A forbidden fruit in the United States, the Nissan Micra is a charming little car that’s been around Europe and other markets for almost four decades. The last generation of the vehicle debuted in September 2016 and now the Japanese manufacturer is giving it a minor refresh to make it competitive for a few more model years.
Available across 34 European countries, the updated Micra doesn’t look that much different from its predecessor but a few visual revisions give it a more mature appearance. Nissan notes that the trim level structure has been reorganized and now features five different models.
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The big news here is the addition of the N-Sport grade as a permanent member of the family, joining the already available Visia, Acenta, and Tekna. On top of that, there’s also a new N-Design trim that emphasizes the customization options of the 2021 Micra.
“With the refreshed lineup for 2021, we have refined what we know people love about Micra,” Ekaterina Apushkina, General Manager Marketing City Cars at Nissan Europe, comments. “We’ve made it easier for customers to match themselves to the ideal grade and to then add their own unique flair through customization options on top.”
When the current generation of the small car was first revealed in 2016, it was available with a 1.5-liter Renault-sourced diesel engine. The combustion engine option is gone now and the only available mill for the refreshed hatch is a 1.0-liter turbo gas three-cylinder meeting Europe’s latest Euro 6D emissions standards. There’s no word on the exact specifications of that motor but Nissan promises an “enhanced torque delivery curve” for a “greater driving performance with fewer gear changes.”
Depending on the selected trim level, the refreshed Micra will come equipped with a number of standard or optional safety features. These include hill-start assistant, adaptive cruise control, high beam assist, emergency braking, and others.