The 2019 Nissan Micra at a glance

The Nissan Micra is one of two new cars in Canada offered at less than $10,000., the other being the Chevrolet Spark. That alone is noteworthy, and for a while it was enough to make the Micra quite popular with Canadian buyers. But times have changed and the Micra hasn’t. Is it still a good buy? What about the better-equipped versions? Let’s have a look.

Has anything changed with the 2019 Nissan Micra compared to 2018?

Not really, so far at least. It would appear that the 2019 Nissan Micra will be back this year with very few changes, if any. That may be a problem for the Micra as its 2018 sales are down 32 % this year as of August 1st. That said, just because less people are buying the Micra doesn’t mean it doesn’t answer your needs so don’t look too much into sales numbers.

What the Nissan Micra does well

Given that it hasn’t changed much compared to the previous 2018 Nissan Micra, what that model did well still holds true for 2019.

• It’s quite spacious and versatile from a cargo perspective. It has 408 liters in the back with all seats in place, more so than the Spark, it’s main competition and sub-10k brother.

• It’s 109-horsepower four-cylinder engine isn’t powerful by any means, but it’s peppier than the Spark’s engine and refined enough (for its segment) if you pair it with the standard 6-speed manual.

• It’s not a coincidence that there’s a racing championship featuring the Micra. Cars competing in the Micra Cup are upgraded to handle better, but the dealership-variety Micra is still quite agile. It’s a pleasure to get around the city in it.

• Don’t have to worry about reliability, the Micra just doesn’t break. There’s not much to break anyway, and the engine has proven its durability.

What the Nissan Micra doesn’t do so well

• It may have a bit more power than the Chevrolet Spark, but it’s by no means more fuel-efficient. For buyers in this segment, fuel economy is a big concern and the Micra, while not bad by any means (8.7 l/100 km in the city, 6.8 l/100 km on the highway) doesn’t best the Spark (8.0 l/100 km in the city, 6.0 l/100 km on the highway).

• There’s very little equipment in the entry-level model. You’ll be rolling up your windows with your hands, a very odd concept in today’s automotive landscape. The Spark, on the other hand, gets Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and 10 airbags right out of the gate.

• If you want more equipment, the Micra gets a bit pricey. In 2018, the top-of-the-line SR model was priced at more than $17,000. At that price, you can do a lot better.

What we tell our friends

The 2019 Nissan Micra will give you a new car for the price of a pre-owned model. The Micra will need to be freshened up soon, but it’s still not crossed over into a bad idea. As for how it compares to a Spark, well it all depends on what you value most. Space? Then get the Micra. Fuel economy and features? Get the Spark.