Nissan Micra K12 2004
Margit Szermer
The three new powertrains have been developed through the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. By using the strength and resources of the Alliance, Nissan can deliver synergies which push the boundaries of what is possible from a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. Each offers the highest levels of performance and refinement to customers, meets the strictest standards of reliability and durability as well as reduced CO2 emissions.
The all-new 1.0-litre IG-T 100 delivers 100 PS through a five-speed manual transmission. Its launch in the Nissan Micra marks the debut of this engine in any Alliance vehicle, and includes world-first technologies for a 1.0-litre petrol unit. Fully compliant with Euro6d-Temp regulations, it replaces the 0.9-litre 90 PS petrol unit in the Micra range. The customer benefits of this upgrade are more power (+10 PS) and more torque (+10 Nm) right across the rpm scale, as well as lower CO2 emissions (-13 to -15 g/km, depending on grade) and improved fuel economy (from 47.1 mpg combined to 50.4 mpg, depending on grade) for reduced cost of ownership.
The new 1.0-litre IG-T 100 PS manual transmission features a number of technical improvements over the 0.9-litre unit. In combination, they create improved refinement of the combustion process and a reduction in overall weight, resulting in better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. The improvements include:
Split cooling: coolant flow is optimised through two passages in the cylinder head to maximise energy dissipation. This improves heat management and combustion, improving fuel economy and lowering CO2 emissions.
Bore spray coating on the cylinders: this is a world-first technology in a 1.0-litre petrol engine. Developed from the Nissan GT-R supercar, bore spray coating has already been integrated into other Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi powertrains, including the 1.3-litre petrol engine recently launched in the Nissan Qashqai crossover. Reducing the friction in the cylinder, the coating improves heat management and combustion, cuts weight and improves fuel economy and CO2 emissions.
Cylinder head with integrated exhaust manifold and plastic cover: this more compact design provides improved engine packaging and reduces the number of ducts for better and faster catalyst warming, resulting in cleaner emissions.
Elastic accessory belt: the belt is made of a special material allowing it to run without a tensioner, reducing weight and friction and further improving fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions.
The Xtronic automatic is an advanced Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) unit. It features D-step technology, which provides a more refined power delivery and on-road experience for the driver when compared to a conventional CVT. This is particularly obvious in response to aggressive use of the accelerator pedal. D-step technology also delivers quicker downshifts and better real-world fuel economy.
Launching an automatic transmission is an important step in further expanding the appeal of the Nissan Micra range. It is a popular choice with urban drivers who spend time in stop / start traffic and its appeal is set to grow.
In 2016, when Nissan launched the current Micra, automatics accounted for 12% of the overall segment sales mix. Industry sources forecast that figure will double in 2020 and reach more than 30% in 2022.
It is not simply a retuned and more powerful version of the IG-T 100 PS unit, but a completely different engine. It has been developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance in conjunction with Daimler, alongside the 1.3-litre petrol engine recently launched in the Nissan Qashqai crossover SUV.
Versions featuring this engine have a lower ride height (-10mm), plus revised suspension tuning to optimise the benefits of that reduction. They also have sharper steering; the steering rack is quicker and lighter to use, so the car is noticeably more agile and fun to drive.
Bore spray coating on the cylinders: as with the 100 PS engine, this is a world-first technology in a 1.0-litre petrol engine. Developed from the Nissan GT-R supercar, bore spray coating has already been integrated into other Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi powertrains, including the 1.3-litre petrol engine recently launched in the Nissan Qashqai crossover. Reducing the friction in the cylinder, the coating improves heat management and combustion, cuts weight and improves fuel economy and CO2 emissions.
Central injector: in common with the 1.3-litre petrol engine recently launched on the Nissan Qashqai, this new Micra engine features an injector mounted centrally in the combustion chamber. Creating a more targeted fuel spray pattern, it prevents fuel from reaching the valves and spark plug resulting a better emissions performance. Fuel is supplied by a high pressure pump operating at 250 bar.
Gasoline particulate filter (GPF): a mandatory feature for all direct injection gasoline engines, the GPF ensures particulates making their way through the exhaust are in line with emissions regulations.
From the moment the covers came off at the Paris Motor Show 2016, the all-new, fifth-generation Nissan Micra was grabbing headlines. Media loved its expressive design, uplifting interior and advanced driving assistance technologies. Within weeks it had been shortlisted into the final seven contenders for European Car of the Year 2017.
They also appreciated the level of equipment in the new Micra, particularly Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies such Intelligent Lane Intervention and Intelligent Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Recognition. Customer satisfaction average of 8.9/10 through independent reviews organisation Reevoo
For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissan-global.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
These are decent enough cars though and there is a good chance it will have lead a very easy life!. Check MOT history to get an idea how well it has been looked after and do the usual visual inspections. It is getting on a bit, so a good idea to get underneath if poss to check for rust (especially if mentioned as an MOT advisory), and take that age into account with your expectations.
But for future reference, CVT's in general are not as bad as reports would have you believe. They do take some getting used to as the rpm and acceleration/speed seem at odds with each other. Nissan CVT's do have something of a reputation. But having done some research, it would appear that with proper maintenance (transmission fluid changed as and when) and driven with a degree of mechanical sympathy they work well enough and are exceptionally smooth. We had a Honda Jazz with a 'stepped' (to make it seem like it has gears) CVT and, IMO, was a truly brilliant transmission.
Lady wanted a deposit to secure the micra as she'd had so many people wanting to view it. So I told her no money would leave my hand until id at least physically seen and test driven the car and decided if I was going to buy it or not . She then sent my other half her bank details and asked for my phone number hahaha. So it was a no from me. Shame really as it was a mint little car, FSH, fab MOT history, 80k ish on the clock too... Just a shame she had to be so shady... But at least I'll know for next time that CVTs aren't all the bad.
Giving a deposit simply secures the car till you have seen it, which is a perfectly normal thing to do. It is basically saying to the seller that you are keen on the car and are not a time waster. Otherwise you could set off to look at a car 30 miles away, arrive and find that the car is no longer available because someone else put down a deposit, or even that someone else turned up and bought it.
Never would I part with any money until deciding on whether to buy or not after physically seeing the vehicle. Yes, could have missed out on a great car BUT how many other people have paid a deposit to secure it? For all I know, it could have been a scam. I've seen it happen to people in the past - they've put a deposit down to secure because it was in "high demand", waited on a message to arrange a viewing but then found out they'd been blocked by the seller and never got their money back. The sellers then grinning like a Cheshire cat because they'd also done the same to others and been sat with several 's from all the deposits they'd taken off other people prior to blocking them too. It's easy to fall foul to this kind of thing especially on certain social media selling sites...far too easy to make fake accounts unfortunately...
c80f0f1006