2004 Nissan Micra SE 1.4 tdi from UK and Ireland
Summary:
A good little car, very economical and nippy
Faults:
Rear number plate fell off - it was just stuck on with double sided sticky tape.
Apart from that nothing else!
General Comments:
A great little car to drive and manoeuvre. Very nippy with the more powerful of the diesel engines.
Very economical - usually 60+ MPG.
Comfy seats.
Good headroom.
The car could be made even better by-
1. Spending a few pence on putting sound proofing in the door panels (2 door) and in the side panels to cut down the tinny noise when you shut the door
2. Spending a couple of pounds in the factory and fit plastic rear wheel arch linings to stop all the salt and mud going into the complicated mud traps where the bumper meets the body. The fuel pipes also end up covered in road dirt where they leave the filler cap.
3. For a few pence fit a piece of plastic around where you fill the washer bottle - if you miss the tiny filler hole you put water all over the alternator - not a good idea!
Water also ends up getting in to the engine compartment when the car is washed.
Anyway these are minor moans! Overall the car is great.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 7th March, 2006
16th Jun 2006, 17:44
This car is awful. My mum owns one and I have driven it before. Let me get started with the outside - the shell design and headlamps look awful, that most people agree with.
The inside - no rear legroom, granted enough in the front seats. The interior looks awful, feels horrible and the plastic looks cheap, especially the white buttons, and the seating position is awful.
The drive - quite possibly the worst drive I have ever experienced, very very slow and could not match any 2 ltr petrol engine's performance figures. I own a Fiesta ST 2 litre petrol engined car, and it's much much quicker. Once you hit 3rd gear in the Micra, you will barely feel it move it's so slow.
Your performance figures are a bit off as well - my mum's 2003 1.4 petrol engined Micra will only do 104 mph, and Nissian state the 82ps 1.5 will only do 106 mph with a very slow 0-60 time of 12.3, which is hardly impressive.
The dynamics of the car are very bad as well. Once you hit 60, the car feels like it's going to fall apart. The steering has no feel to it, and if you drive it at a high speed, the suspension is not very good either.
In conclusion, the Micra is a bad car and 99 out 100 people agree. For the money you could buy a far better car eg Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, or the Renault Clio.