NISSAN MICRA C+C

When is a Micra not a Micra? Ok, that's not exactly Hamlet, but this version of the Micra certainly poses some Shakesperian questions. Based on its hatchback cousin it is still a small and therefore highly maneuverable car, a dream when out and about hunting down tight parking spaces. From the front you might not realise that there is much difference, as its got the same shortish bonnet, the oval front headlight clusters and even the little glass bubble on the headlights which is the only thing of the front visible from the driving seat. Then you take a walk around and apart from the sixteen inch alloy wheels find that it is in fact a coupe rather than a hatchback. Actually that isn't true because this is one of that growing band of coupes that have a retractable roof. This means it's a coupe and a convertible - hence the C+C tag.

It's certainly very stylish and there is a lot of glass here, due to a nice glass top and unlike many convertibles the rear windscreen isn't letterbox size. The boot area is large because it has to accomodate all that metal and glass, and there is a nice amount of space there. A net covers the loading area and this also marks as the point up to which you can load if you are considering lowering the top during your journey (approx 255 litres). Of course you can load higher (457 litres), but without the net in place it will simply beep at you when you press the button located behind the handbrake and do nothing. With the net in place it took under half a minute to fold back, and that includes all the side windows going back to their original position. To be honest I wasn't able to drive it as a convertible, due to the English weather, but I was able to test it going up and down and it was simplicity itself.

With all that space for the roof it means that the boot area is large and with a small car the area to be trimmed is the rear of the cabin. There are two seats there, but there is little leg room behind the front seats. I did manage to get a small adult in there and they were quite happy, but this is more likely aimed at 'DINKY'S' or as a scond fun car.

As a six footer I did feel my hair brush against the top of the cabin when I first got in, but this went away as you settle into your seat.

The cabin layout is very similar to the hatchback. There are nice stubby stalks either side of the streering wheel and a well designed layout. There are audio controls on the wheel and that's a nice six speaker system with a six CD auto changinge dash mounted stereo. With suede on the door trim and a leather gear stick it certainly has a lot of the feeling of a sporty convertible. It also has an intelligent key so you don't have to insert it to fire up the engine, just have it in your pocket!

Out on the road it has a lot going for it, probably because of the lightness allied to a 1598cc engine that can reach 119mph. The acceleration figures are only ten seconds for 0-60mph so it isn't quite up to the sporty beasts it is simulating, but there is enough there for some fun. The engine delivers economy figures of 32.5, 50.4 and 42.2mpg for the urban, extra urban and combined cycles and is in the 160 band for CO2 emmissions.

There are three trim versions and I drove the Essenza which has an on the road price of £15,520. Considering the versatility here that's pretty good, and there are nice standard items such as heated leather seats and climate control air conditioning, as well as follow me home lighting. Most will consider it because of the roof and with the environmental experts going on about global warming, who knows the UK might be even more amenable to open top driving, just not when I am around!