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.