Spec comparo: Nissan Micra XV CVT vs Maruti Suzuki Ignis AMT

Nissan introduced the 2017 Micra in India a few days back. The model year update packs in additional features with no cosmetic updates. The hatchback is available across two petrol automatic and two diesel manual variants. Nissan has discontinued the manual petrol variants of the Micra making it an automatic only offering. The XV trim gets a CVT automatic transmission as standard and retails at Rs 6.95 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). However, the Ignis petrol variant offers an AMT at Rs 6.3 lakh in the Zeta 1.2 guise. Here is a spec comparison on how both the petrol automatic hatchbacks fare against each other.

Engine and Transmission:

The Micra XV is powered by a 1.2-litre three cylinder petrol engine producing 75bhp at 6000rpm and 104Nm at 4400rpm. The power is sent to front wheels via an X-tronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) which gives a seamless shifting instead of a jerky gearshift as in the case of an AMT. The AMT in the Ignis is mated to a 1.2-litre VVT four-cylinder unit pushing out 82bhp at 6000rpm and 113Nm of max torque at 4200rpm. The Ignis is the more powerful vehicle of the two and with a kerb weight of 860kg, it is a lot lighter than the Micra which weights 930kg. The Ignis also claims a better fuel efficiency of 20.89kmpl as compared to 19.34 of the Micra.

Exterior and Styling

The Ignis being the new kid on the block carries a funky styling with millennials in mind. The tall boy stance, flared wheel arches and big headlamp units are complemented by tight posterior and Japanese style inspiration. The Ignis measures 3,700mm in length, 1,660mm in width, 1,595mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,435mm and a ground clearance 180mm. The Ignis is available in nine paint schemes – six base colours and three of them with contrasting roofs and three interior colour options. 

Even after the 2017 update, the Micra has retained its quirky and rounded looks. Noticeable elements include the V-shaped grille, big wheels and of course, those LED tail lamps. The Micra is the bigger of the two, measuring 3,825mm in length, 1,665mm wide, and a height of 1,530mm. The wheelbase is also longer at 2,450mm while the ground clearance is just 154mm. It can be had in eight body colour options including the distinctive ‘Sunshine Orange’.

Interior and Features

Being a premium Nexa product, the Ignis is feature loaded. The cabin follows the same funky styling as the exterior with a smartly laid out dashboard, colourful inserts around the cabin. The Ignis Zeta variant comes loaded with start-stop push button system, keyless entry, four speakers, steering mounted controls, parking sensors for the rear, defogger with a wiper and 15-inch alloys. The dual front airbags and ABS come as a standard fitment.

The Micra too has a funky cabin with body colour inserts around the centre console and on door trims. The overall layout of the dashboard hasn’t changed for quite some time now and feels a bit dated. The Micra’s cabin gets an automatic air conditioning, a two-Din audio system with Aux-in and USB, Bluetooth connectivity, steering mounted controls, electric ORVM, and now rain sensing wipers as well. Dual front airbags and ABS with EBD is also available.

Pricing and Conclusion

The Ignis Zeta costs Rs 65,000 less than the top-of-the-line Micra XV. Interestingly, Maruti Suzuki doesn’t offer the AMT option for the top-spec petrol Alpha trim of the Ignis. Both the Japanese hatchbacks are almost evenly matched in terms of features and power figures. However, the Ignis being the newer and funkier option of the two, scores brownie points for being a premium Nexa product. The current Micra is long in the tooth now and in need of a generation update. We hope to see the all-new Micra, which went on sale in the international market to make its way to our shore soon. Until then there are better alternatives to the current Micra in the Indian market.