Nissan’s first Micra in two years will form a part of its European electric vehicle offensive, where the brand is relying more on its Alliance partner Renault for models.
However it’s not a part of Nissan Australia’s immediate plans, which includes bringing the Ariya electric SUV and new Leaf to showrooms within the next two years.
That puts it in the same basket as the Renault 5 it’s based on, as the French hatchback also isn’t locked in for a local berth.
While the two vehicles are almost identical in side profile, the Nissan Micra has adopted distinctive circular LED headlights and tail lights, much more in tune with the brand’s current design language.
Inside there’s even less to separate the Micra and R5, however Nissan has given its hatchback an outline of Mount Fuji in the front storage space, referencing its home land.
Riding on the AmpR Small EV platform, there’s strut suspension at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear, riding underneath the sub-4.0m long hatchback.
As with the Renault 5, two powertrains will be offered to European buyers.
The standard range Micra features a 90kW and 225Nm front electric motor, fed by a 40kWh battery for 310km of claimed driving range.
Extended range variants step up to a 110kW/245Nm motor and 52kWh battery, good for a claimed driving range of 408km.
These specifications are similar to those found in the more affordable EVs on the Australian market, meaning that if Nissan did bring the Micra here, it would need to be sharply priced if it was to be competitive.
Nissan last sold the Micra in Australia back in 2016, with the K13 model being the final iteration sold locally, as we missed out on the K14. More than 48,000 examples were sold here.
