While all the world was fighting with a pandemic situation, the carmakers had to adapt and adjust their lineups to comply with new pollution rules.
Nissan Micra was already in its fifth generation, and it shook the market with its striking look. It was so bold that just a few noticed that it featured rear drum-brakes while other carmakers only had those systems in their museums. But the customers didn’t care about that. They cared about look, pollution, comfort, and safety, not necessarily in that order.

From the outside, the 2020 Micra kept the Z-shaped side lines to connect with the famous Nissan Z-vehicles. A new set of headlights was introduced and showed more character, especially when they were upgraded to LED lights. To enhance the side look, Nissan fitted the Micra with wheels up to 17”, for the N-Sport trim level.

Inside, the Micra was enhanced with new materials for the upholstery and a wide customization program, including a bold orange interior. On the dashboard, it featured a new infotainment unit that supported Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Like the non-facelifted version, a Bose sound system was available at extra costs.

Renault-Nissan Alliance installed a 1.0-liter turbocharged engine and axed the 1.5-diesel unit used on the 2016 model under the hood.

The fifth generation of the Nissan Micra was unveiled at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.
It was built on the same platform as the Renault Clio and it was available only as a 5-door hatchback.

The Micra traced its roots back in time until the ’80s. Over time, it was offered in various forms, including sedan, convertible, and a 3-door version. But after the Renault-Nissan alliance started to work on the car, it was considered that the only money-maker would be the 5-door version.

With its sharp angles and floating-roof design, the Micra surprised the world with its look. It was nothing like its predecessor. The grille was crossed by chromed lines and formed a wide shield with a black mesh background. The side Z-line from the front to the rear fenders was a reminder of the Z-series from Nissan.

Inside, the styling was continued in the same edge-design mode. Depending on the trim level, the interior could have been boring or bold. The top-version featured stitched leather on the dashboard and doors, leather upholstery, and a nice infotainment unit surrounded by leather, on the center stack. The instrument cluster was inspired by the 370Z model and it offered, as an option, a head-up display.

The entire engine lineup was from the Renault-Nissan alliance, most of them being built by the French car-maker. There was a choice of 3- and 4-cylinder engines, turbocharged or naturally aspirated, or a turbodiesel. Depending on the powerplant, a 5- or 6-speed manual was on the offer. A CVT also was available.

The Micra, also known as the March in most of Asia, is one of Nissan’s oldest models, as the supermini dates back to 1982.
The third generation, built in Britain, was the most popular. Its replacement launched in 2010 had to make due with cost cuts and its image was tarnished.
The last 2010 model was available with only one engine and one trim level, which limited Micra’s audience.

Something needed to be done and in 2013, a mid-life facelift was introduced in order to bring customers back. Changes include new front and rear styling, the most obvious change being a grille that hold the Nissan badge inside a chrome. Nissan also changed to LED tail lights, added a fresh 15-inch aluminum alloy.
In Asia, the model was revealed in early 2013, followed in September by a European debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show and in 2014 the model also went on sale in Canada.

The Micra was available with 3 trim levels, 2 engines and both a manual and an automatic transmission. The mini car was offered with a 1.-2 liter with 56 kW or a 1.5-liter with 75 kW. Of course, the 1.2-liter had a reduced fuel consumption, but the difference between the two was no that significant, the 1.5-liter raising the fuel consumption with only 0.6L/100 km.

The fourth generation of the Nissan Micra was unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.
Its long list of standard features and the decent price made it a good buy for customers around the world.

The first generation of the Nissan Micra was introduced to the market in 1982 and its main quality was its reliability. Over the years, the Micra didn’t grow in size. The fourth-generation was, in fact, 5 mm (0.2”) shorter than the first one and that was unusual.

On the outside, the 2010 Micra was designed in the biodesign way, with rounded lines. The front side was designed to mimic a smiling face, with big round headlights, a smile-like lower grille, and a bump in the upper grille that resembled a nose. The round theme was continued to the rest of the vehicle.

Inside, the 2010 Micra offered more interior room than its predecessor. It offered the biggest wheelbase from all the previous generations. Five passengers could sit inside and, due to the arched roofline, the headroom was generous. The trunk was deep and spacious and it could have been extended by folding the rear seats. It was offered with a 60/40 split rear bench.

For the engine compartment, the 2010 Micra was offered with a 1.2-liter gasoline engine, with or without a turbocharger. The standard transmission for both versions was a 5-speed manual, while for the more powerful one a CVT was offered as an option.

Nissan introduced a facelifted version for the Micra range in 2007 and brought more appeal to its small-segment vehicle.
The 2007 facelift was more critical than the one made by Nissan to the K12 Micra in 2005. It even received a new internal code designation as K12C. Usually, when a carmaker made a facelift, it didn’t change that. But the Japanese manufacturer made improvements in all the areas, especially in the safety department.

But like any other improved vehicle, the customers should have seen some exterior changes. That included a new grille with a chromed surrounding and fresh, clear turn signals instead of orange. The front bumper featured a narrower grille, leaving some space for the fog lights mounted on the outer side. From its sides, the car revealed its black B-pillars.

Nissan offered the Micra in four trim levels: Visia, Acenta, Tekna, and Active Luxury. That led to new interior trims and upholstery options. While the base levels featured just plain audio systems, the top trim level received Bluetooth connectivity, a 6-CD changer in-dash, and an aux-in 3.5mm jack for external audio sources. It was the era of MP3 portable players. A set of side airbags increased the car’s safety with an option for curtain airbags for the rear passengers.

Under the hood, the carmaker installed a 1.2-liter, 65 hp engine only for the Visia trim level. On the other ones, a 1.2-liter, 80 hp was the base powerplant and also benefited for the 1.4-liter unit. The 1.6-liter, 110 hp four-cylinder, which Nissan previously offered only for the three-door bodywork, became available for the Active Luxury trim level.

The 2005 revision saw a more appealing Micra thanks to a power output increase and introduction of a new power unit.
The latter was a 1.6 L gasoline plant and was only available with a choice of three trims, Acenta+, Active Luxury and 160SR, the last one having been Micra’s only performance version. With an eye on air pollution levels and one on the speedometer, the 160 SR is a clean mini with a power output of 110 hp that can reach a top speed of 114 mph. Folks not fond of physics may reconsider their position after testing the SR’s acceleration: from 0 to 62 in under 10 seconds.

A new design, a new platform jointly developed with Renault, and a new choice of engines made the 2003 Nissan Micra 5-doors a good city vehicle.
The third generation of Nissan Micra was unveiled at the 2002 Paris Motor Show. It was slightly longer than its predecessor but featured a longer wheelbase as well. It was based on the Renault-Nissan alliance B-platform, developed for small and compact-sized vehicles and used by the Tiida/Versa and Renault Megan as well.

The rounded shape of the vehicle was made to attract mostly women customers. Its headlights were mounted high and back, to be protected from parking scratches and minor crashes. Due to its shape, it offered great visibility for the driver. In the back, the oversized bumper was designed with the same purpose: to avoid costly repairs after a minor parking accident. The taillights were installed high and deep enough to be protected in the event of a small incident.

Inside, the Micra was surprisingly spacious and it offered plenty of storage areas in the cabin. It was fitted with front plain seats and a bench for two adults in the rear, or three children. The trunk was limited, but the split-folding rear bench seatback could extend the luggage area up to 584 l (20.62 cu-ft).

For the engine compartment, the Micra was offered with a choice of three gasoline and two diesel engines, mated to a standard 5-speed manual. A 4-speed automatic was available for selected markets and versions.

The Micra saw a facelift in 2000 that brought forth few visual adjustments and more internal changes.
the 1.3 L petrol unit was dropped in favor of a larger 1.4 L engine that was overall balanced but had the same power output as the previous. The small 1.0 Liter and the 1.5 L Diesel also received minor upgrades aimed at improving fuel efficiency and reliability. Equipment levels were raised and renamed with the base trim having been renamed as “Trend”. “Comfort” was a mid-level trim while the GL was replaced with the much more obvious, “Luxury” label.

Nissan introduced a facelifted version for the Micra in 1998 and improved it in every way, starting with the exterior look and ending with the powertrains.
Nissan saw an opportunity in small vehicles when it introduced the Micra and tried to keep its advantage over the years. But Renault, Peugeot-Citroen, Fiat, Opel, and Volkswagen were there to get a slice of the market. But Nissan was no new nor inexperienced carmaker in that segment and proved it when it refreshed the Micra.

From the outside, the 1998 Micra looked very similar to the non-facelifted version. It featured a new front fascia with a pair of leaves-looking grille separated by a vertical slat that supported the brand’s logo. The rear doors sported were narrow, but thanks to their wide opening system allowed an adequate ingress and egress to the car. Thanks to its rounded corners and softer edges, the Micra 5-Doors managed to fit into the bio-design trend.

Inside, Nissan made a few changes, especially for material quality. The rounded shape of the dashboard and the oval-shaped instrument cluster was considered chic and trendy. In the back, its single-piece folding seatback increased the trunk area.

Under the skin, the 1998 Micra was drastically improved. Along with its refreshed gasoline engines, Nissan also installed a diesel engine bought from Peugeot. The Japanese carmaker offered a CVT gearbox, which was available for selected engine versions.

The first Nissan Micra was introduced in 1982 in Japan as Nissan’s response to the successful Honda City.
It was later in 1983 when the small Micra came to Europe and impressed everyone with its practicality and the low fuel consumption.

While the first generation offered a single engine option, the second generation released in 1992 came with two new aluminum units with capacities of 1.0-liter and 1.3-liters. The powerplants developed 65 hp and 74 hp respectively. A diesel version was also available with the 1.5-liter PSA TUD engine.

Besides the 5-door version, Nissan also offered the Micro with a 5-door body style.

The small Micra could be equipped with more safety features that were not common for a car in this class: a safety-cage, side-impact door beams, pre-tensioning seatbelts and a driver’s airbag. Although equipped with the mentioned equipment, the Micra didn’t score well at the Euro NCAP testing, receiving only 2 stars.

Depending on the market, the Micra came with standard or optional airbags, anti-lock brakes, electric windows, power steering, central locking and air-conditioning.

The Nissan Micra was the first Japanese car to win the European Car of the Year in 1993.

While the supermini didn’t have the most stylish exterior design, it proved to be a reliable and easy to maintain vehicle, perfect for city traffic.

Sharing the same shape with the 3-door version, the 5-door hatch was launched as a more practical version of the sporty original hatch.
Identical in size and shape, the 5-door came with a choice of two petrol units with displacements of 988 cc and 1235 cc respectively. The 1.0 L produced 50 hp while the 1.2 L plant had a power output 4 hp greater leading to a slight acceleration and top speed increase. Highly fuel efficient for its time, the 5-door was an overall balanced vehicle great for city usage. Later introduction of fuel-injected units would further enhance Micra’s fuel efficiency.