New Nissan Micra EV Is A Restyled Renault 5 With An Adorable Face

Nissan is struggling right now, especially in the U.S., but the Japanese brand is working on a new product offensive that it hopes will turn things around. In Europe, Nissan will be introducing four new electric models by 2027, and while the next-generation Leaf was teased a couple months ago, the first of Nissan’s new EVs to get actually revealed is the sixth-gen Micra hatchback. While previous Micras were all Nissan creations, this new one is a Renault 5 with different styling, the latest result of the Renault-Nissan alliance. The Micra’s French bones are obvious, especially inside where not much has changed, but that doesn’t mean the Micra isn’t adorable.

In addition to being the first electric Micra, it’s electric-only at that — there’s no option for an internal combustion engine, hybrid or otherwise. Nissan says the new Micra “will stay true to its distinct character as a stylish and unpretentious car,” describing it as agile, assertive and audacious. (Nissan’s press release uses the word audacious six times, and it’s even the name of one of the interior color schemes.) The next fully electric Nissans to be revealed in Europe will be next-gen versions of the Leaf and Juke, plus an unnamed A-segment model that should be even smaller than the Micra.

The Micra was developed at Nissan’s London-based European design studio, and though the glass, roofline and overall shape make the Renault base clear, every body panel is unique to the Nissan. Its expressive front end has slim rectangular headlights surrounded by circular LED running lights, and the lights have a welcome animation that makes them appear to “wink” when the car is unlocked. Combined with the sculpted hood and complex front bumper, the lights give the Micra a froggy face. Coming off of the headlights is what Nissan calls the “ice cream scoop” detail:

From the corner of the headlight, where its lens rounds from the front to the side surface, the waistline of the All-New MICRA is defined by what its designers call the “ice cream scoop”. It’s an indent which has been impressed into the surface from the front to the rear of the back passenger door. It is around 1cm in width and is reminiscent of the shape a scoop would make if dragged across the surface of untouched ice cream.

There’s some chunkier cladding on the lower doors, the fenders have rounded flares versus the Renault’s squared-off look, and the C-pillar has slightly different trim. At the rear, the Micra has segmented circular taillights, a simple tailgate and a mostly black bumper. Nissan says the Micra will be offered in 14 different colors and a contrasting roof in grey or black, and there are three 18-inch wheel designs.

Nissan barely changed the Renault 5’s interior for the Micra, but that’s alright as it’s already a very nice design. There’s a pair of 10.1-inch screens in a blocky shroud at the top of the shelf-like dash, with the center touchscreen and its associated air vents and physical controls angled towards the driver. Where the Renault has a 5 logo in the center console, the Micra has a Mt. Fuji design, but that’s really the only change you can see.

The Micra in these reveal images has seats covered in a blue material with white accents and sections made from an orange fabric, and the blue is found on the dash and door cards as well. Nissan says there will be three different interior schemes, each with their own trim and materials — hopefully it’ll have a denim option like the Renault. There’s no word on whether the Micra will get the 5’s optional baguette holder, but at least it’s got the same checkered headliner. The Micra will be available with all sorts of tech and safety features, including Nissan’s ProPilot Assist system.

As with the Renault 5, the new Micra will be offered in two different powertrain configurations, both of which have a single electric motor at the front axle. Lower-end Micras will have 121 horsepower and a 40-kWh battery pack giving it 193 miles of range (on the European cycle), and the optional 148-hp motor paired with a 52-kWh battery brings the range up to 254 miles. Either way the Micra will be quite light for an EV, weighing in at 3,086 pounds at the lower end or 3,360 pounds for fancier models. The 40-kWh battery can only be fast-charged at 80 kW, but the 52-kWh battery can accept up to 100 kW of DC fast-charging power, going from 15% to 80% in 30 minutes. A heat pump and vehicle-to-load tech are both standard. One-pedal regenerative braking is selectable by paddles on the steering wheel, and there are multiple drive modes including a personalizable one.

I’m not exactly holding my breath for it, but wouldn’t it be awesome if Nissan did a Nismo version based on the Alpine A290? Or, even better, maybe a Micra-R based on the absurd dual-motor rear-wheel-drive 5 Turbo 3E? I mean, Nissan experimented with mid-engined Micras in the past, and the Micra has gone racing before… Nissan, if you need product planning help, call me.