$9,998... plus??

At the Toronto Auto Show last month, Nissan revealed the shockingly low base price for the 5-speed manual transmission car with no air conditioning -- $9,998 -- making it the least expensive new car availble in Canada. That price is nearly $2,000 under its cheapest competitors, the Chevy Spark and Mitsubishi Mirage.

Here's what a base Micra would cost in Ontario and Quebec, for example:

$9,998.00 Base price
5-speed manual transmission, no air conditioning
$1,400.00 Destination and handling charges
$11,398.00 Subtotal
for the base, 5-speed car
$1,481.74 Sales taxes in Ontario
(provincial + federal, 13% total)
$1,706.85
Sales taxes in Quebec
(provincial + federal, 14.975% total)
$12,879.74 Total in Ontario
$13,104.85 Total in Quebec

(Licence & registration fees extra, of course.)

What about popular options like air conditioning & automatic transmission?

This is the big question, and the answer will depend on how Nissan decides to package the Micra...

UPDATE: March 26, full pricing officially released for the Micra

Similar strategy in the Micra as the Versa sedan: there's quite a big jump in price from the base model if you want either A/C or automatic...

Trim
Starting Price
Features
Micra S MT (base) $9,998 - 5-speed manual transmission
- 6 airbags
- stability & traction control
- front/rear stabilizer bars
- steel 15 inch wheels / wheel covers
- air conditioning not available
Micra S 4AT $13,298 Same features as above, with...

- 4-speed automatic transmission
- air conditioning
- cruise control
Micra SV MT $13,698 Same features as above, with...

- 5-speed manual transmission
- steering wheel audio controls
- power windows
- Bluetooth
Micra SV 4AT $14,698 Same features as above, with...

- 4-speed automatic transmission
SV "Convenience
Package" ($500)
$14,198 (manual)
$15,198 (automatic)
Adds...

- rear-view camera
- 4.3-inch central audio display
- USB port / iPod connectivity
Micra SR 5MT $15,748 Same features as above, including Convenience Package, plus...

- 5-speed manual transmission
- fog lights
- front fascia chrome elements
- sport headlights / taillights
- leather-wrapped steering wheel
- side sill spoilers
- chrome exhaust tip
Micra SR 4AT $16,748 Same features as above, with...

- 4-speed automatic transmission

Source: http://nissannews.com/en-CA/nissan/c...cher-au-canada

So the Micra is packaged like the Versa sedan, as suspected (feared?): air conditioning and automatic are not available at all on the base model. In order to get either option, you have to upgrade to a package of additional options that increase the car's price quite a bit more.

You want air conditioning? In the Versa sedan, you have to go from the base "S" car at $11,898 to the "SV" car at $14,798. Ouch! A $2900 difference. The same strategy for air or automatic raises the price of the Micra from $9,998 to $13,298, a $3300 difference!

Don't hate the player; hate the game

We can't blame Nissan -- like any other car company, they're in business to make money. Selling cars at the advertised entry-level price doesn't make them much money. That super low starting price is there to lure shoppers into showrooms where they are up-sold many wonderful options & packages.

GM does the same thing with Micra's competitor, the Chevrolet Spark: the base "LS" 5-speed manual car starts at $11,898. But you can't add only air conditioning or only automatic transmission to that car. If you want either, you have to take them both together in a package that brings the starting price to $14,895. Three grand extra.

Mitsubishi bucks the trend somewhat with the $12,498 Mirage. They do permit buyers to add just the optional automatic transmission to the base car for $1200 extra. But if you want air, you have to take the next higher priced trim package, which costs quite a bit more than that.