan to roll out diesel Micra in Dec, opens booking

Launch and delivery is expected in December 2010.

Nissan is claiming 23.08 KMPL with Micra's engine.
Nissan Has published specifications of diesel micra on website. e-leaflet can be found at http://nissanmicra.co.in/diesel/nissan-a4-leaflet.pdf

Here is the quick power & torque comparo for available diesels in market. Logan is mentioned as it is using same engine.

There are no XE/XE plus models for diesel. May be in future Nissan will launch these models to maintain sales numbers. XE@4.9L sounds deal to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 1959266)

Cute is an appropriate term here, and women will surely take well to the Micra.

This statement is kind of validated; of the last 10 Micras I've seen on the road, about 7 were driven by women. And two women in the past month (one an IIM-A grad no less) have asked me a "What car" question with the Micra in it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 2166548)

What's so special about an woman who is an IIM grad asking the question about which car to buy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 2166548)

I agree. We have a Micra in office and it's owned by a female colleague.

GTO - When do we get the Micra Diesel review?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 2166548)

Micra works very well as a second car in the family. Especially for the "Wife". I think this is a very good car indeed. If it had a Suzuki(Maruti servie network) logo it would have sold in range of 5k per month easily.

Quote:

Originally Posted by the VTEC guy (Post 2172988)

Well - Suzuki alto/astar is Nissan pixo! So why can't Nissan Micra be Suzuki something?
Micra is selling well considering the sparse dealer network and relatively unknown brand - wonder what a Suzuki badge and Maruti dealer/service network can do to this car (and now it has a diesel too!).
Gurus please comment.

Just called up Shahwar Nissan (the sole dealer in Bangalore) for a test drive of the Petrol Micra.

Here's the reply: "Can you come down to our showroom, Sir?"

What happened to dealers driving their car down to the customer's place for a TD?

When I enquired if they could send the vehicle to Electronic City (where my office is), their reply was "in case there's a TD vehicle headed there, I will let you know."

Compare this with my Tata-Fiat experience at Concorde where they sent the MJD Ep to my office, and I had follow-up calls from Fiat Pune to enquire about the TD experience (and I have not even bought the car1), and I wonder what market is Nissan in bangalore catering to? perhaps they're only out to get the folks who already have X-Trails and Teanas and need a city-runabout.

A crying shame! The car's not half as bad!

Hi GTO - is there any update on Micra Diesel?

My Sister is planning to pick one... we took test drive & she was impressed by the car. I drove the polo 1.2L & the engine noise level is more compared to Micra Diesel..

Today the Financial Express has reported that Nissan is working on bringing a cheaper variant of the Micra.

Quote:

Nissan's Micra car may get cheaper

To create a foothold in the domestic car market and rake in numbers, Japanese car maker Nissan Motor is looking to re-position its hatchback Micra in the voluminous A2 segment. Last month, a team of senior Japanese cost engineers visited India to hold discussions with vendors to cut costs of its components. The team was led by Takeshi Kawai of the cost engineering department of Nissan Motor.

An industry source privy to the details told FE that the rationale behind the visit was to re-look at the engineering aspects of the car and also simultaneously increase its local sourcing from India. “The last six months has witnessed several new car launches. Nissan is an important player in the market and realises that cost advantage could make the difference,” he said.

Source - Nissan's Micra car may get cheaper

Finally test-drove the Micra Petrol (Shahwar did manage to send the car home, phew). I have to say, it's an effortless hatchback to be driving in city traffic. I got in and felt at home immediately. The large windows give a nice airy feel, but the greige interiors looked lightly soiled and that detracted from the overall feel a little bit.

I also noticed some inconsistent fit and finish, like the horn pads on either side of the central steering boss. It had a pretty large gap with the steering base. But not a deal breaker really. Things like the indicator stalks, climate control buttons and the audio felt slick and reliable to operate. Pathetic sound quality though!

I didn't like the gearshift much. Quite notchy to say the least. And the ride is quite jittery on uneven surfaces. The engine is also quite growly, but I liked it and felt it added some character to an already cheerful little hatch.

Despite the negatives I have listed above, I feel the Micra makes a good case for itself as a city hatch. It also stands out for feeling fresh and different. But as a current Swift owner, I cannot honestly recommend it over a Swift.

The biggest problem with the Micra is that it always feels like a small car, and everything about it seems to that effect. In that sense, you cannot help but feel that it is overpriced for what it offers.

Micra diesel added to the 1st page!

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 1959271)

Micra Diesel:

Note : GTO uploaded this diesel Micra review on 28th December, 2010.

In the month of December 2010, Nissan launched the diesel Micra by shoe-horning the Logan’s 1.5 liter turbo-diesel into the li'l car's engine bay. The Micra diesel is rated at 63 BHP (@ 4,000 rpm) and 160 Nm of torque (@ 2,000 rpm). There is about a Rs. 70,000 asking premium over the segment leading Maruti Swift. You only need to look at the specs to realise this is an old-school motor, running in a conservative state of tune. The Micra’s engine is an SOHC 8 valve unit, where the Swift 1.3L has a more modern DOHC 16 valve design. The Nissan’s BHP / Liter rating is a mere 42, compared to 57 for the Maruti. Just like the petrol Micra however, the diesel is also lightest in class. Therefore, the difference in power-to-weight ratios is slimmer (63.50 for Micra versus 69.48 for the Swift).

Main changes vis a vis the petrol : The top-end Micra diesel is shod with 15” alloy wheels (not available on the petrol). In a shocking, inexplicable move, Nissan has removed the passenger side airbag and ABS from the diesel. The 2nd glove box isn’t available either.

The Figo was the segment benchmark when it came to the least turbo-lag. Well, all of that changes now. The diesel Micra is the new king of city driveability. Turbo-lag? What turbo-lag? There isn’t any! Torque is available instantly, with the engine feeling like a naturally-aspirated diesel. The 1.5 engine starts pulling from as low as 1,500 rpm, where its competitors require 2,000 revvs. The in-city driveability is astoundingly good, the engine feeling immensely tractable and eager to pull from low rpm (and low speed). You can almost get away with 2nd gear starts from 0 kph, while the 3rd gear can be used as an automatic when puttering about town. In driving conditions where the Swift would require a downshift (say, after a speed breaker), the Micra can trundle along in the same gear. Those who are used to the Logan diesel’s driveability will feel just at home here. The Micra feels peppy enough upto 120 kph, the light kerb weight no doubt playing a major role here. Performance starts tapering off after. The old-school nature of this motor does show on the open road. The 1.5 diesel isn't as free-revving as the Swift diesel, and doesn’t have that sense of urgency either.

No intercooler for the Micra:

At idle, there’s only a slight murmur from the engine, and absolutely zero vibrations inside (after the engine has warmed up). When cruising on the highway, passengers won’t even realise that it’s a diesel car. Believe it or not, the refinement level upto 3,000 rpm is actually better than in the petrol Micra. Primary reason : An extra engine cylinder (Diesel Micra has a 4 cylinder engine while the petrol has a three cylinder). One fly in the ointment is the excessive engine shake (felt inside) at start up and shut down. Then, the engine also takes a rather crude note at high rpms. The beauty of this motor isn’t in driving spiritedly at the redline. It is better that you upshift at 2,000 - 2,500 rpms, move on to the next gear and maximise efficiency. Even when in a hurry, there’s no point in revving the Micra beyond 3,500 rpms (where it develops a coarse note). This motor is best driven between the 1,500 – 3,500 rpm range.

The gear lever's throw is slightly longer than you’d expect in such a small car, yet the shift is overall smooth to use. Handling and ride are conservative, as in the petrol Micra. Nissan has clearly stiffened up the suspension to handle the additional weight of the diesel engine. While ride quality is still good, the diesel doesn’t tackle large potholes as softly as the petrol Micra did. The firmer set up isn’t as evident over regular roads as it is over broken patches (especially the front end of the car). I find it appalling that Nissan removed the ABS system from the diesel variant. This will detrimentally affect safety under emergency braking conditions. I’d give the diesel Micra’s braking ability a strictly “average” rating. Nissan forgets that the Micra customer is the informed urban type who does prioritize safety.