Nissan Micra (1993 - 2002) 1.0 Equation 3d Owner Review

Despite its age - 23 years now - this is an utterly reliable vehicle that is a joy to drive. She's had rust problems in the past and these required some money spending to cure them, but mechanically she is as good as the day she was built, handles perfectly, clings to the road like a leech and tackes rough ground, farm tracks, fields, fords and 1 in 3 gradients as though she was a Land Rover. There are no refinements - the most technological piece of kit is the radio! - so there are fewer things to go wrong, And the all-round visibility is excellent, making parking a doddle. What are the downsides? The bodywork is prone to rust so keep on top of that. Limited leg room in the back and in truth it's a four seater, not a five - the middle seat belt is a lap belt and it would be more than cosy if all three seats were in use. More annoyingly, the rear seat back doesn't fold flat but only to about 45 degrees so it can't be used for carrying larger items. And the headlights are fine around town but could do with being a little bit brighter on country lanes at night. But if you can live without bluetooth (whatever that is!), heated seats, electric windows, a sat nav, power steering, an onboard computer and all the other trappings of modern vehicles, I can recommend an older Micra as a way to get some fun out of motoring. Just keep an eye on the rust, deal with it as it shows and don't put it off until 'tomorrow,' and enjoy.