Review: driving a $9998 2015 Nissan Micra (Nissan's most efficient manual in Can/US.)

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by wdb

Wish people would give me cars to test - Porsche, Aston, McLaren are you reading this?

For the record in the US the Chevy Sonic LS comes with manual transmission, windows and mirrors. But OnStar is standard!?! And A/C.

My cobalt XFE was the same deal.

Onstar, AC, satellite, usb, electric trunk, spare tire and spoiler standard even if you didn't want them.

[MetroMPG]

After tire pressure, here's the easiest place to start: the Micra has one heck of a gaping maw for a little car!



The box with the diagonal lines is where the radiator is; the orange area is wide open grille, where many cars these days have at least some blocked "faux grille" sections.

Interestingly, the Versa Note, which uses the exact same 109 hp engine/trans (manual, but not the automatic) has blocked off "faux grille" sections, plus it uses active grille shutters on some trims. (Tried, but failed to find a pic of them.)

Considering this Micra has a manual trans and has no A/C, its cooling requirements are bottom of the ladder. There's absolutely no need for this much flow-through in normal circumstances.

---

Casting your attention a little lower in the photo, note the absense of either an air dam or tire deflectors (front or rear). The Note, on the other hand, comes with what looks like about a 2-3 inch air dam, plus deflectors ahead of the rear tires.

Drag coefficients:

• 0.315 Micra
• 0.298 Versa Note (CVT)

For comparison, note (HA, pardon the pun!) the Note's faux grille sections (1 larger, lower; 2 smaller upper) and the air dam:

[Daox]

Very interesting comparison. Its interesting to see all the extra work that went into the Note.

I also find it very odd that air dams and the like can't be molded into existing pieces. Just extend the bumper cover down a little bit. It doesn't have to be a separate piece. Same with the wheel spats, that can easily be molded into the wheel well plastic pieces. Bingo-bango zero cost aeromods.

[MetroMPG]

I wonder if the dams and spats are intended to be sacrificial though.

Otherwise bump into an icy snowbank at -25C and -- shatter! -- now you need a whole new front bumper cover.

[user removed]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I wonder if the dams and spats are intended to be sacrificial though.

Otherwise bump into an icy snowbank at -25C and -- shatter! -- now you need a whole new front bumper cover.

Yeppers on the sacrificial.

regards
mech

[War_Wagon]

The Versa sells great in Canada. The wagon version, that is. I ship them south a lot, they hold their value well here, but add in the 25% exchange rate and if you are smart, you can buy a used one up here right and get it into the States for a decent savings. I see a lot of cars every week, and I have seen maybe 3 Versa sedans here. Those things were saleproof. Just like the Suzuki SX4 sedan. "Let's make a really cool little 4x4 wagon! And then we'll offer it in a sedan, and 2wd only..." No wonder they went under! Nissan made a good move for this market by offering the Micra to replace it.

And Canadian market cars all have block heaters as factory equipment. I think my 2000 Firefly was the newest car I owned that didn't come with one. I don't know when that rule came into effect, but any new car sold here has a block heater, or at least the ability to easily attach one, and they probably come with it in a bag in the trunk. Like all of our cars have daytime running lights since '90, yet airbags weren't mandatory until '96 I believe. Weird. We have odd rules here, like all cars come with rear window defrosters, since about the '80s. Once in a while I'll be at a car show and see an '80s or '90s car with no defroster lines in the back window and instantly know it came from the USA haha.

[MetroMPG]

Yeah, the Micra is holding its value too. It's been recognized by a company that tracks residual value as best in class. Unlike one of its close competitors - any guesses??

[Arragonis]

No, can't vizualise anything that matches...

[niky]

Are we talking about the Spank? I would feel bad if we weren't talking about the Spank.

If it's the Mitso, then... well... good for secondhand buyers!

[Arragonis]

Maybe it shares a name with this beast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAsUyLmwAbw

Don't ever call them Surrender Monkeys again!

Almost as good as a BAE Lightning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4giFfB3i-4