The revival of classic cars has been a widely discussed trend in the automotive world. Debate surrounding the use of historic names for modern vehicles seems never-ending, with many claiming that the use of legacy titles ruins the heritage of the name, while others argue that keeping the name alive has no negative implications. Much of the debate against this trend stems from the often-drastic redesigns of these vehicles and the electrification of older ICE cars.
Despite the conflict in the community, many brands are looking to their past for inspiration, such as Renault with the 5 E-Tech and Ford with the new Capri. Now Nissan is joining them with the Micra EV.
Before we talk about the latest addition to the Micra family, let’s take a brief look at the Micra’s past, generation by generation . For those unaware, Nissan owned a brand – Datsun - whose production first began in 1931. However, from 1958 to 1986, only vehicles that were exported by Nissan were classified as Datsun, until the brand was phased out in 1986.
Generation 1
The Nissan Micra has been a staple of the Nissan brand since its inception back in 1982. In its early days, the Micra debuted in Japan as the Nissan March (chassis code K10), replacing the very popular Datsun Cherry. It boasted impressively low fuel consumption thanks to a specially designed engine exclusive to the model and its high gear ratios and lightweight 655kg frame further contributed to its efficiency. The first-generation Micra, the K10, was initially styled for Fiat’s 127 replacement. However, Fiat ultimately chose a design by Giorgetto Giugiaro, now an Automotive Hall of Fame designer, for the Fiat Uno, leaving Nissan to adopt the unused styling.
The Nissan Micra launched on the European market in 1983 and phased out the Datsun badging on the Micra by the end of 1984. The European Micra put out an epic 53 horsepower and utilised a five-speed gearbox. Nissan were quite generous with this considering that at the time, Mercedes charged extra for five gears! If manual was not your thing, Nissan offered a three-speed automatic transmission as well.
Generation 2
The second generation of Micra is arguably the most recognisable under the name, with bubblier and rounder edges than its predecessor , thanks to the growing trend in the 90’s. Released in Japan in 1992, the K11 Micra was hugely popular due to its reliability along with its injection of personality which remedied a common complaint that the K10 received. The K11 Micra is a cute and compact supermini that had adoring fans all around the world, so much so that it won European Car of the Year in 1993. In fact, this was the first time a Japanese manufacturer had claimed the award.
It received a facelift in 1997 which refreshed the styling and updated the interior. Not only did it look the part, but the K11 offered reliability and versatility with new engines along with options such as power steering, electric windows and ABS.
The second generation Micra has remained popular over the years, with many of them still on the roads all these years later. The K11 has cemented itself as a modern classic, and rightfully so.
Generation 3
The third generation of Micra, the K12, debuted in 2003 and saw a dramatic redesign from the K11. While it did keep the rounded design language of the second generation, the K12 looks wildly different from its predecessor. The redesign widened its stance, raised the roofline, shifted the headlights higher up the bonnet, and enhanced the overall curvature with rounded bumpers and body panels. This design was facelifted in 2005 which introduced a redesigned front grille and bumper, rear lamp and bumper design, 14-inch full wheel covers and an update to the seats.
Along with the facelift, 2005 saw the introduction of the first-ever Micra convertible! The Micra C+C features the series’ first hard-top convertible roof and a standout, model-exclusive colour – baby pink!
Generation 4
Introduced in 2010, the fourth generation expanded on ideas presented by its predecessor. It maintains the design philosophy while updating the lines to refresh the aesthetics. The K13 was the first of the Micra line to feature exclusively a five-door model, with no option for a three-door variant. The gen 4 Micra offered two petrol engines, a 1.2L with 79hp and a 1.5L with 98hp. Nissan then released a line of new supercharged engines for the K13 in 2011, an enhanced 1.2L engine putting out 98hp and a new 1.6L engine producing a whopping 106hp!
Of course, this generation of Micra received a facelift much like previous iterations. 2014 saw the Micra receive an update on the front grille and lights, improving on the sleek design language, and a handful of interior renovations to improve comfort. While the fourth generation sold well globally, it did however, see less enthusiasm in the UK and the sales figures reflected that.
Generation 5
Unveiled at the 2016 Paris Motor Show and launched in 2017, the fifth-generation Nissan Micra marked a bold departure from its predecessors, adopting a sleeker, more modern silhouette. The K14 is larger than its predecessors, being 21cm longer, approximately 8cm wider and 6cm lower. The new figure and heavily updated front profile, consisting of sharp, angular LED headlights, a pronounced V-shaped grille and defined lines, made for a more assertive entry into the Micra family.
Before leaving the new car showrooms in 2023, the fifth generation Micra saw great success, winning the New Car of the Year award and the Supermini of the Year at the 2019 FirstCar awards. It was described as a brilliant car for new drivers due to its host of safety and tech features whilst remaining simple and easy to drive.
Now that we’ve taken a brief look into the history of the Micra, let’s turn our attention to the future . The dormant model has been awakened with all new electrical power!
The Future
Set to be launched in 2026, Nissan have revealed a first look at the new Micra EV and you would not be wrong to compare it to Renault’s new electric supermini, the 5 E-Tech. This is because the new Micra uses the same AmpR Small platform and body as its slightly older sibling. Much like the Renault 5 E-Tech, it will be available with either a 40kWh or a 52kWh battery with varying ranges. The larger battery is supposedly aiming for a range of just under 250 miles!
Nissan claim to have looked to their heritage when developing this car, and that seems to be the case. The front light signature appears to be a callback to the generation 3, in the form of large round daytime running lights. The front is more angular than previous generations and it seems to have a wider stance, but that’s difficult to confirm with only the reveal image. Nissan developed the Micra alongside the E-Tech, so some design elements are shared across the two, one being the rear door handles being hidden in the C-pillar.
Nissan seem to have gone all-out on the futuristic aesthetic to push the Micra into the future, contrasting Renault’s more retro approach. Despite this, the Japanese manufacturer has said that the sixth generation will maintain the model’s simplicity, though we assume that it will still come tech-packed and full of helpful features to maintain the model’s reputation of being easy to drive.
There is currently no information on prices, but due to its relation to the Renault 5, it would not be farfetched to predict the prices will be in a similar range to its cousin.
Personally, I’m excited to learn more. As someone who has been around Micras a lot in their life (both my mother and grandmother have owned a gen 2) I have grown quite fond of them, and I’m interested to see how the sixth generation will continue the legacy.
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