2021 Nissan Micra (March) facelift / new front & rear end

[MetroMPG]

So this may not be of much interest to our U.S. members, but it might be to Canadian/Mexican/Euro folks...

Behold the 2nd facelift of the Mexican made K13 Micra:



Nissan Canada brought this Micra to Canada to compete with the Mirage & Chevy Spark from the 2015-2019 model years. It was built in the same factory as the USDM Versa sedan and Versa Note -- same platform, drivetrain & many interior bits.

The Micra dominated its segment in Canada with a bombshell $9998 starting MSRP for several years until the Spark was redesigned and GM also slapped a $9995 starting price on the Spark's base stripper trim. They cancelled the Micra when the Kicks was introduced.

Europe has already had the next gen K14 Micra for a couple of years. But Nissan Canada figured the next gen car would be too expensive for the segment.

Even a year after it was cancelled, the leftover Micra STILL outsold the Mirage throughout 2020.

Interestingly, it looks like Mexico will continue building/selling the K13 Micra for at least a few more years. They just slapped a new front & rear end on it and gave it some new wheel & interior options. (Sound familiar?)

Back end:



Nissan has a habit of producing cars in Mexico for many years after they're finished in other markets. They made the 90's vintage Sentra sedan (Tsuro) for something like 15 years!

More pics:

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/m...gs-155391.html

[Mark]

So this may not be of much interest to our U.S. members, but it might be to Canadian/Mexican/Euro folks...

Behold the 2nd facelift of the Mexican made K13 Micra:

If cars like the 130 hp Honda Fit can't make it in the U.S. market, I don't blame companies for not spending a lot of money on new small car designs. Yaris, Prius c, Fit, & others are disappearing.

Honda sold 32,488 Fits in 2020.

Ford sold 787,422 F-150 trucks in 2020, & this is a relatively low number compared to the previous 4 years.

19,136 Mirages were sold in 2020. The current Mirage design isn't probably driven by the North American market very much. We're probably lucky it's still being sold here.

[Clessy]

This thing is just effin hideous. The front especially so. The rear isnt as bad but man just awful.

[Mark]

This thing is just effin hideous. The front especially so. The rear isnt as bad but man just awful.

Yes, it may not be the best looking hatch in the world, but $9998 Canadian would be a brand new car for $7,800 here (using the current exchange rate). Canada has some extra charges that may not be included, however.

I like that the Micra had a base level (that was basic/cheaper). Even the car critics got the reasoning behind a more basic car for less money with the Micra.

The lack of great fuel economy for a small car would be the one box not checked for me. I don't mind the styling, & I'm sure it handles much better than a Mirage.

[MetroMPG]

Yeah, no CVT in Canadian Micras. Pinching all the pennies.

That said, I've heard of zero Micra trans failures.

[MetroMPG]

Jalopnik just noticed the age of the freshly facelifted Micra:

Nissan Has Been Selling The Same Hatchback In Mexico For 11 Years

[MirageRally]

Why doesn't Nissan put the 4-speed auto in the Mirage? Seems like less headache no (less trans failures)? And they'd cut back on costs? l would then buy the Auto...l don't like the cvt rubberband torque.

[MetroMPG]

Mainly because that'd hurt its fuel economy ratings.

The Mirage was specifically designed (mass + aero + drivetrain efficiency) to beat a specific rating so the company would qualify for manufacturing tax incentives under the "Eco Car" production program in Thailand where it's built.

[MirageRally]

Mainly because that'd hurt its fuel economy ratings.

The Mirage was specifically designed (mass + aero + drivetrain efficiency) to beat a specific rating so the company would qualify for manufacturing tax incentives under the "Eco Car" production program in Thailand where it's built.

l see both sides bc you want max fuel economy, but Toyota did it with their yaris for so long and it was dead reliable at the cost of mpg...so even if mpg took a slight decline wouldn't you rather have it last then worry about a major part failing like the transmission? Just my .02

[Mark]

l see both sides bc you want max fuel economy, but Toyota did it with their yaris for so long and it was dead reliable at the cost of mpg...so even if mpg took a slight decline wouldn't you rather have it last then worry about a major part failing like the transmission? Just my .02

The Yaris left our market, but it's becoming one of the most fuel efficient vehicles in other parts of the world.

"The all-new Yaris hybrid will be Toyota Australia's most fuel-efficient car when it goes on sale in August. With a new 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain available in Yaris for the first time, the hybrid variants will offer an astounding official combined fuel consumption figure of just 3.3l/100km1." Jan 24, 2020

For those of us that use miles, that's 71 mpg.

We're just lame (not us on the forum, but the general public) when it comes to small cars. This is how someone describes a 2017 Yaris -

"The 2017 Toyota Yaris has an almost-perfect predicted reliability rating and good crash test scores, but its underpowered engine, poor handling, and stiff seats keep it from ranking higher than midpack among subcompact cars.
Mar 3, 2020

Anyone who thinks a 106 hp Yaris is underpowered is an idiot. Those who review small cars have really done the general public a disservice. Yet, the 130 hp Honda Fit is also leaving here. Imagine what these fools think of a 78 hp Mirage?

Fuel efficient vehicles leaving North America is a bad reflection on us as consumers. Mirage owners are not included in that last statement, however.