Our first impressions of the Nissan Micra facelift equipped with a CVT gearbox.
The facelift is quite substantial too – we think those pulled-back headlamps, the bigger grill with its signature chrome bar and the deeper, more aggressive chin seriously improve the new Micra’s appeal. The old Micra was a bit feminine, with its soft, rounded front-end but that clearly is no longer an issue. The new headlamps have also brought in some sheet-metal changes – the front fenders are new as is the bonnet. You also get new alloy wheels, while the rear gets LED tail-lamps, a new rear bumper and a plastic add-on for the tail gate lip.
Slide into the new front seats (the seat cushions have been reshaped to provide more bolstering) and you’ll notice there are quite a few changes on the inside as well. The glossy black centre console, for example, looks far better than the current Micra’s dull sea of grey. Though the overall look and feel is the same, there are plenty of silver highlights all over the dashboard and doorpads. The feature count has also risen quite a bit. In addition to the keyless entry and go and climate control, the new Micra gets Bluetooth connectivity, USB and Aux-in ports and a reversing camera.
Thumb the start button and the 1.2-litre three cylinder motor settles into a well-damped idle. Move off and you'll find the CVT highlights the engine's rather weak bottom end. The gearbox takes it time to respond to your inputs and makes darting around in traffic an exercise in planning ahead.