Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £7,895 to £13,395
Distinctive cheeky looks, remarkably pleasant interior, good ride, build quality, good visibility, extremely easy to drive, nice simple auto gearboxes, lively diesel engines
A little squidgy to drive, engines could be a smidge quieter, electric power steering very light at town speeds, but not much else to complain about at all
Very good in all respects, with some of the best small diesels around
Nissans are invariably reliable. The Sunderland factory is the most efficient car plant in Europe, the manufacturer scores very well in customer satisfaction surveys and a brief visit to any major city centre reveals hundreds of murky-coloured old Micras, Primeras and, heck, even Bluebirds running back and forth. Long-term, the Micra should be as durable as its predecessors, though early cars have suffered a little with electrical and electronic glitches, and a few minor quality defects. These should be ironed out by now.
