Nissan Micra

Adrian Wilson, General Manager,

Renault Gloucester

"The Micra looks the business, even when compared with other offerings in this very fashion-conscious section of the car market. Running costs are reasonable and it comes with a high standard of safety equipment. There's lots of safety technology fitted as standard to all models, including driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags, tyre pressure monitoring, hill start assist and high-beam assist. On top of this, lane-keeping assistance (which helps steer you back in your lane should you be distracted and drift out of it), as well as autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection (which will automatically bring the Micra to a stop if it detects a likely collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian), are all part and parcel of the Micra's make-up. Whether you do a lot of miles or not, your driving position is crucial, and this is something the Micra does particularly well. The seats are supportive, and there's plenty of steering wheel adjustment, so most people will find it easy to achieve a comfortable driving position. The Nissan Connect infotainment system that's standard on most models has plenty of customisable options and is relatively intuitive. It combines a touchscreen that you can pinch and swipe like a smartphone with separate buttons and dials that make it simple to jump between different screens. As well as being user-friendly, the interior looks good, with an appealing mixture of textures and finishes."