Good Motoring
Packed with gizmos and gadgets
H. Kishie Singh

Slowly but surely, Nissan is making its presence felt in the Indian auto market. The previous offering from Nissan did not actually set the sales charts on fire. But things are about to change. Nissan has brought the Micra to India. The car has been on the international market for years, and is a tested and tried product. Also, keep in mind that Nissan is Japan’s second largest auto manufacturer, and Nissan has the awesome reputation of making the best engine in the world. A Nissan engine scores above BMW, Toyota, Audi, Honda, everyone.

So here comes the Micra; she is pretty. She is cute looking. Why she? To be pretty and cute, it has to be she. She is small on the outside, and big on the inside. She is full of gizmos and gadgets that were previously the preserve of expensive cars.

The Micra XV is a package full of surprises. The top of the line XV is a mere Rs 5.34 lakh. Here is what it offers. The car has an intelligent key. That is more than you can say for some people. It must be on you, in your pocket, wear it around your neck because you will never get to actually use it physically.

At 80 cm from the car, it activates the door locks. Get inside, strap yourself in, and push the start-stop button. Please note, no key. The orvms open. The car is now “alert”. Press the clutch, and again press the start-stop button. The engine fires up. Put it into gear and go.

And it goes. Considering that the power plant is a 3- cylinder 1200cc with twin cam shafts, its pumps out 75 bhp. It is a good city car because of its size, has a turning radius of 4.65 metres, which makes it easy to park. City fuel average is about 16 kmpl, and on the highway it should give around 19 kmpl.

One reason for this fuel efficiency is the low weight of the car. The Nissan engineers have kept joints to a minimum. This reduces welding costs, weight and, consequently, increases fuel efficiency. Another reason for fuel efficiency is the shape and aero dynamics of the car. The bonnet is flat, rather than the slope down found on most hatches, as in the Swift. This improves visibility and driver confidence. It does help the first-time driver.

To further enhance visibility, the window sills are low and the pillars are narrow. The interior is spacious. Sitting in the back seat with the front seat pushed back, your knees do not touch the front seat back rest. Again, Nissan engineers have done a great job in creating interior space. It is a hatchback but the interior space belies that concept. Plenty of head room for a tall turbaned sardar.

All variants of the Micra have airbags for the driver. The top end model XV has one airbag for the front passenger. In addition the XV has climate controlled air-con, ABS brakes, with brakes assist and brake-force distribution. All these fitments are to be found on more expensive cars. With the Nissan Micra XV, you can have them for Rs 5.34 lakh (approx).

There are four variants of the Micra. The XE (base model) is about Rs 4 lakh. The XE Plus is Rs 4.29 lakh (approx). It has a music system with four speakers, fabric for the seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and wheel caps. The XL is Rs 4.74 lakh (approx). It offers a drive computer, tachometer, power windows, front and rear, tilt steering, central locking. The XV, already as mentioned, has everything. It is an outstandingly well-engineered car, the price being most attractive. Nissan has only one dealership serving the tri-city. It is Bhagat Nissan in Mohali.

Happy motoring.