Nissan working on all-new India-specific Micra
Overdrive has learnt that Nissan is working on an all-new India-specific Micra. The new-gen Micra has launched in Europe a few months ago but the Indian market will be getting a heavily revised iteration of that car. While the exterior design is expected to be quite similar, the Indian version will have chassis level differences over its European counterpart. This will be in the form of a more compact footprint and less sophisticated mechanicals and electronics to keep costs down. The 1.2 petrol and the 1.5 diesel engines are expected to be carried over from the current car - possibly with improvements in refinement. The interior should also be updated with segment-standard features like a touchscreen infotainment system, auto climate control, LED DRLs and so on. The Micra will also have to match its rivals in safety features to be competitive in this segment. In a similar development, Nissan has delayed the launch of the Kicks crossover, initially expected sometime in 2018, to take further advantage of the company's efforts on localisation.
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This strategy is similar to what the Renault-Nissan combine has followed before in India. The Indian market Captur, while being aesthetically very similar to the European Clio-based car, is, in fact, a revised version of the Brazilian-market, Duster-based car. It carries a smaller footprint and is available at a lower price point than its European counterpart. The upcoming Kicks too is closely related to the Indian market Captur, with only cosmetic changes setting it apart. The new Micra, when launched, will compete with the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai i20 and the Honda Jazz. The Kicks, on the other hand, will go up against the Tata Hexa, Renault Captur, Jeep Compass and Hyundai Creta in India.