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Honest John Reviews Nissan

Nissan Micra C+C (2005 – 2011) Review

Nissan Micra C+C (2005 – 2011) At A Glance

3/5

+Folding hardtop is easy to operate. Car rides well on 15" wheels. Roomy boot when roof is up.

-Rear seats too cramped for adults. Boot space shrinks dramatically when Roof is down. Disastrous, very expensive problems prone to develop.

Insurance Groups are between 13–19
On average it achieves 103% of the official MPG figure

This job is full of surprises. At the same time on the same morning as one chap handed me the keys to a wow-factor, fully loaded forty grand Mercedes 280SLK, another pair of drivers rather sheepishly delivered a plain metallic grey Nissan Micra C+C 1.4 Urbis. Sheepishly because the other car they had to deliver to someone else was a shocking pink Micra C+C, which had been causing them some embarrassment on the M25.

I did what anyone else would have done. I completely ignored the Micra and drove the SLK. However you have to do what you have to do and the next day, in blazing sunshine, I took the Micra to my usual place to snap it.

Nissan Micra C+C 2006 Road Test

Reviews for Nissan Micra C+C (2005 – 2011)'s top 3 rivals

Mitsubishi Colt
2/5
Folding hardtop, four seats and decent boot space even with the roof stowed, well equipped, cheap CZC1...
Vauxhall Tigra
3/5
Folding tin-top version of the Corsa with a quite sporty drive and softish ride.
Renault Wind
3/5
Stylish two-seater roadster coupe with a roomy cabin, decent bootspace, efficient and economical engines....

Nissan Micra C+C (2005 – 2011) handling and engines

First surprise was the way it rode the metre-square speed cushions. Whereas the SLK had shuddered and creaked, the little Micra took them better than any other small car I can remember. Absorbed them completely. Even one wheel over the centre, one on the flat, fingers in the door-shut, it didn't seem to twist at all. Its sensible 175/60 R15 tyres had something to do with this. But the fact it didn't shake like a wet dog is great credit to the people who designed and built it.

With only 88bhp feeding through the front wheels, the steering and handling felt perfectly adequate, too. And it looked good. Not out of proportion at all. Just a quirky yet actually quite sensible little car. And at a price less than a third of the flash Mercedes.

Engine MPG 0-62 CO2
1.4 16V 43 mpg 12.8 s 158 g/km
1.6 16V 42 mpg 10.6 s 159–160 g/km

Real MPG average for the Nissan Micra C+C (2005 – 2011)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

103%

Real MPG

34–52 mpg

MPGs submitted

32

Nissan Micra C+C (2005 – 2011) interior

Dimensions
Length 3806 mm
Width 1668 mm
Height 1441 mm
Wheelbase 2432 mm

Full specifications

You get a little bit of buffeting at 70mph with all the windows down and no hairnet thingy raised behind you. You can't sit anyone but a pair of dwarfs or small children behind you, though maybe one adult sideways. (Why didn't they fit a single sideways rear seat like the original Datsun Fairlady roadster?)

The two-piece glass roof goes up and down quickly enough in a reasonably fuss-free manor. You don't have to manually unclip it as you do in the Colt CZC. And with the roof up, like the Colt CZC, the boot is enormous. Actually 457 litres, which is bigger than the Alfa 159 Sportback.

Nissan Micra C+C (2005 – 2011) models and specs

Dimensions
Length 3806 mm
Width 1668 mm
Height 1441 mm
Wheelbase 2432 mm
Miscellaneous
Kerb Weight 1183–1198 kg
Boot Space 255–457 L
Warranty 3 years
Servicing 12500 miles
Costs
List Price £13,500–£15,679
Insurance Groups 13–19
Road Tax Bands G
Official MPG 42.2–42.8 mpg
Euro NCAP Safety Ratings
Adult -
Child -
Pedestrian -
Overall -

On sale until May 2009

Open Car
Version List Price MPG 0-62
1.4 16v Visia 2dr £13,550 42.8 mpg 12.8 s
1.6 16v Acenta 2dr £14,500 42.2 mpg 10.6 s
1.6 16v Acenta 2dr Auto £14,500 - -

On sale until February 2009

Open Car
Version List Price MPG 0-62
1.4 16v Active Luxury 2dr £15,091 42.8 mpg 12.8 s
1.6 16v Active Luxury 2dr £15,679 42.2 mpg 10.6 s
1.6 16v Active Luxury 2dr Auto £15,679 - -

On sale until July 2008

Open Car
Version List Price MPG 0-62
1.6 16v Tekna 2dr £15,500 - -
1.6 16v Tekna 2dr Auto £15,500 - -

On sale until July 2007

Open Car
Version List Price MPG 0-62
1.4 16v Urbis 2dr £13,500 42.8 mpg 12.8 s
1.6 16v Essenza 2dr £15,250 42.2 mpg 10.6 s
1.6 16v Essenza 2dr Auto £15,250 - -
1.6 16v Sport 2dr £14,250 42.2 mpg 10.6 s
1.6 16v Sport 2dr Auto £14,250 - -

Model History

September 2005

Micra C+C launched

Similar roof mechanism to Megane Coupe Cabrio. 1.4 88bhp engine or same 1.6 110bhp engine as 160SR. One touch operated roof. Built entirely in the UK at Sunderland plant where specialist Karmann has established a small production facility. Starting price £13,150.

Base 1.4 Urbis does 0-60mph in 12.5 seconds, 42.8mpg economy, CO2 158g/km. Has CD radio.

£13,995 1.6 Sport does 0-60mph in 10.3 seconds, 42.2mpg economy, CO2 160g/km. Has alloys and manual air con.

£14,995 1.6 Essenza is as Sport + climate control, leather seats, Alcantara door trim, 6CD autochanger, ESP and 'Intelligent Key' entry. 1.6 4-speed autos from June 2006 from £14,895. 175g/km CO2.

October 2007

Revamp for 2008

With changes to the styling, additions to the equipment list and a new grade structure on sale from 1 October.

URBIS changes to VISIA
SPORT moves to ACENTA
ESSENZA to TEKNA
ACTIVE LUXURY continues

New twin front grilles. A new colour known as faded denim. Black interior now available on all grades except ACTIVE LUXURY. Choice of beige trim on the ACENTA and TEKNA incorporating a chocolate flash across the dash panel and door trims. The seats are now sports sculptured for all C+C’s and from ACENTA upwards for the hatchback.

Standard on C+C is an audible speed limit warning. Set your maximum speed setting by using the steering wheel button and a bleep will sound as you reach your desired limit; useful when going through reduced speed areas such as road works, villages or near schools.

Bluetooth hands free telephone system now be standard on all C+C’s, also accessed via the steering wheel control button. An MP3 jack socket is included so you can easily play your personal collection of music through the vehicle’s own stereo system, which incidentally has also been improved with a double DIN audio unit.

Engine line up range remains unchanged with 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 (160SR and C+C only) petrol and a 1.5 dCi diesel being available. However, the 1.2 VISIA now has a power output of 65PS returning 47.9mpg on the combined cycle and a CO2 output of 139g/km. From ACENTA upwards the 1.2 engine remains with the current 80PS version.

C+C starts at £13,550 for the VISIA which is an increase of £50. The rest of the C+C range increases by £150 but these also have rear parking sensors as standard.

What to watch out for

17-07-2011:

Suffers badly from leaks through the seals between the doors and the windows.

28-07-2011:

Spate of ABS module failures through internal corrosion. Dealer replacement cost £1,800.

04-09-2014:

Numerous problems with 37,500 mile 2009 Micra C+C that reflect common problems with the Micra K12: The car was taken back to Nissan due to leaky seals around window/roof, whilst still under warranty due to windscreen kept misting up. (still does, despite the fact they put more glue on seals!) A few weeks ago the ABS light and Handbrake Lights came on the dashboard. Checked oil levels, and brake fluid levels and they were fine. Took the car to an auto electrician who could find nothing on his diagnostic software. Phoned Nissan dealer, had to wait a couple of weeks to get booked in for diagnostic. Paid £85 and was told that there was water ingress and the car needed a new wiring loom, and actuator. Nissan is quoting £2,456.71 for parts: actuator assembly and harness assembly and labour. Nissan Customer Care refused to help.

13-07-2017:

ABS module failed on 2016 Nissan Micra 1.6 C+C Essenza due to water ingress. Nissan dealer advised replacing the ABS and engine wiring harness at a total cost of £2,867.11, which is the value of the car. Car has otherwise been reliable to 73,000 miles. Possible that ECU testing can fix the ABS module.

04-09-2018:

Report of failed sunroof mechanism on 25,000 mile K12 Nissan Micra C+C.