Car: Nissan Micra Active Luxury range
Prices: £11,095-£13,245 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 3E-6E
Performance: [1.5dCi] 0-60mph 11.9s / Max Speed 106mph
Fuel Consumption: [1.5 dCi] 53.3mpg (urban) 65.7mpg (extra urban) 60.1mpg (combined)
Safety: Twin airbags, ABS with EBD
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height, (5dr) 3715/1860/1540mm
PUT A LITTLE LUXURY IN YOUR LIFE
Our Rating: 7.1 / 10
Who says small car owners can’t have big car luxury? Certainly not Nissan, as Andy Enright reports
The Colour Group arm of London-based Nissan Design Europe has a lot to answer for. Not many manufacturers would team chrome, black, porcelain and copper together in a car but the Nissan Micra Active Luxury combines these themes to surprisingly classy effect. Taking its inspiration from the latest clubwear, this model offers a premium feel at a distinctly mass market price.
The Active Luxury trim level slots in above Tenka in the Micra three and five-door hatchback range and above Essenza in the Micra C+C line up. Various different models are offered, with a choice of 88bhp 1.4-litre and 109bhp 1.6-litre petrol engines or the 1.5-litre 82bhp dCi diesel which is only available if you select a hatchback. Likewise, an auto gearbox can only be teamed with the 1.4-litre hatch.
Micra Active Luxury customers get 16-inch alloy wheels as part of the deal. All cars get chrome-trimmed headlights and a choice of either unique pearlescent Porcelain paintwork or metallic Nero Black. There are also side sill extenders, a rear spoiler and front fog lights along with body coloured mirrors and door handles. The Colour Group really blew the budget on this one. The latest Micras feature a revised chrome grille and headlamps with less of a bulbous look that incorporate a light blue tint. Meanwhile, the sporty front bumper that was once the preserve of the 160SR is now common across the range.
Inside, the unusual Active Luxury finishes and colours continue. The seats are trimmed in pearl grey nappa leather with perforated Alcantara inserts that do a good job of gripping your posterior and holding it in place. The suede-effect section of the seat also features a thin copper stripe which is also prevalent in (of all places) the glove box liner and the stitching of the leather trimmed steering wheel. A satin chrome finish to the dials, air vents and door handles plus aluminium sill kicker plates are other Active Luxury touches. An MP3 player socket is now standard on all models.
Although some of the detailing may seem a little gratuitous, the value proposition for the key features isn’t actually that bad. Given that a 1.5-litre dCi Active Luxury retails at a little over £11,000 – not much than the equivalent Tenka – the leather seats and body kit look good value for with the rest of the bits and pieces adding a bit of trimming. Factor in heated seats, rain sensing wipers, front seat lumbar supports and automatic lighting and you’ve got a competitively priced package.
Of course, much will hinge on how easily the Micra’s styling rests on your eye. Few small cars generate such a ‘Marmite’ love it or hate it response. It’s been tweaked in recent times to give a cleaner more modern look. The sporting models feature more aggressive rear bumpers and a body coloured roof spoiler, apparently the Nissan design team needed to beef-up the bumpers to cater for the French market where these get knocked on a routine basis.
Other small changes have been made to the switchgear and Nissan have worked hard to improve the Micra’s refinement, fitting thicker front door glass, improved door seals and revised wheelarch liners. Engine noise has been reduced by stiffening body panels and the roof while an engine isolation pack has been developed with thicker insulation material and better bulkhead sealing to keep noise out of the cabin.
The common rail 1.5-litre, eight valve f
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