Spy shots of the next-generation Nissan Micra undergoing road testing have rolled in from southern Europe.
Despite the camoflage, it’s the clear the next sub-subcompact Micra will be a departure from the bulbous current model, no doubt influenced by the Nissan Sway concept car unveiled at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show.
The spied Micra sports a lower, sculpted body, relocates the rear door handles to the upper window frame, and has a grille that won’t leave passers-by saying “d’aww…”
The next-generation Micra is expected to be revealed at the Paris Auto Show in October.
European versions of the Micra will be manufactured at the Renault plant in Flins , France, and will be powered by a range of three- and four cylinder engines.
Nissan is using the joint Renault/Nissan CMF B platform to underpin the new model, architecture that will be found in the next Nissan Juke.
The Nissan Micra is sold overseas and in Canada, but there’s no word yet on whether the upgraded microcar will get the green light in the U.S.
[Images: Sway concept, Nissan]
That looks pretty sharp, maybe like it was inspired by the Infiniti QX30. It will lose some quite a bit of the visibility that its predecessor has, but the creases make it look more expensive. Nissan probably *could* sell that here as a Spark competitor.
Competing for all 2,000 sales a year? :P
Good point.
They sell Micras outside of the US. In fact isnt this the ‘Quebec Special’?
It looks fine to me. I despise the ‘bubble’ look of the current one.
Even with a low risk strategy of a carryover n/a PFI 1.5 CVT I think this would be a fine city car.
The high rising beltline and tiny windows is a bummer though.
At first glance, it looks like the rear windows got the Camaro treatment. Nope, just spotty grey rash paint on the glass.
An additional observation – maybe it’s just me, but new cars are getting way overstyled, and this Micra is a good example. Whatever happened to function over form? Now they are all squinty, pinched, tapered, flattened, and side-squiggled within an inch of their lives. Then 50-series tires are added, with huge wheels, and too-small windows.
With the design in conjunction with the camouflage, this reminds me of a speckled louse.
More cheap subcompacts for a generation that’s gonna be so ridiculously deep in dept that the words “30 year fixed” will hold no meaning for them.
Desperately waiting for their parents to expire so they can “own a home”.
I agree with you. I see a lot of young adults moving back to live with their parents. Parents so called the “sandwich” generation.
Soft parents enabling the behavior is part of the issue.
Now available in ‘Seafoam Sickness Metallic’
Please desist. Ever since the GM/Fender green, “Sea Foam” has been a worship word to me.
The general public sees the way the door sill rises in the back and thinks, “sporty”.
Yeah, Nissans are racecars, just like the commercials. Duh!
M Le Crapaud Micra est sexier en camouflage, mais oui, than zee Speciale Corolla non-deguise.
It honestly looks like the front row crumpled in an accident.
These pics been on the net a while.. Canadian needs more on board tech & CVT for better efficiency and lower hwy rpms.
I think some continents gonna have to wait longer.
YUUUGE mistake. Micra is a huge seller in Europe bc it combines the retro adorableness and tidy size of a Fiat 500 or Mini, the practicality of a 4-door, the low price of a former-Soviet brand, and the reliability of a Japanese brand. The key part of that magic combination is the retro adorableness, otherwise there are loads of other cheap sturdy subcompacts to choose. Dumb, dumb, dumb.