Mumbai, July 3, 2013: Nissan Motor India has launched a facelifted version of its Micra hatchback. The refreshed Micra also gets a new CVT automatic gearbox paired with the 1.2-litre petrol engine in this latest avatar. The 1.5-litre diesel engine continues as well.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Micra is now available as a low-cost variant and has been renamed the Micra Active. Prices for the new Micra start at Rs 4.79 lakh and the Micra Active from Rs 3.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
Styling-wise, the Japanese carmaker has given the car a more aggressive appearance by pulling back the headlamps and making the front grille bigger. The bonnet and front fenders have also been changed to accommodate the new headlamps. At the rear, there are LED tail-lamps, a new rear bumper and a plastic add-on for the tailgate lip. The car also gets new alloy wheels.
On the inside, the seats have been reshaped to provide better support. The centre console is glossy black and there are plenty of silver highlights on the dash and doorpads. New features have also been provided – keyless entry and go, climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, USB and aux-in ports and a reversing camera.
Nissan Motor India claims the automatic gearbox is very fuel efficient and betters even a five-speed manual gearbox’s economy. The sound insulation has also been improved and the suspension tweaked.
Launching the new Micra, Kenichiro Yomura, president and CEO, Nissan Motor India, said: “The Micra is a significant model for Nissan in India as the car has more than 43,000 customers since its launch in 2010. The new Micra will offer customers ideal urban mobility with a complete package of premium design, performance, features, safety and comfort.”
Announcing the sales and marketing strategy for the new Micra range, Nitish Tipnis, director – sales & marketing, Hover Automotive India, said: “Our strategy in launching the New Micra and Micra Active is to cut across the entire hatchback segment and broadbase our offering to a wider target audience. We are planning to increase our dealer networks at a rapid pace and have also partnered with major banking institutions to provide easy financing and loans disbursement schemes through our dealerships for our retail customers.”
The Micra is available in three trim levels – XL, XV and XV premium. The CVT is only available on the XV trim while the manual petrol and diesel will be available in all three variants. The XV premium trim will also come with additional safety equipment like four airbags.
Nissan Motor India sold a total of 2,954 units in June 2013, down 29 percent on the 4,167 units sold a year ago in June 2012. Interestingly, the Micra, at 1,989 units sold, comprised the bulk of June 2013 sales. The Sunny contributed 918 units, the Evalia MPV 36, the Teana eight and the X-Trail SUV three.
Photograph (L-R) Nitish Tipnis, director (sales & marketing), Hover Automobiles; Ajay Raghuvanshi, vice-president (Business Management), Nissan Motor India; Kenichiro Yomura, president, Nissan Motor India; and Moez Mangalji, chairman, Hover Automobiles, at the launch of the new Micra in Mumbai.