By FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL, MOTORING REPORTER
The Nissan Micra is back and this time the supermini with an illustrious 40-year history has gone electric.
Nissan has provided new pricing details of the compact electric car it hopes will help transform its dwindling fortunes - and it's good news for drivers who don't want to splash too much cash.
The Japanese manufacturer has now revealed the cheap price tag of its new Micra EV, which brings back a nameplate familiar to many Britons.
The new Micra will be priced below £23,000, to compete against the likes of the new Renault 5, as manufacturers introduce w widner range of cheaper EVs to entice people into going electric.
Since it first launched in 1983, the Micra has been a much-loved car among British drivers.
It has won fans across the generations over four decades, as an easy-to-drive car for learners, an affordable hatchback for families, and a runaround for older motorists.
And Nissan will be hoping the electric reincarnation will become the same for a new generation of eco-conscious motorists, young and old.
Nissan Micra is back... but not as you know it: The sixth generation is all-electric and will cost just under £23,000
The 100% Electric Micra is one of three new Nissan EVs scheduled for release before the end of next year.
In May, Nissan announced disastrous financial results - posting a £3.8billion loss - and a £1.3billion-saving recovery strategy to balance its books.
This came just a week before it presented the first-look at the Micra. At the time the Sunderland based brand wouldn't divulge the price of its supermini EV.
When the sixth generation Micra ceased production in the middle of 2023 it cost around £17,300. Despite inflation and the higher cost of EVs, Nissan isn't charging a huge amount more for the entry-level version if its shiny new EV.
There are two battery options - 40kWh and 52kWh - and three 'grades': Engage, Advanced and Evolve.
The Micra range starts from £22,995 for the 40kWh Engage model and goes up to £29,865 for the 52kWh Evolve model.
The full price table can be seen below but it's important to note that the All-New Micra is expected to qualify for a £1,500 Government Electric Car Grant, and the prices listed don't yet include that discount.
The timing for when the Government will confirm the grant for Nissan is not yet known but Micra orders don't open until 1 September 2025, so hopefully buyers will see it approved before then.
The Mk1 Micra arrived in 1983 to kick off live for Nissan's little hatchback in Britain
The UK's love affair with Micra blossomed with the second-generation car, which emerged in 1992 and was only the second Nissan to be assembled at the Sunderland plant
Built at the Sunderland factory, the third-generation Nissan Micra hit showrooms in 2002
In a blow to Sunderland in 2010, Nissan shifted production of the fourth-generation Micra (pictured) to India
The previous-generation Micra was produced in partnership with Renault using the same platform as the Clio. It was on sale in Britain from 2016 but was deleted from the range in 2023
This sixth generation of the Micra follows in the footsteps of its predecessor in that it is produced on a shared platform with Renault
The Micra has been around since 1982, and while it didn’t set the world on fire it was known for being reliable and versatile.
The first-generation car - arriving in the UK in 1983 - was considered marvellously contemporary and with multiple engines including a 1.2-litre option and manual and automatic gearboxes.
The Mk2 Micra – k11 - arrived in 1992, with new engines, and exciting new options like power steering, ABS, and electric windows.
A facelift arrived in 1997 including a refreshed interior, and this was one of the best-selling Micras in the UK.
The third generation, K12, came in 2002 and brought the bubble look that many younger drivers will think of when they hear the name.
It's the version that inspires today’s new EV Micra, with round headlights, and bulbous proportions. It had the most body styles of any Micra including the 2005 C+C (Coupe + Convertible) that referenced the Figaro.
Before Micra production wrapped up, the fourth gen K13 launched in 2010, and the fifth iteration arrived in 2016. It was more angular, and sleeker with sharper lines and a premium interior.
Over six million Micras have sold globally.
Along with the pricing, Nissan has announced that further testing has highlighted that the Micra's range figures are better than initially anticipated. Not range news you hear every day.
The official range now reaches 260 miles for the 52kWh battery and 198 miles for the 40kWh battery, i.e. a respective gain of +7 and +6 miles of range compared to the initial announcement. While not a big difference every mile counts.
With Nissan's long-running partnership with the French Renault Group, it's no great surprise to learn that Micra will be produced on a shared platform to keep costs down.
The good news is that it will be based on what is the standout electric car in 2025.
Nissan confirmed it is indeed very similar to the new Renault 5 E-Tech that's captured the minds of both seasoned car testers and the general public, who have lapped up its funky design and brilliant driving characteristics. Sawruk said that it uses the R5 as a 'base car' but 'isn't replicating' its French sibling.
While the new electric Micra has plenty of nods to models that preceded it, the car maker describes it as a 'reborn Micra' and 'not a retro design'.
However, Nissan design manager Bert Dehaes says the new Micra has 'timeless qualities' and 'iconic signatures' from Micras of old, particularly the K12 (on sale between 2002 and 2010) that 'translate to a new generation'.
This includes inspiration for the 'bug eye' front headlights and 'gelato scoop' cut out that links the front and rear doors.
But arguably the biggest change is that the Micra is much bigger than before in the hope of attracting more family buyers.
Micra project manager Elodie Sawruk doubled down on the Micra as now being a 'solid, robust SUV looking car' with 'an iconic heritage inspired design' just with 'modern surprises'.
Can you spot the difference? The Nissan Micra (right) and Renault 5 (left) are sister models underpinned by the same platform
Externally, the Micra is 11cm longer than the R5. It is also chunkier, with a wider stance and side cladding that gives it an SUV look
While it might look similar to the R5 from the side profile, Nissan guarantees that every body panel is bespoke for the Micra.
Nissan designers have included the K12-inspired 'bug eye' front headlights. There's also a 'gelato scoop' line than runs along the profile of the doors, and unique oval rear light clusters
A quick glance inside and there is a distinct sensation of cut and paste; it has the same fabrics used in the Renault, a like-for-like 10-inch dual screen setup (on higher trims, seven and 10-inch on lower trims) and shares the same electronic software.
However, there are a few Mount Fiji graphics dotted around the cabin to remind customers that they're driving a Nissan.
Externally, the Micra is some 11cm longer than its French counterpart. It is also chunkier, with a wider stance and side cladding that gives it an SUV look. All the body panels are bespoke for the Micra too.
But the biggest similarity to the R5 is the drivetrain...
The new Micra will come with the option of a 40kWh or 52kWh battery. These are claimed to provide 192 and 253 miles of range on a single charge respectively