Nissan Micra Active-A final refresher

By Stuart Johnston

If you are active, confident, successful, edgy and practical, says Nissan South Africa,  you are the kind of person that’s likely to buy a Nissan Micra Active. That’s the final facelift version of the fourth-generation Nissan that has been on sale here for the last six-or-so years, and this final refresher was launched here late in September, 2017.

As a special fillip for buyers who opt for a Micra Active within three months of the launch period, Nissan will throw in a touch-screen navigation system, valued at over R8 000, as part of the deal. Our test car for AutoTrader had one, and this deal is valid until late December, 2017.

Bear in mind, though, that if you do opt for the Micra Active, in March 2018 the all-new Micra is due for launch here, and judging by pictures we’ve seen (the new car was first shown at the Paris Motor Show in late 2016) the fifth-gen Micra really is an edgy design!

What’s new on the Active?

Apart from the touch screen, the Active has been given a new look that it would have benefitted from a while ago, in the form of a new grille that is far more striking than the rather plain slotted affair previously offered. The new grille hoses a chrome V-shaped motif with the Nissan badge in the centre, and it gives the Micra a sense of identity that it lacked previously.

Also new are a (slightly) re-styled bonnet, fenders and bumpers, the last-mentioned up front item housing black plastic air-intake surrounds.

Basic Equipment level is good

For a car costing R159 900, the standard spec is good.  The interior fabric on the seats has been up-graded and looks smarter and more durable than before. The instrument panel has been slightly re-styled, and the centre cluster, with tis infotainment screen, is also new.

As standard you get air-conditioning, front power windows, Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming capability. Optional is a reverse camera, which is handy, but not that necessary, given the Micra’s compact dimensions.

The Micra Active can also be ordered with a Trendsetter Pack, which adds black-finished alloy wheels,  a rear spoiler and a chrome exhaust tip embellisher.

As for the touchy-feely bit, I remained unimpressed with the basic Micra ambience inside, which is bland. And the steering wheel, in  plastic, has an edge that is too sharp, slightly irritating to the soft-pads of the driver’s fingers.

Three-cylinder power-plant

Doing duty in the motivation department is the 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine that is also fitted to certain models of the Datsun Go. It’s quite a  feisty little engine, strong on torque, but it does have some rather distinctive characteristics that might not be everyone’s cup of java.

It’s rather noisy when you really wind on some wellie, as they say in the UK performance-car mags, and it doesn’t really enjoy being revved much over the  5 000 rpm mark. It is also matched to a five-speed gearbox that has rather tall first and second gear ratios, making very low-speed prowling  in the ‘burbs a bit of an on-off affair. I would have preferred a shorter first gear for quicker initial get away. On the Micra Active, you have to wind it on some to get moving, and that results in that weird howl from beneath the bonnet.

Fuel Economy

On the other hand, the 56 kW engine is quite torquey once in the move (there is 104 Nm rated, but it feels stronger than that) , and on the highway it is possible to stay in top (fifth ) gear for longer than you’d think when hauling up a gradient. Fuel economy is reasonable without being outstanding, and we recorded an average ranging between 6.0 and 6.2 litres/100 km, depending on how it was driven. I found the gear change a little notchy in the lower ratios, although the change-down from fifth to fourth on the highway was quite slick.

Safety equipment

The Nissan Micra comes with a reasonable  compliment of safety equipment for cars in the sub-R160 000 price range. You get dual airbags for the front occupants,  ABS brakes, EBD and Brake Assist, ISOfix anchorage for child seats in the rear, rear fog lights, and a speed-sensitive automatic door lock, handy for when you cruise through dodgy areas late at night when exploring the “edgy” part of your nature.

Summary

At just under R160 000, the Nissan Micra Active is not a bad package. But with the new, fifth-generation  Micra model very much on the horizon now, we’d be wary of jumping in and committing to a car that is going to be considered “yesterday’s hero” in a few months’ time. Sorry Nissan, but we’d adapt a “wait-and-see” approach.