I rented one in Spain two weeks ago. Not bad...as much space as a Mini and two more doors. Made short work of tiny villages in the Pyrenees, but it's no Honda Fit. The 1.2 did grab 140 km/h before I lost nerve. I tried burning two tanks of gas over five days but came up far short. #nissanmicra
The only way I am getting this is if I can trade in my super-testosterone filled first gen Miata for this model! i do own a Miata, but even I am not secure enough to get one. #nissanmicra
I can't wait to see them make this into a three-box sedan/coupe. Come on, Nissan, you know you're thinking about it. This is America, after all. #nissanmicra
@speakerboy: Having driven a smart, I have to say, the transmission is extremely goofy (other than that, from the inside, it isn't that odd a vehicle -- it's like driving just the cab of a small pickup truck). I kept downshifting when I wanted to go from 1st to 2nd, because the motion was backwards. I do not recommend driving in automatic mode, unless you happen to be a mechanical bull enthusiast. #nissanmicra
@Zadkiel: true, that's pretty goofy. The problem with the smart is that it's made from a whole bunch of compromises, really. It's expensive and impractical for pretty much anyone who isn't a city dweller that absolutely cannot live without a car.
In a way that's an anathema to Jalopnik, I rather like it (plus, it scores surprisingly high on the 'How Jalopnik is your Car' metric), because it's so unabashedly weird. If a used one turned up real cheap next time I'm in the market for a car, I'd seriously consider it. I could actually live with it, all things considered. #nissanmicra
There's one of these floating around LA, and I talked to the owner at an event a few years ago. He said he'd seen the car in Japan, and just had to have one, so when they started showing up at the Canadian Kei-car importer, he grabbed one up.
It's very nice in person, and much better looking than its platform mate-the S-Cargo:
This car isn't retro- it defined the idea of retro. It was the car that brought in the whole idea to look into the past (or an image of the past) in order to enhance a car brand. It came out in '88. In '88, ford almost replaced the Mustang with the Probe, the 2nd generation Ram pickup didn't come until '94 -and so on- up until today with the Mustang/Camaro/Challangers that we have now.
Exactly right, well said. The Figaro established and defined what the modern retro auto design movement is today. It uses a wide variety of design themes without apeing a particular theme.
All were produced in those pastel colors; there are no red or metallic black or PM yellow ones unless an owner did a respray.
I'm very secure in my hetero manhood but I'd love to own a Figaro. Everything else has a veneer of fake to it, somehow the Figaro feels authentic, even in its unauthenticity.
10/20/09
I dunno...It looks a little short on the frontal lobes. #nissanmicra
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Hmmm...so it's either the optional brakes or this car....interesting decision to make. #nissanmicra
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Is it me or does the rear end of the Nissan Micra look like the rear end of a London cab? Sorta like a miniature version? #nissanmicra
10/20/09
The only way I am getting this is if I can trade in my super-testosterone filled first gen Miata for this model! i do own a Miata, but even I am not secure enough to get one. #nissanmicra
10/20/09
10/20/09
While I love to own/drive luxury land-yachts, I'm all for a small commuter car.
Make sure it has comfy seats, decent sound-deadening, and a good sound system, and I'm there. #nissanmicra
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Not to mention the smart requires the higher priced Premium fuel as opposed to Regular. #nissanmicra
10/20/09
In a way that's an anathema to Jalopnik, I rather like it (plus, it scores surprisingly high on the 'How Jalopnik is your Car' metric), because it's so unabashedly weird. If a used one turned up real cheap next time I'm in the market for a car, I'd seriously consider it. I could actually live with it, all things considered. #nissanmicra
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epic loop #nissanmicra
05/13/09
It's very nice in person, and much better looking than its platform mate-the S-Cargo:
05/13/09
@Graverobber: The Nissan S-Cargo is immortal for its three-way pun. There's an S-Cargo delivering espresso machines near me:

Note the escargot on the dash. Ha-ha.
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Exactly right, well said. The Figaro established and defined what the modern retro auto design movement is today. It uses a wide variety of design themes without apeing a particular theme.
All were produced in those pastel colors; there are no red or metallic black or PM yellow ones unless an owner did a respray.
I'm very secure in my hetero manhood but I'd love to own a Figaro. Everything else has a veneer of fake to it, somehow the Figaro feels authentic, even in its unauthenticity.
05/13/09