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Thread: I've got a 2015 Nissan Micra 1.6 for a week. Anything you want to know about it?

  1. #1

    I've got a 2015 Nissan Micra 1.6 for a week. Anything you want to know about it?

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    Nissan Canada has loaned me a new Micra for a week.

    This is a "global car" like the Mirage, sold in 160+ countries. Sales began in May, marking the return of the car which was last sold here in the early 90's.

    The Micra is the Mirage's most serious competitor in Canada -- similar size, similar pricing, similar "value" marketing angle. Actually, Nissan's pricing announcement was a bit of a bombshell: MSRP is $9,998 to start (plus delivery, fees & taxes etc.), which undercut the previous cheapest car by a significant amount (the $11,498 Chevy Spark).


    Nissan starts a price war

    Mitsubishi isn't taking this sitting down. They responded with a massive $2500 rebate on the base Mirage to match the Micra's $9998 starting price and more advertising. Hyundai has also responded with big rebates on its Accent to bring it down to the $10.5k level.

    A Nissan rep told me the last time we had a $10k price war (last decade) it raised sales of all the participants. That seems to be the case for Mitsu, which had its second highest sales last month. Still, Nissan sold twice as many Micras.


    Opposite ends of the spectrum

    Unfortunately we've got a bit of an apples to oranges situation here: the Mirage that Mitsu Canada loaned me last month was the base, 5-speed model. The Micra I've got is the top of the line loaded automatic, with a $16,748 sticker price (over $20k out the door, after delivery, fees & taxes). I asked for a manual shift, but they said this was the only car available in my area.


    The basics

    The Micra shares its platform & drivetrain with the Versa sedan & Note hatchback:

    Engine: 1.6L, 109hp, 4-cylinder

    Other countries get a choice of more efficient 1.2L 3-cylinders (one naturally aspirated, one supercharged), but not here. It's a question of economics: parts sharing keeps costs down.

    Transmission: 5-speed manual, or a 4-speed slushbox (not a CVT, as in the Note).

    It's interesting they didn't offer a CVT because the Note uses the same Jatco CVT7 as the Mirage. GM even dropped the same CVT in the Spark to raise its fuel economy for 2014, giving up their 4-speed slushbox.

    Curb weight: it's up there, at 1044 kg (2302 lbs) for the manual and 1072 (2363) for the automatic. That puts it right in the middle of the field of small cars.

    Fuel economy: not surprisingly, the weight and 1.6 make it much thirstier than the Mirage. Ratings:

    Transmission
    City Highway Combined *
    5-speed manual 8.6 L/100 km
    27.4 mpg (US)
    33 mpg (Imp.)
    6.6
    36
    43
    7.7
    30.6
    36.7
    4-speed automatic 8.8 L/100 km
    26.7 mpg (US)
    32 mpg (Imp.)
    6.6
    36
    43
    7.8
    30.2
    36.2
    * Combined = 55% city, 45% highway

    That's a huge difference from the Mirage. It's the Micra's biggest problem, in my opinion (being the fuel economy nerd I am). As Canoehead pointed out, even without Mitsu's big rebate, a Mirage's lower operating costs will put it ahead in total cost of ownership (assuming you keep the car more than a few years).

    Of course, driven carefully, it's easy to beat the ratings by a good margin. Drive it "normally" and you'll probably still beat them.


    Behind the wheel, first impressions:

    Frankly, Mitsu needs to get a Micra and copy its steering & suspension. It's that much better.

    The steering is direct, the ratio is quicker, and it doesn't have the strangely weak self-centering of the Mirage. Yet it has the amost identical super tight turning radius.

    The wheels & tires help too: 185/55R16's on the SR model (185/60R15's on the lower trims).

    Suspension/body control is also better. Front and rear stabilizer bars are standard (Canada's the only country that gets both), and it corners much flatter than the Mirage. Composure in left-right transitions raises zero disapproving eyebrows. It's no go-kart, but you will enjoy more highway ramps and twisty roads in a Micra.

    If you value "fun to drive" (which admittedly most car buyers don't care much about), you would pick the Micra in a heartbeat, all else being equal.

    Yet it still soaks up bumps and rides well enough for a little car (its heft helps there). The ride isn't as compliant as the Mirage's, but I'd give up a bit of the Mirage's Cadillac ride in a heartbeat for better body control.


    Anything you want to know?

    I've got the car until next weekend. I'll be taking more pics, taking notes & tracking fuel consumption.

    If you've got any questions, fire away.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  2. #2
    Senior Member Ares's Avatar
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    As I've already pointed out, wheels and tires are what make the mirage's poor steering dynamics. Stealing the G4's 185-55-15s would greatly improve the Mirage's feel.

    However, I have noticed a huge drop in MPG. According to my math (miles driven / gallons filled) I'm now only averaging 36-37mpg. Lots have reported more than this, but this is actually close to the sticker combined figure.

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    Senior Member fatcat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ares View Post
    As I've already pointed out, wheels and tires are what make the mirage's poor steering dynamics. Stealing the G4's 185-55-15s would greatly improve the Mirage's feel.

    However, I have noticed a huge drop in MPG. According to my math (miles driven / gallons filled) I'm now only averaging 36-37mpg. Lots have reported more than this, but this is actually close to the sticker combined figure.
    I like how you say "now only averaging 36-37 mpg...still very impressive gas mileage to me!!! Do you think adding the rear stabilizer bar would about equal the improved handling the 15s provide while sticking with the stock tires?

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    Senior Member fatcat's Avatar
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    How do the options compare on the loaded Micra with a loaded Mirage? Does it come with the push button start?

  5. #5
    Nope, no push-button start.

    Here's the full list:

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        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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    One thing it's lacking that I miss: the trip computer only has a single "Average" fuel economy gauge, where the Mirage has "A" and "B" gauges (which is super useful if you want to track your whole tank, and also use the other gauge for individual trips).

    However the Micra has an "instant" fuel consumption display that the Mirage lacks.

    Another minor difference: mirrors and extensions on both sun visors. (I could care less about the mirrors, but the lack of passenger mirror was mentioned in so many Mirage reviews.)

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member fatcat's Avatar
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    so it seams to me maybe the Micra is Mazda 2ish, but with better gas mileage?

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Ares View Post
    wheels and tires are what make the mirage's poor steering dynamics.
    I *can* see tires helping steering response a lot, sure.

    But the other issues are built-in: the "slower" steering ratio and the self-centering issue (which is from geometry).

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  9. #9
    Senior Member Ares's Avatar
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    Car's not a racecar so slow steering ration isnt a big deal for me - and shouldnt for most people. Don't get me wrong, I'm lazy as f*, but even I don't mind it.

    @fatcat: Because I don't have a rear swaybar, I can't tell you. However, what I do know is that the rear swaybar will NOT fix the "self-centering" issue metro mentioned above. I believe that wider tires are the only fix for that. Ask anyone who has moved to wider front tires from a skinny front tire, the difference is noticeable.

    @fatcat: I only say that because I did start at 38/39 mpgs. Numbers I have never replicated since the skinny tires. The worst part is: about 90-95% of my last tank, I babied the sh*t out of the throttle. Tried my best to shift at or below 2.3k - and stay 5 over the speed limit. This time, I'll shift at 3k and have a little more throttle input and see if there's a difference.

    @metro: Stuff I don't mind being Standard equipment from the micra:
    exhaust tip
    side sill spoilers
    heated mirrors
    sport cloth (need to find out what this is) - although I don't mind the current purpleish ES seats, I'd like some thing else...
    cloth front door trim sounds nice LoL.
    chromed interior door handles (only front for mirage)

    I also want to judge their sound system. I love the bass in the mirage's system, but the weak rear speakers and poor FM quality is killing me.

    With all of that said, I would still rather have push button start than all of those combined.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by fatcat View Post
    so it seams to me maybe the Micra is Mazda 2ish, but with better gas mileage?
    That's a possibility. I haven't driven a Mazda 2. I wonder if the Micra handles as well... the auto writers always seem to like the way it drives. And of course they don't care about its lousy mileage.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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