Forbidden Fruit: 2026 Nissan Micra EV Review, The Canadian Favourite Returns Without Canada

The Nissan Micra used to be one of Canada’s simplest automotive arguments. It was small, cheap, honest, and fun. Base models started under $10,000, making it among the least expensive new vehicles Canadians could buy. It was not fast, luxurious, or fashionable, but it gave buyers a new-car warranty, four wheels, a manual gearbox, and enough personality to create a following.

Then Canada made it even better. The Micra Cup turned Nissan’s smallest hatchback into an affordable race car. Briefly, buyers could own one of the country’s cheapest new cars and watch the same basic machine trade paint on Canadian tracks. That mattered. It gave the Micra something most economy cars rarely get: credibility. Motor Illustrated understood this early. In 2019, Matt St-Pierre wrote that losing the Micra felt like losing a good friend, and that line still applies. The Micra was never perfect. It was better than that. It was honest.

Pros

Fun, balanced, and genuinely engaging to drive

• Strong real-world efficiency, especially in city driving
• 100 kW charging performance proved consistent during the test
• Distinct Nissan identity despite sharing its platform with the Renault 5

Cons

• No longer the affordable Micra Canadians remember
• Tight rear-seat space, especially with adults on a long road trip
• Unlikely to come to Canada despite the Micra’s history her
• The Renault 5 still has the stronger retro-emotional pull

From Budget Hero To French-Built EV

Canada first received the Micra in the 80s before the nameplate disappeared in 1991. We then skipped the second and third generations, but the fourth-generation returned for 2015, assembled in Mexico and priced to shock the Canadian market. It remained until 2019. Afterward, the Micra left again, and the fifth-generation European model never arrived.

That version had grown, moved upmarket, and was built in France through the Renault-Nissan Alliance. It no longer fits the Canadian Micra formula. Once, the selling point was a starting price just below $10,000; a larger and more expensive French-built hatchback lacked a clear business case here. Now the Micra is back. Sort of.

The sixth-generation Nissan Micra is now electric. European regulations and market realities pushed combustion-powered city cars toward the exit. For Canadians, this is Forbidden Fruit in its cleanest form: a familiar badge, a useful size, an engaging drive, but no realistic way to our showrooms.

Same Bones As The Renault 5

Mechanically, the new Micra EV is close to the Renault 5 E-Tech, which we have tested recently. It uses the same AmpR Small architecture and the same basic battery choices. The standard autonomy version starts at €28,000 with a 40-kWh battery, up to 317 km of WLTP (Estimated NRCan range: approximately 255 km range), 120 hp, and a WLTP consumption rating of 14.2 kWh/100 km. The “Grande Autonomie” version adds €5,500 and brings a 52-kWh battery, up to 416 km of WLTP range (Estimated NRCan range: approximately 330 km), 150 hp, and a WLTP consumption rating of 14.7 kWh/100 km.

Our test car was the Micra EV Evolve 150 hp with a 52 kWh battery and painted in an elegant “Noir Périgord”, this paint is named after a French region unable to hide its roots. It carried a price of €38,050 as tested, about $51 000 CAD. Equipment included Google built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 11-kW onboard charger, CCS connector with up to 100 kW DC fast charging, heated front seats and steering wheel, E-Pedal, regen paddles, ProPilot Park, V2L capability up to 3,600 W, and 18-inch alloy wheels in this fully decked out version.

A Real Road Trip, Not A Short Drive

We did not learn the Micra EV on a short city loop. We drove roughly 3,000 km from Paris to Reims, across France to Marseille, along the Mediterranean near Monaco, into Italy to Ventimiglia, and back to Paris. The route included highways, national roads, city driving, warm and near-freezing temperatures, traffic, charging stops, three adults, and three suitcases. In other words, the Micra EV operated well beyond typical small-EV routines.

The rear passenger did not have much space. That needs to be said. The Micra has grown, but it is still a small hatchback, and its packaging favours front-seat comfort and cargo volume over rear-seat stretch-out room. Still, the rear seat was usable and stayed comfortable for the trip, which matters more than static specifications.

Small, But No Longer Tiny

The Micra EV is not tiny in the way the old Canadian Micra was tiny. It has grown beyond its cheap-car roots. It is still small by modern standards, but it no longer feels like a stripped-down city appliance. The current model measures 3,974 mm long, 1,830 mm wide, or 2,020 mm with mirrors, and 1,499 mm high. Cargo space is rated at 326 litres, expanding to 1,106 litres with the rear seats folded. That size gives it a different road presence. It feels more mature, stable, and substantial than the old Canadian Micra. It also explains why it works better outside the city than expected.

French Quirks Included

The exterior is fun, but the interior is where the French personality comes through. The Micra may wear a Nissan badge, but some of its controls clearly come from the Renault side of the family. On the right-hand side of the steering column, there are three stalks stacked close together. One controls the gear selector. One controls the wipers. The third controls volume and songs in the most French way possible. It is quirky. It is also not ideal. More than once, I turned on the wipers instead of shifting into reverse. That feels like an oversight, especially in a car meant for easy and intuitive city driving. Some quirks add character; others make you question decisions. This sits between charming and frustrating. Still, it fits the Micra’s personality. It’s cute like a MINI, more practical than its rivals, and likely the only small EV to make me smile this much without asking for premium fuel or emotional support.

Efficiency That Depends On Speed

The trip’s average was 17.8 kWh/100 km. That number includes plenty of highway driving at 130 km/h, carrying three adults and luggage. In city use, consumption often dropped below 10 kWh/100 km, which is astonishing. That spread tells the story: the Micra EV is efficient when used as intended, but, like most small EVs, suffers at sustained highway speeds. This also needs a European context. Driving at 130 km/h is normal and legal on many European highways.

In Canada, those speeds would be considered excessive in most places, even if many drivers dream of higher limits. Quebec still tops out at 100 km/h, while some provinces allow up to 120 km/h. At those Canadian speeds, consumption would likely be lower. During our test, the Micra’s sweet spot seemed to sit around 110 km/h, where it delivered reasonable electric consumption without feeling strained. It excels in cities, villages, secondary roads, and mixed European driving. Push it hard on the highway, and the numbers climb above 20 kWh/100km.

Charging That Backed Up The Claim

Charging was better than expected. Nissan advertises DC fast charging at up to 100 kW on the 52-kWh version, with a 15-to-80 percent charge in 30 minutes. Our experience matched that claim closely, with the car often reaching or sitting near 100 kW during fast-charge sessions.

These charging capabilities make the Micra EV more road-trip capable than its size suggests. It is not a grand tourer, but it does not fall apart when asked to leave the city.

The Part That Still Feels Like A Micra

The strongest feature is how it drives. This is where the Micra name still makes sense. It’s light, easy to place, and playful without needing much speed. It can be tossed around in ways many modern EVs can’t. The 150-hp motor and 245 Nm torque (181 lb-ft) make it feel quick in the real world, especially at city and secondary-road speeds. It does not overwhelm the front tires or pretend to be a hot hatch. It simply makes you want to take the longer route. While the Renault 5 remains the more emotional object. It leans harder into nostalgia, especially for Québec readers who remember the original Renault 5 and Le Car connection. The Micra takes a different route. It uses the same basic bones but wears a Nissan identity that feels cleaner, rounder, and less retro-dependent. It does not try to be a memory. It tries to be a modern Micra.

Why Canada Probably Won’t Get It

The price is the first problem. This is no longer the people’s $10,000 Micra. It now competes with small premium EVs and used long-range EVs rather than budget-oriented models like the previous Micra. Unlike rivals such as the MINI, which offers less practicality, and compact crossovers that provide more space, the Micra targets those wanting a blend of usability and unique character. Canada has also moved away from subcompact hatchbacks. Buyers want crossovers. Automakers want margins. Regulations, exchange rates, and production realities make a Canadian Micra EV unlikely.

But the business case is not impossible to imagine if the stars aligned. A cute, practical, fun-to-drive EV with rear doors, 416 km of WLTP range (Estimated NRCan range: approximately 330 km), useful fast charging, and Nissan branding could appeal to buyers who find a MINI too compromised, a crossover too dull, and a used EV too anonymous.

Final Thoughts: Still A Micra Where It Counts

The old Micra was lovable because it made cheap transportation feel special. The new Micra EV does something harder. It makes expensive small-car transportation feel justified. That likely won’t bring it back to Canada. But after 3,000 km in France, Monaco, and Italy, it was enough to make us wish Nissan would try.