What can we expect in the next [7th] generation Mirage? Micra platform Speculation

[MetroMPG]

My preference honestly is that they aim again for low fuel consumption

We have one puzzle piece that suggests they will have continue with that goal: if they want to continue making the car in the Thai factory with government incentives that lured them there under their ECO-car program, the car must meet minimum fuel consumption targets, and a maximum engine size limit. (The current Canadian Micra is outside those limits, but the 1.2L triple Nissan uses in the Micra/March outside of the Americas would probably qualify.)

I think they will dig further into the current niche and essentially attack the class from two different angles, increasing their overall marketshare against other established vehicles in the market.

What are you thinking when you say 2 different angles?

They will outsmart the spark, unfit the fit, and make a slowloris of the yaris.

^ Well played.

[Spadesheart]

We have one puzzle piece that suggests they will have continue with that goal: if they want to continue making the car in the Thai factory with government incentives that lured them there under their ECO-car program, the car must meet minimum fuel consumption targets, and a maximum engine size limit. (The current Canadian Micra is outside those limits, but the 1.2L triple Nissan uses in the Micra/March outside of the Americas would probably qualify.)



What are you thinking when you say 2 different angles?



^ Well played.

Both vehicles are the lowest price in the segment after incentives and what have you. In Canada, the lowest priced in general. However they both take very different approaches.

The Mirage is pure economy. The good engineering has lead to a vehicle which while not a drivers car, is the perfect A-B car. It is large enough to be comfortable for pretty much anyone regardless of shape or size and do it reliably, and inexpensively.

The Micra is inexpensive yes, but it is un-apologetically inefficient from a fuel perspective, as that inefficiency leads to what many have said is one of the most "fun" driving experiences on the road. This is a drivers car, and many publications parrot that. This is part of the reason it does so well. In professional review, it almost always rates well. The mirage doesn't do well with professional reviews, but almost always does well with user reviews as those who buy it know why they're buying it.

If they built the Mirage on the Micra platform, and gave up any of what makes it a Mirage, they will lose consumers like me. It's in their best interests to have two distinct cars within the same segment with different branding, for their bottom line. And I'm quite certain they will continue to do exactly that.

As far as the engine goes, refinement and sound dampening. I don't think they're going to change much more than that. It's a good engine, slow as it may be.