Driven: 2019 Nissan Micra N-Sport Review
The Nissan Micra N-Sport enters the warm hatch market with a high powered 1.0-litre engine. Find out our thoughts on the car below:
What is the 2019 Nissan Micra N-Sport all about?
You will have heard by now about the success of the latest generation Nissan Micra. No one saw a redesign of the Micra coming that would look this good, based on the brand’s previous designs. Now the Micra has a new and exciting trim level that befits the brand’s ethos. This is the N-Sport.
The Nissan N-Sport along with their latest DIG-T 117 PS petrol engine creates a new sporty Micra. The car features a six-speed manual gearbox, lower ride height, revised suspension and sharper steering.
Taking a look at the design of the model, you will notice some nice carbon style touches on the alloy wheels and door mirror caps. Around the bottom edge of the car, there is a gloss black finish on the side mouldings and parts of the front and rear bumpers. It now has front fog lamps and rear privacy glass. It is safe to say that the Nissan Micra looks very sporty indeed now.
The Nissan Micra N-Sport trim also has a few surprise additions to the interior, such as Alcantara touches on the dashboard and seats, black headliner, rear view parking camera and iKey (remote entry and push-button start).
The N-Sport trim is available with three new powertrains – the 1.0-litre IG-T 100 PS manual and Xtronic automatic, plus the DIG-T 117 PS manual. Here we are testing the most powerful 1.0-litre DIG-T engine. It creates 117 PS and 180 Nm of torque (200Nm with overboost).
The engine features a 6-speed manual gearbox that powers the front wheels. This allows the new Nissan Micra N-Sport to sprint from 0-62 mph in 9.9 seconds, with a top speed of 121 mph.
Being a small car with a mini turbocharged petrol engine, it returns solid economy figures. With the 17″ alloy wheels, it achieves a 47.9 mpg combined (WLTP) figure, while emitting 133 g/km of CO2.
This engine includes technological advancements to increase power, reduce emissions and lower weight. If you are interested in finding out more, here are some of the optimisations: Delta cylinder head, bore spray coating on the cylinders, central injector, turbocharger with electronically controlled wastegate, electric turbo actuators, intake and exhaust variable valve timing and gasoline particulate filter.
How does it drive?
Instantly the N-Sport with the 177 PS 1.0-litre engine feels more alive than any other Micra I have driven in the past.
Compared to the previous 0.9-litre engine and lower power 1.0-litre new equivalents, the 117 PS was the most exciting to drive. This engine feels nicely matched to the car and is very responsive in most everyday road conditions. Not to mention in every way, the engine seems to be quieter than the previous generation 0.9-litre.
When you do have open road in front of you, when hitting the throttle you can feel the power kick in as the car achieves peak torque from just 1,750rpm. The turbo boost increase is noticeable and slightly addictive.
The 6-speed gearbox drives as you would expect. It’s easy to operate, with light actions and the gear ratio is well spaced. On the right stretch of road, I can see it being fun to move through the gears.
When it comes to the corners, the Nissan Micra N-Sport feels very agile, which is aided by the car’s 10mm lower ride height and revised suspension set-up. During my testing, the Micra turned well and felt lightweight when cornering. I agree with Nissan that this model feels sharper and more fun.
What’s it like inside?
The interior of the Nissan Mica N-Sport is an absolute winner in my eyes. Getting into the car, straightaway your attention will go to the Alcantara that stretches the width of the car and partially covers the seats. This suede-like material looks and feels great.
Other interior improvements include sports-design floor mats, a black headliner, white air vents, a front seat armrest, rearview camera with parking sensors and remote entry with push-button start (iKey).
In N-Sport trim, the materials chosen for the interior are high quality, with soft-touch materials used where it matters. It looks and feels great for the price.
The vehicle also includes the new NissanConnect infotainment system that features Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. The new system has lots of new upgrades and features included.
All the improvements aside, the Nissan Micra N-Sport is still a very practical car and the space front and back is better than you would expect. There is plenty of small item storage and the boot capacity is decent at 300-litres.
The experience
The N-Sport trim with the 117 PS 1.0-litre engine feels like the missing piece in the jigsaw for this model. It looks great when parked up, has a smart interior and most importantly it feels great when you get to drive the car. It is sharp, fun and characterful.
Verdict
The Nissan Micra N-Sport is the perfect example of a warm hatch from Nissan. But it is coming up against some serious contenders, such as the Ford Fiesta ST Line, VW Polo R-Line, Peugeot 208 GT Line and SEAT Ibiza FR.
To me the Nissan Micra N-Sport was fun to drive with sporty looks that stand out, but are not over the top. It’s stylish, well-equipped and offers an efficient ride at a reasonable price.
2019 Nissan Micra N-Sport Specs
- Price: £17,935
- Engine: 1.0-litre DIG-Tturbocharged inline 3
- Power: 117 PS
- Torque: 180 Nm (200 with Overboost)
- Transmission: 6-speed manual
- 0-62mph: 9.9 Seconds
- Top speed: 121 mph
- Economy combined: 47.9 mpg
- CO2: 133 g/km