Nissan Micra vs Mazda2 vs Renault Clio: which one is the best value for money?

By Farzana Chaumoo

We take a look at what each car in this trio of small hatchbacks have to offer.

 

Nissan Micra

Along with bringing forth futuristic looks and a trendy interior, the Nissan Micra is also well built. It’s adding a little flavour to the small-car party and it comes at a slightly cheaper cost than other practical rivals like the Corsa. In addition, it’s also comfortable and quiet to drive.

The Micra also sports a very eye-catching cabin with colourful trims. Fit and finish of switches, buttons and other interior bits all feel solid, while the driver’s seat and sporty steering wheel are highly adjustable, making it easy to get comfortable.

Entertainment can be had through the 7-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, as well as AM/FM, MP3, DAB, RDS, USB, AUX, and Bluetooth as standard (available on Acenta and Acenta Plus models).

The Micra’s back seats are more cramped than some rivals and seats don’t have lumbar support (which reduces backache on long drives). However, there is a considerable amount of knee room but tall passengers may struggle for headroom. The central seat is quite narrow and will be a squeeze for three passengers.

A really practical boot space of 300-litres can be found in the Micra, which expands to 1004- litres with the rear seats folded down. Rear seats fold in a two-way (60:40) split which helps when space is needed for an extra passenger while also transporting long items. The Micra’s boot space is bigger than the boot space found in the Polo, Fiesta or the Corsa but the Micra’s tall boot lip may make loading heavy items a little tricky.

Only one petrol engine is on offer and is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. It isn’t exactly quick but feels nippy around town and is smooth and quiet. It puts out maximum power of 66kW and maximum torque of 140Nm. Fuel consumption on an urban cycle is rated at 6.7l/100km while it accelerates from 0-100km/h in 12.1 seconds and reaches a top speed 0f 170km/h.

In terms of safety, the Micra received a four-star safety rating in the 2017 Euro NCAP crash tests making it a safe small car.

Read Top six differences between the old and the new Nissan Micra

 

Mazda2

With clean looks, a manageable size, and ease of use, the Mazda2 makes for a good small car. However, there are alternatives that have more to offer in terms of practicality and refinement.

The Mazda2 first went on sale in 2007 and was last updated in 2017. Despite more modern looks, it has remained mostly the same and is around the same size as a Fiesta or i20 but is sufficiently cheaper.

A sporty interior design and good build quality are what will grab you when you get into the Mazda2. The driver’s seat, which feels greatly supportive, is moderately adjustable making it convenient for even short drivers to get comfortable.

Mazda has grouped different interior buttons intuitively making overall ease of use in this car great. For one, you can expect all the driving assist controls on the right side of the steering wheel while infotainment controls can be found in the centre console and grouped around a rotary dial for your left hand.

Next to rivals, the Mazda2 doesn’t have the most colourful or the quickest responding system but it does rank at the top for ease of use. A 7-inch full-colour touch screen display with the MZD Connect infotainment system and 6 speakers come standard on all models except the Active derivative. Sat-nav is available as standard on the two top spec models.

Up front, passenger space is good and there’s an impressive range of seat adjustment. However, rear passenger space for adults isn’t that great but is sufficient for kids. The rear windows are also said to be a little small making it feel a little claustrophobic at times. Some rivals do their rear passengers more justice.

The Mazda2 falls a little short in the practicality department. It offers boot space of 280-litres making it one of the smallest in its class but still enough for a small shopping trip. With the rear seats folded (60:40), boot capacity expands to 950-litres.

Two engines are offered in the range. A 1.5-litre in-line 4-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC S-VT SKYACTIV-G petrol engine and a 1.5-litre in-line 4-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC (SKYACTIV-D) intercooled turbo diesel with i-stop. The petrol version puts out 82 kW of power and 145 Nm or torque while the diesel puts out 77 kW and 250 Nm. Depending on trim, engines are either paired with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Not on the five-star level of say a Ford Fiesta, but the Mazda2 has received a four-star rating for Euro NCAP crash tests in 2015. Safety features like a head-up display, Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) can be found standard on top-spec models.

Read Is the Mazda2 good for new drivers? 

 

Renault Clio

In addition to being a stylish car, the Renault Clio is also easy to drive but it also fighting for space in a segment where rivals offer more spacious and better-to-drive alternatives.

And while you may be deceived in thinking the Clio is a three-door, it’s actually a small five-door hatchback with sneaky rear doors. The Clio has been selling here since 2004 and a new Clio is due this year which is supposedly going to take interior quality to a new level.

Quality in the current car is a little hit and miss. Classic black Renault plastics inside with black upholstery. Shiny black plastic extends to the centre console as Renault has refrained from adding any splashes of colour.

Audio and multimedia options differ among trims. The Authentique model gets a Connect R&Go radio (with steering wheel controls, two USB ports, Bluetooth, smartphone mount and free R&Go application). A MediaNav multimedia system with a 7-inch touchscreen, navigation system, 4 x 20 W radio, audio streaming, Bluetooth hands-free telephony, USB and jack sockets are standard on Expression and Dynamique models and optional for the Authentique model. The CLIO R.S. gets the R-Link connected multimedia 7-inch touchscreen, radio, TomTom navigation, audio streaming, Bluetooth hands-free telephone system, USB and jack ports and also 3D Sound.

The touchscreen has been said to have fuzzy graphics and the processing speeds are slow.

Since the 2016 update, the interior dimensions haven’t changed so if space is your biggest concern then you may want to look at the alternatives, especially if you’re transporting adults in the rear often. It may not be the most comfortable on a long journey.

Short on space is a theme that runs to the boot as well. It’s not horrendous but the rivals do offer more luggage space with clever touches inside. The Clio’s rear seats do at least do a 60:40 split also allowing for the transportation of larger items in the boot and still having space for one or two extra passengers.

Powering the Clio are three engines. The new turbo engine is an 898 cm3, three-cylinder turbo engine that delivers 66 kW. The engine allows sharp acceleration from low speeds (90% available torque at 1,650 rpm), avoiding excessively frequent gear changes and ensuring pleasant city driving. It consumes only 5.5L/100 km and its emissions are limited to 126 g/km of CO2. The new 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, 88 kW Turbo engine combines power and controlled fuel consumption (5.2L/100 km and 120 g/km of CO2). Described to be responsive, lively, agile, while also powerful and quiet. Its 88 kW delivers torque of 190Nm at 2,000 rpm. The engine is paired to Renault's 6-speed dual-clutch EDC automatic gearbox.

The other engine powers the Clio R.S. The 4-cylinder, 16-valve turbo delivers 147 kW at 6,050 rpm and torque of 260 Nm is reached from just 2,000 revs. This engine benefits from groundbreaking technology modelled on the DLC (Diamond-like Carbon) pushrods derived from Formula 1. Its engine verve is complemented by tightly controlled fuel consumption of 5.9L/100 km. The sporty turbo engine is accentuated by the exclusive coupling with the EDC 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

In terms of safety, the Clio is fitted with ABS, EBA (Emergency Brake Assist), ESC (Electronic Stability Control), Cruise control with speed limiter, high-efficiency front airbags and head/chest side airbags for driver and front passenger, Driver seat belt reminder (SBR) and ISOFIX seats. The Clio received a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP in 2012 but the tests have become more stringent so newer models would be even safer.

Read Is the latest Renault Clio good for new drivers?

 

Verdict

The Clio was one of the best when it came out but is being lapped by rivals. The Micra is a decent option but also let down by a few details. Overall the Mazda 2 is a great small car and our winner here. It may fall short in terms of practicality against a Hyundai i20, but it has a well-made interior, it has good looks, and provides an enjoyable driving experience worth investigating in your car shopping journey.