Is Micra suitable for high speed highway driving, long distance

[AlphaMicra]

We did Christmas in Florida with the Micra; that is, my 6'4" self, my 5'7" spouse, and, in the back seat, my 6'2" son. The low 5th gear was perfect for the mountain roads of West Virginia; I could set the cruise control at the speed limit and never have to shift, as it offered plenty of power to maintain the speed limit on the uphills, and provided sufficient engine braking on the downhills. As a bonus, with the car weighted down with luggage and people, I didn't even notice the wind blowing it around. I didn't focus on fuel economy, but I did the trip in four tanks, at an average cost of roughly $15 USD per fill-up. Comfort was never an issue in my SV.

The trick is to pack light, and keep all the luggage in the trunk. If I had to do it again, I'd probably leave the trunk shelf at home to gain some extra storage for winter jackets and such.

For Metro, a Micra next to a palm tree:

[MetroMPG]

Woohoo! Thanks.

[Micra In The Mountains]

So far no issues with our little guy through the Rockies last summer, we found the engine power & auto-trans gear hunting adequate when we were climbing up some of the grades. Turning off the over-drive and manually switching to 2nd or 1st gear really helps on the more steeper hills and with engine braking downhill, just make sure your speed is appropriate for the gear you're in. We do need to get a bigger bug screen to cover up his rather large front face (keeps the rad & engine bay relatively bug free):



We used to own a 1995 2-door Suzuki Swift, and that would get tossed around during moderate to severe cross winds or when passed by a semi-trailer truck going the opposite direction down a 2-lane highway due to its lighter construction and 13-inch tires. We've found it not so much of an issue with our Micra with larger 15-inch tires, traction control and ABS. It's also a more substantial vehicle than the Swift.

Cruise control in our Micra appears to be fairly responsive to the road grade with minimal lag time before engaging when starting up a hill, unlike the cruise on my previous car (2001 Suzuki Esteem wagon) which would have a 5+ second delay then would "gun" the engine to make up for the lag time...

[MetroMPG]

If you're interested, some members have also installed a mesh behind their grilles to protect the rad from stones/debris. Check the modifications/customizations list:

http://micra-forum.com/showthread.ph...mizations-list

[MetroMPG]

Noteworthy addition to this topic:

Thread: Edmonton to Halifax in a Micra

[woofer2609]

Yes. Seats are comfortable even in the S.

[Micra In The Mountains]

Since our last post above, we've taken our Micra to Winnipeg MB (4 adults and their luggage, see my "What can you fit in your Micra" post), to Grande Prairie AB and several times to Calgary and back (we live in Edmonton) and we have been quite pleased with our the car handles on the highway (divided or single, paved or dirt / gravel), traveling up or down various grades, agility & maneuverability, stability at speed (feels rock solid at 120+ kph) and interior comfort, and lower cost of operation / ownership than any vehicle we've ever owned (probably the biggest factor). Great long distance / cross - country vehicle, in our opinion. No mechanical issues so far after 18,000+ km...

I'd be curious to see how well the Micra handles on the Coquihalla highway in BC, with it's steeper grades and higher speeds...

[ijamie]

I have driven the Coquihalla Highway several times in the Micra - I had the Manual transmission. Most of the time I could keep hwy speeds in 5th gear. The long steep grade at Box Canyon did provide a challenge for the Micra (as it does for most cars) but I was able to keep 80 K in 3rd with no problem. The Okanogan connector (97 C) with it's very long accent out of Peach-land to the peak was a challenge and I was not able to maintain the speed limit of 110 hm/h. However, I was able to maintain 100 km/h in 4th gear for all of it. I also work at a Ski Resort on Vancouver Island and used the Micra to commute up the mountain. I found it very capable and easy to keep control on the steep downhill sections in winter. The Micra manual definitely could use a 6th gear - I found traveling at or near our 120 km/h hwy speed limit a little loud and fuel economy suffers. Mind you, not sure if I really want to go faster than 120 km/h in something with an 8 foot wheel base!

[Micra In The Mountains]

In less than 2 weeks we're heading down to Vegas & back from Edmonton, I'm interested in finding out how our Micra's anti-lock brakes and traction control handle the heavy wet & slushy snow they usually get between Helena, Montana and Salt Lake City, Utah around this time of year...they also get a fair share of wind warnings on the open sections of I-15 (30 to 50 mph crosswinds from the west, like the chinooks we get in southern Alberta)...

[woofer2609]

In less than 2 weeks we're heading down to Vegas & back from Edmonton, I'm interested in finding out how our Micra's anti-lock brakes and traction control handle the heavy wet & slushy snow they usually get between Helena, Montana and Salt Lake City, Utah around this time of year...they also get a fair share of wind warnings on the open sections of I-15 (30 to 50 mph crosswinds from the west, like the chinooks we get in southern Alberta)...

I think the biggest concern would be the 135km/h speed limits on main highways in Utah. Just go 100k, thats what i did in our truck and camper. If your Micra is the 5spd, it'll be buzzing fer sure! Apart from that, just have good snow tires and your good to go. Hopefully you get a tailwind, not a side wind. I wouldn't hesitate to drive this car anywhere. I gotta say though, after driving my Micra and a Mazda 3 back to back in heavy snow, the Mazdas has far less obtrusive and better traction control.