Video review: 2015 Nissan Micra SV automatic (Driving.ca)

[MetroMPG]

Driving's Jody Lai takes a metallic blue Micra SV for a spin and seems happy with its city-friendly abilities, with a few reservations...

Likes:

- fuel economy
- maneuverability in tight places
- refreshingly simple, logical interior
- "drives beyond its price range"
- great value in the base car
- cheerful personality

Dislikes:

- not quite slow, but 4-speed automatic "holds it back"; recommends the manual
- highway engine noise & twitchy handling
- value diminishes as you go up to higher trims

Overall:

Budget, zippy subcompact hatchback is competent and well-suited for city driving, but pricey options make it more difficult to compete

Watch the review video: http://driving.ca/nissan/micra/revie...5-nissan-micra

[MetroMPG]

I'm not sure why the review ends with the implication that it's only good as a city car. I think it's comfortable enough that I'd happily take one on a long road trip.

Another reviewer did just that and declared it to be A-OK on the open road: Road Trip: 2015 Nissan Micra SR, Calgary to Vancouver (autos.ca)

[AlphaMicra]

I think she's out to lunch on the highway driving being twitchy with loud engine noise. Sure, if you want do drive a buck thirty and over in the hammer lane, it gets noisy, but far from twitchy...and set the cruise to 110km/h in the right hand lane, the engine noise is far from loud. At 90km/h, it's downright quiet in the automatic.

[MetroMPG]

Yup. So many comments in reviews are purely subjective, and they lack context to put the comment in perspective. (She didn't give us any for those remarks.)

I will admit I find the Micra's 1.6 to be "buzzy" ... under the specific condition of high-RPM foot-to-the-floor acceleration. And that's something I've only done twice in 400+ km of driving (out of curiosity -- not because I had to). Outside of that, it's a civilized engine.