Topic: Test Drive: 2015 Nissan Micra SV

[revalations]

Just got my Wife's cousin into one last week. Went back and forth between Kia Rio, Chevy Spark, and a 2013 Fit with 12,000kms. The finalist was the Rio and Micra. It's a tad pricier than a Kia Rio but felt better built. I feel the Nissan is the better car anyway and hope the Micra lasts her a long time, she traded in her first car She's had since 16...a 1993 Oldsmobile 88, so the little Micra is a huge step up.

[Solstice2006]

Just got my Wife's cousin into one last week. Went back and forth between Kia Rio, Chevy Spark, and a 2013 Fit with 12,000kms. The finalist was the Rio and Micra. It's a tad pricier than a Kia Rio but felt better built. I feel the Nissan is the better car anyway and hope the Micra lasts her a long time, she traded in her first car She's had since 16...a 1993 Oldsmobile 88, so the little Micra is a huge step up.

Huge step up? In fuel economy, I guess. Depends on the condition of the vehicle I guess.  The Oldsmobile is a much more comfortable car.  Solid 3.8L V6, solid tranny. It's not like the Micra is covered with soft touch plastics, or a motor that is vastly superior, or faster.   Basically, what does have is reliability and warranty because it's newer. 

[Lesley]

Basically... it comes down to the same old argument. Different strokes for different folks. Damn good thing we're not stuck with one model of car, there would be total anarchy...

[mixmanmash]

Just got my Wife's cousin into one last week. Went back and forth between Kia Rio, Chevy Spark, and a 2013 Fit with 12,000kms. The finalist was the Rio and Micra. It's a tad pricier than a Kia Rio but felt better built. I feel the Nissan is the better car anyway and hope the Micra lasts her a long time, she traded in her first car She's had since 16...a 1993 Oldsmobile 88, so the little Micra is a huge step up.

Huge step up? In fuel economy, I guess. Depends on the condition of the vehicle I guess.  The Oldsmobile is a much more comfortable car.  Solid 3.8L V6, solid tranny. It's not like the Micra is covered with soft touch plastics, or a motor that is vastly superior, or faster.   Basically, what does have is reliability and warranty because it's newer.

Well, it is also probably a huge step up in driving feel, suspension, control, safety equipment, etc.

[mixmanmash]

Basically... it comes down to the same old argument. Different strokes for different folks. Damn good thing we're not stuck with one model of car, there would be total anarchy...

Agreed.

[PaulQ]

this car only make sense in the base trim. 
For $16800, it is better to get a compact car or better yet something used with a certified program

Hmm, let's see; for $16,800, buy someone else's cast-off piece of junk, buy a stripped down boring compact sedan, or buy a nicely equipped "Warm" hatch that's a nice blend of economy, practicality, is fun and easy to drive, and delivers on Japanese quality. I think your advice isn't worth the time you took to write it.

[dirtyjeffer]

my Mazda3 is showing 6.5l/100km average

filled up my car after work yesterday...drove home (13km)...was at 5.3 at the end...all city driving, albeit traffic wasn't too bad yesterday...just regular city driving, although the ECO mode is on.

[PaulQ]

Huge step up? In fuel economy, I guess. Depends on the condition of the vehicle I guess.  The Oldsmobile is a much more comfortable car.  Solid 3.8L V6, solid tranny. It's not like the Micra is covered with soft touch plastics, or a motor that is vastly superior, or faster.   Basically, what does have is reliability and warranty because it's newer.

You really think a '93 Oldsmobile is more comfortable than a 2015 Micra? You're a strange and funny person. That old pushrod 3.8L V6 made a mere 170HP in a car that weighed a hefty 3,404 pounds, giving it pretty much the same power to weight ratio of the Micra. Those soft plastics disintegrate terribly after 21 years. Personally, I'd take the well-formed bucket seat of the Micra over this old crappy piece of crap:

[WRX_Pilot]

You really think a '93 Oldsmobile is more comfortable than a 2015 Micra?

Yes, yes I do.  I must be strange and funny too.

[Lesley]

No need to be rude, PaulQ. There are as many different preferences as there are people. Doesn't make them weird.
Not to mention different arse sizes. Personally, I laughed when a lot of the guys complained how uncomfortable and impractical the Cayman R was... those tiny aluminum race seats fit my narrow behind to a tee, and as a selfish single person, I couldn't give a damn about passenger or cargo space in a sports car for my own personal taste.

[Solstice2006]

Huge step up? In fuel economy, I guess. Depends on the condition of the vehicle I guess.  The Oldsmobile is a much more comfortable car.  Solid 3.8L V6, solid tranny. It's not like the Micra is covered with soft touch plastics, or a motor that is vastly superior, or faster.   Basically, what does have is reliability and warranty because it's newer.

You really think a '93 Oldsmobile is more comfortable than a 2015 Micra? You're a strange and funny person. That old pushrod 3.8L V6 made a mere 170HP in a car that weighed a hefty 3,404 pounds, giving it pretty much the same power to weight ratio of the Micra. Those soft plastics disintegrate terribly after 21 years. Personally, I'd take the well-formed bucket seat of the Micra over this old crappy piece of crap:

hefty 3400lbs for a large car?  most midsize cars weigh around 3200lbs.  So the weight is normal.  Yes today's midsize cars with 4 cylinders, have a bit more hp than the V6 of 20 years ago.  But there is a reason why people say, rides like a Buick, or Olds.  They are a couch on wheels.  Still 2 seconds faster than a Micra to 100km/h

And yes, I do like small cars.  I just don't see it as a huge step up, compared to a Oldsmobile...

[revalations]

Trust me...it was a step up. The Olds had 340,000 kms, worn out struts, no blower motor, inop front power windows, a tape player, out of balance mis matched tires, oh boy it was a prize. It did last her six years without any major repairs, and still a nice riding car, just made the trip from Saskatchewan to Calgary too.

 Oh and another thing.....true to the Cars Saskatchewan roots it had aluminum running boards!

So yeah....Micra=huge step up!

[Solstice2006]

Trust me...it was a step up. The Olds had 340,000 kms, worn out struts, no blower motor, inop front power windows, a tape player, out of balance mis matched tires, oh boy it was a prize. It did last her six years without any major repairs, and still a nice riding car, just made the trip from Saskatchewan to Calgary too.

 Oh and another thing.....true to the Cars Saskatchewan roots it had aluminum running boards!

So yeah....Micra=huge step up!

hopefully the Micra will make it to 340k

[JohnM]

I think anything these days will make it to 340k.   Certainly, I expect to do better with any car I buy now and also with very little maintenance.

Cheers,
John M.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

this car only make sense in the base trim. 
For $16800, it is better to get a compact car or better yet something used with a certified program

Hmm, let's see; for $16,800, buy someone else's cast-off piece of junk,  I think your advice isn't worth the time you took to write it.

Actually, he has a point.  Our 3 year old Altima cost us less a Micra SV, it has a fair bit more equipment that the Micra, is waaaay more comfortable, has more power, and is only marginally worse on gas (about 1L/100km worse).  And there is a lot more selection where that came from.  You can get a decently equipped (mid-spec) compact car (Civic, Corolla, etc) that's only a couple of years old for the same price as a Micra.

I'm not saying the Micra was a bad buy (I saw one the other day, man they are kinda cute), I'm just saying the small size and 'tin box' feeling is not for everyone, and there are options out there that may work better for some people.

[Solstice2006]

I think anything these days will make it to 340k.   Certainly, I expect to do better with any car I buy now and also with very little maintenance.

Cheers,
John M.

That would be an interesting thread.  Mainstream cars today are much more complicated, than they were 10 years ago.  CVTs, direct injection, cameras, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, etc.  Not saying they won't make it to 350k, but with all this tech, does that lower the reliability of vehicles from 10 years ago?

[Rupert]

   I don't know; I think that the reliability is much better now for all cars. I have first hand knowledge of two different makes...not expensive...that still purr like kittens after 7 or 8 years of continual use. Hmm...and no spark plug change. Even at 2 or three years old and low mileage a car can be wrecked if driven by a dolt.

[Solstice2006]

   I don't know; I think that the reliability is much better now for all cars. I have first hand knowledge of two different makes...not expensive...that still purr like kittens after 7 or 8 years of continual use. Hmm...and no spark plug change. Even at 2 or three years old and low mileage a car can be wrecked if driven by a dolt.

Talking more than just engines... 8 years on the same spark plugs?  even if I did 10k a year, I would have changed them at 5 years.  Not like they are expensive.

[Rupert]

Waste of money... still maybe 50 or 60k might be a good point.

[jamesautos]

"The bottom-line buy-in refers, of course, to a base S model stripper with manual transmission, roll-down windows, and no air."

this car only make sense in the base trim. 
For $16800, it is better to get a compact car or better yet something used with a certified program

Is it even possible to buy an automatic compact with air conditioning for under $17k with freight?

within Nissan's own brand...
Versa Note S with CVT and A/C plus freight is $17,165
Versa SV with CVT and A/C plus freight $17,665
also the domestic Ford Fiesta, Chevy Sonic are all superior vehicles and ring in around 17k with comparable/better spec