I still haven't tried the new Spark. Maybe this spring, just for curiosity.
I still haven't tried the new Spark. Maybe this spring, just for curiosity.
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View my fuel log 2015 Micra S manual: 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.5 mpg (Imp) ... 20.0 km/L ... 47.0 mpg (US) ...
Has anyone heard when the redesigned Micra will come to Canada? My dealer has no idea and a message to Nissan Canada went unanswered. Thanks.
Nissan hasn't said diddly squat about plans for the K14 in Canada.
Given the state of small car sales in North America (declining), the safe bet is they will milk the Mexican-manufactured K13 platform for as long as possible.
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View my fuel log 2015 Micra S manual: 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.5 mpg (Imp) ... 20.0 km/L ... 47.0 mpg (US) ...
The Spark is definitely worth a test drive. What I found was the new Spark is about two inches lower than the first edition which makes for a lower seating position , less headroom and a general feeling of "this car is not quite big enough". I tried the CVT and while there was a kind of hesitant start up when the light turned green it soon accelerated quite well. And the CVT was not as horrible as I imagined it would be... it wasn't bad at all but I still wouldn't buy a car with a CVT. I would go back to a manual which I drove for 40 years. I thought the engine was a real sweet piece. That 1.4 litre felt very smooth as small displacement 4 cyl. usually do.
That's too bad. The K14 looks so much nicer. I am thinking about getting a base Micra S. I don't drive far and use my motorcycles in the summer. My wife thinks I am crazy to buy a car without A/C but I rarely use it, maybe 10 times/year. I am also considering the Versa Note. I've yet to test either car because its impossible to fine one with a manual transmisssion.
My current car is a 2010 Mazda3 Sport GX with only 60,000km. I am giving it to my son for graduating high school. I have never owned a Nissan before and I am concerned about reliability. A friend of mine has a new Pathfinder and has had issues already. I would buy a Mazda2 hatch if Mazda Canada would have brought it here instead of making it look like an SUV (CX-3) or a sedan (Yaris sedan).
Aside from differences in "personal thermostats", I think it depends on where you live and whether you're stuck driving in stop & go traffic or not.. My wife thinks I am crazy to buy a car without A/C but I rarely use it, maybe 10 times/year.
I've only had 2 cars with AC and ironically both of those were winter beaters, so in practice I've never had a car with AC.
Beaded seat covers, baby! That's good enough for me for the hottest 2 or 3 weeks of the summer.
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View my fuel log 2015 Micra S manual: 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.5 mpg (Imp) ... 20.0 km/L ... 47.0 mpg (US) ...
My wife definitely runs hotter because she wants a fan on, even during the winter months, and I need an extra blanket or two. I live on the east cost near the water and I am never in stop and go traffic. I just contacted the dealer and there are ZERO Micra S models in the maritimes! Amazing.
Last edited by SMman; 04-04-2017 at 10:01 AM.
Ha - funny story: last time I was around St Johns, it was August ("2 weeks of Newfoundland summer"!). It was maybe 24 degrees & sunny out. I rode with a local who turned on the AC in the car. I couldn't believe it.
Proving that "hot outside" is relative.
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View my fuel log 2015 Micra S manual: 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.5 mpg (Imp) ... 20.0 km/L ... 47.0 mpg (US) ...
Last time we had a Micra in Canada, Nissan did a facelift in Europe in 1989, but we never saw it; instead, they sold the remaining stock into 1991 and that was that, because it wasn't cost effective for them to meet federal regulations.
I think it's a fluke that we got the K13 Micra, because of the deal they had with Smart who paid to federalize the Micra. I really can't see that happening again with the K14 here. Most likely the Versa will get a redesign when the Micra is just about finished its run, and that will be Nissan's only small car offering once again.
In our culture obsessed with absurd excess, the Nissan Micra is my counterculture car of choice.
Be sure to visit my blog at mymicra.com!
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View my fuel log 2015 Micra SV manual: 6.4 L/100 km ... 44.3 mpg (Imp) ... 15.7 km/L ... 36.9 mpg (US) ...
Good points. I wonder if they designed the K14 to meet U.S. (and therefore Canadian) regs.
We know that Mazda designed the new 2 hatch & sedan to meet them, and then cancelled their plans to sell it here (not counting the rebranded 2 sedan sold at Toyota dealers as the IA).
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View my fuel log 2015 Micra S manual: 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.5 mpg (Imp) ... 20.0 km/L ... 47.0 mpg (US) ...