Nissan Micra News

Car dealers across Australia are reporting a surge in interest in vehicles below $20,000 as "Tony's Tradies" and small businesses try to get in before the June 30 end of financial year.June is already historically the biggest month of the year for new-car sales -- and the single biggest month for deliveries of commercial utes and vans as businesses update their models before tax time -- but this year is expected to break all records.Sole traders will be eligible for a refund of up to $8500 on a $20,000 work vehicleFollowing changes announced in this week's Federal Budget, small businesses and sole traders will be able to claim a deduction on "tools of trade" valued up to $20,000 in this financial year, rather than have the refunds spread out over eight years.The changes mean sole traders will be eligible for a refund of up to $8500 on a $20,000 work vehicle (after accounting for GST) while small businesses could pocket up to $5400 -- providing quarterly tax instalments or pay-as-you-go taxes are up to date.Sole traders in the maximum tax bracket of 47 cents in the dollar stand to make the most gains, while companies with a turnover not exceeding $2 million may be eligible for an instant tax refund of 30 cents in the dollar.Many brands are well placed to move new metalPrivate buyers, however, will not benefit from the new scheme. And tax experts have warned private buyers to not be tempted to establish a business name, because the company must demonstrate to the tax office that it is viable and has an expectation to earn income.New vehicles purchased for more than $20,000 do not apply to the new scheme and will continue to be deductible over eight years.Many brands are well placed to move new metal. The Toyota HiLux, Australia's top-selling ute, and the Mitsubishi Triton ute, are available from $20,990 drive-away in their most basic form, with a drop-side aluminum tray, a popular choice with tradies.Once the 10 per cent GST is removed from the drive-away price, they fall under the $20,000 threshold and buyers will be able to claim a deduction of between $5400 and $8500 on those models, depending on their circumstances.In effect, it brings the price of a basic ute to between $12,490 and $15,590 drive-away once the tax refund has been taken into account, which is the equivalent price of some of Australia's cheapest cars.Take advantage of the offer with cars such as the Hyundai i20, Suzuki Celerio, Nissan Micra, and the Kia CeratoSimilar savings apply to the Volkswagen Caddy and Renault Kangoo vans.Small businesses needing a city runabout to deliver parts or other goods are also expected to take advantage of the offer with cars such as the Hyundai i20, Suzuki Celerio, Nissan Micra, and the Kia Cerato, with savings range from $3897 to $8500, based on figures calculated by News Corp Australia.Indeed, the $12,990 drive-away cost of a Hyundai i20 manual -- Australia's cheapest car from a mainstream brand -- can be almost halved to just $6885 for eligible sole traders, once the tax refund is taken into account."We applaud the government's small business initiative," said Patrick Tessier, the chief executive officer of the Australia Automotive Dealer Association, representing 4000 franchises."We believe small business needs a stimulus and we think this will have an immediate benefit.""Our dealers are already reporting a spike in interest in showroom traffic and phone calls; there is a lot of inquiry about what these changes mean and what savings might be available."Mr Tessier said the tax rebates will vary depending on the individual circumstances of each small business or sole trader.We will see more cars limbo closer to that $20,000 mark in JuneThe AADA also predicts the car companies will react quickly and introduce models in June to take advantage of the new arrangements."The car industry will respond to this, but some brands will be able to do more than others," said Mr Tessier. "I think we will see more cars limbo closer to that $20,000 mark in June."Brands such as Holden, Ford, Mazda and Isuzu that don't currently have a special drive-away offer on a ute close to the new $20,000 threshold are understood to be scrambling to introduce changes to take advantage of the new tax agreements.“If people are rushing to buying a new car they need to consider the non-commercial loss provisions which apply to their business,” said Amar Deep, a chartered tax adviser.“If you’re business is making a loss, you can’t use that loss to offset your employment income and get a refund from the tax office.”Eligible businesses must turnover more than $20,000 per year and less than $2 million, the real estate assets of the business must be worth more than $500,000, other assets must be more than $100,000, and the business must have made a profit in three of the last five years.Drive your dollar further: popular work vehicles and the tax refund sole traders and small businesses may be entitled to following changes in the recent Federal Budget.Toyota HiLux ute: $20,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500Mitsubishi Triton ute: $20,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500VW Caddy van: $22,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500  Renault Kangoo van: $19,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500Kia Cerato hatch or sedan: $19,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500Toyota Yaris automatic: $17,990 drive-awayNissan Micra automatic: $17,602 drive-away, $5280 to $8272Honda Jazz manual: $16,990 drive-away, $5097 to $7985Suzuki Celerio automatic: $13,990 drive-away, $4197 to $6575Hyundai i20 manual: $12,990 drive-away, $3897 to $6105Tax refund figures are a guide only. Consult a tax professional for an accurate estimate on any new vehicle you may consider purchasing.

The Nissan V-Motion frontal style began in the SUV range a few years back. In its latest iteration it has been softened from its tough-SUV shape, but retains plenty of look-at-me cred that seems likely to lift Micra sales.Everything forward of the Micra’s windscreen is new – bonnet, guards, lights and bumper. The rear bumper and lights have also received a restyle, though the budget didn’t run to a different shape for the tailgate.Inside, the door and seat trims have been revised in style and use different fabrics. There’s also a new design of the instruments and centre cluster.To attract buyers in this hard fought market segment Nissan Australia has specified all Micras now have cruise control and power windows. As are USB input, Auxiliary port and Bluetooth phone system with audio streaming.The topline Micra Ti has 15-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, foglights, LED taillights and automatic headlights. Inside there’s a 5.8-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation and premium cloth interior trim. There’s the added safety of a reversing camera.Relatively high fuel consumption could be a problemThe MY15 Nissan Micra has the same 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine as before. It produces 56 kW of power and 104 Nm of torque. Official fuel consumption is 5.9 litres per hundred kilometres for the manual transmission grades and 6.5 if the four-speed automatic transmission is installed.That relatively high fuel consumption could be a problem area for Nissan Australia because many competitors’ automatic transmissions use less fuel than manuals these days. Nissan is presumably working on the design of a replacement for the somewhat ancient four-speed auto.Micras sold in Australia are made in India to keep the price down. Build quality on the ones we saw at the media launch looked good.During a drive program organised by Nissan Australia out of Melbourne to introduce the revised Micra to the media, we found the little Micra to be easy to drive and travel in. It has good outward visibility, comfortable seats and noise levels are about average for this class. Meaning it can get a bit raucous if you drive it hard.It’s also inclined to get bumped about by backroads that have seen better days. As Micra’s a city car this shouldn't cause hassles for many owners. If you do like to go for weekend country drives it might we worth including those surfaces on our private road test before buying.The back seat is designed for children but adults can travel there in reasonable comfort if they do a deal with those sitting in front of them.Boot space suffers in all small cars but the Nissan’s works well enough and can carry normal shopping loads and the like.The Nissan Micra looks cheeky and seems sure to attract young driversEngine performance is good, though not what you would call sparkling. There is a sports mode in the automatic transmission that keep it in the lower gears a lot of the time. Which can be tiring for passengers with the noise created by the big revs - but that’s a situation to be sorted out by discussions with the driver!There’s something about the character of three-cylinder engines that really pleases we revheads. Probably the slightly uneven beat and the willingness to rev. Whatever, it adds a bit of personality to the baby Nissan.In its latest format the Nissan Micra looks cheeky and seems sure to attract young drivers, though oldies keen on reliving the days of their youth may well travel to the showrooms as well.

Nissan is looking to shake its dowdy small car image with a bolder look with elements of its funky small SUVs.

Japanese brands are bringing down prices before the end of March - and the Koreans are in step with them.

The small-car segment has plenty of options - the players are frugal yet safe and well-appointed. Here are the best buys under $16K.

The new family of engines will give 15 Toyota and Daihatsu models an efficiency gain of up to 30%, including Toyota's new Yaris due in 2015.The Yaris will be battling for top spot in light car sales with the upcoming Mazda 2 and Ford Fiesta, which will have similar efficiency gains from its skyactiv and EcoBoost technology respectively. The new engines could also help the rumoured upcoming Toyota Rush become the one of the most efficient SUVs in Australia.The 1.3-litre and 1.0-litre power plants have been co-developed with Toyota's small car brand, Daihatsu. Both units take advantage of an Atkinson cycle, which increases the compression ratio and reduces waste heat to operate more efficiently. However, the Atkinson cycle produces less power than ordinary engines, which has limited its use mainly to Hybrid cars until now.But Toyota has packed both engines with technology to help retain maximum power while optimising economy. A range of new developments will help the engines breathe better, achieving optimal efficiency. For example, the 1.3-litre will have a cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, a redesigned intake port and electronically controlled variable valve timing (VVT-iE).Both engines are designed to be compatible with stop-start technology, which cuts out the engine in traffic to save fuel. This system is currently limited in small cars to premium offerings, such as the Mini Cooper or the Volvo C30. However, Toyota and Daihatsu could be utilising this feature in the most basic entry level cars.Both engines will commence production in coming weeks, but we may only get the larger 1.3-litre engine in Australia initially. However the efficiency gains in the 1.0-litre engine could increase the incentive for Toyota to offer a cheap entry level car sourced from Daihatsu, to rival the Suzuki Alto, Nissan Micra and Mitsubishi Mirage. 

Don't expect new-car prices to suddenly drop by 5 per cent now that a Free Trade Agreement has been signed with Japan -- where 35 per cent of all new cars sold in Australia come from -- but you might get some extra equipment.In fact, if the value of the Australian dollar takes a dive and/or the Japanese government decides to stop under-valuing the Japanese Yen (to boost exports), the prices of Japanese cars could actually go up.The exchange rate between the Australian dollar and the Japanese Yen has moved by 60 per cent over the past 10 years (far greater than the 5 per cent difference we're supposed to be getting excited about), and at the moment all the odds are in our favour. Aside from the fact that no-one pays full price for new cars these days, the RRPs of popular Japanese cars are already at 20-year lows.The Toyota Corolla and Nissan Pulsar start at $19,990, the same price they were two decades ago despite being bigger, safer, more efficient and loaded with extra equipment. Furthermore, it's important to note that the 5 per cent tariff cut comes from the price of the car out of the factory gate.So, using a $19,990 car as an example, and taking an educated guess at the wholesale price of the car when it is unloaded off a ship, the 5 per cent cut will come off the "landed" price, say, $15,000. And 5 per cent of $15,000 is just $750.Then add 10 per cent GST, the wholesale margin, the dealer margin and transport costs and you end up somewhere near $20,000 as the retail price of the car, before on-road costs are added. So where's your $750 discount, we hear you ask? Well, we already have a convenient example of where it will likely go: extra equipment at no extra charge.The Toyota Corolla hatch is currently made in Japan and costs $19,990. The Toyota Corolla sedan is currently made in Thailand (with which Australia already has a Free Trade Agreement, so it does not get hit with a 5 per cent tariff) and it is dearer than the hatch: $20,700.That's because the sedan has a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors as standard and the hatch does not. Toyota chose to fit worthwhile safety features rather than trim the price.Now that a Free Trade deal has been signed with Japan, don't be surprised to see Toyota make the same changes to the Japanese-made hatch, adding extra equipment rather than cut the price. Providing, of course, the currency doesn't tank.Then there is the issue that some Japanese cars aren't actually made in Japan. Did you know the Suzuki Alto, at $11,990 one of the cheapest cars on sale in Australia, has a Japanese badge but is made in India?The same goes for the $12,990 Nissan Micra (which used to be made in Thailand and Indonesia and now comes via India). So don't expect a 5 per cent discount on those cars.And most of the Japanese branded-utes (the third-biggest vehicle category in Australia) such as the Toyota HiLux and Nissan Navara, come from Thailand so already benefit from a Free Trade Agreement.There may be more wriggle room on the prices of dearer cars sourced from Japan, but car makers are careful to not destroy the resale value. They go to great lengths to keep prices constant, often riding the currency wave themselves so people don't lose as much money on their cars and hopefully come back to buy another one, sooner. If prices were to tumble as the Government would like us to believe, then guess what? Your car is suddenly worth less at trade-in time.For example, how would you feel if you paid $40,000 for a Japanese car and then, two months later, your neighbour paid $38,000 for an identical model? You've just ripped up an extra $2000 on the resale value of your car, and your neighbour is $2000 in front because $38,000 will become the price the car is judged against. There is no doubt the Free Trade Agreement is ultimately a good deal, but this is a case of be careful what you wish for.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

As the Australian car sales race heads into the final quarter lap for 2013, most eyes are on what will be the top car. But further back in the field, there’s been a big improvement for several European models, which are posting sales lifts of up to 1000 per cent as a result of aggressive price cuts.Leading the charge is Fiat’s 500 which was slashed more than $10,000 in June, and now starts at just $14,000. This resulted in 310 buyers last month, compared to just 86 before the price drop. The little Italian car has increased in sales at the rate of 850 per cent every month since June, in a market that shrank by almost 15 per cent.Fiat as a whole is benefiting too, with the 1765 sales so far this year being more than a 500 per cent increase over the 328 at this stage in 2012. While the Fiat 500 is attracting customers, established competitors like the Holden Barina, Nissan Micra, Suzuki Alto and Swift and Toyota Yaris have meanwhile seen a decline in sales year-to-date.This means that for the first time, the 500 is outselling more than half its competitors. Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo’s small models, which also received price cuts recently, have returned positive results – albeit on fairly low numbers. MiTo has doubled in sales in the premium light car segment from 23 to 45, while its larger sibling, Giulietta – in a field that includes the Toyota Corolla, Holden Cruze and Mazda 3, found 324 new homes compared to just 88 before the new pricing strategy.The local HQ says the surge in sales is due to sharper pricing and specifications and more dealership support. “The success is a result of a combination of factors: an expanded and engaged dealer network, streamlined vehicle spec levels and sharper pricing – as well as strong and smart marketing support,” Fiat and Alfa Romeo spokesperson Karla Leach says.With the international launch of the new Alfa Romeo 4C sport car this week – estimated to cost somewhere around $75,000 when it arrives here -- the Italian brand is buckling up for the challenge of luring customers with a few more dollars to spend. Leach says Fiat and Alfa Romeo have serious intentions to keep strengthening their position here. “We have strong ambition for the continued growth of these brands in Australia,” she says. But it’s not just Italians aggressively tackling the entry level market.Renault last month introduced the cheapest Clio ever, firmly cementing the French brand into the budget light car segment with an entry-level price of under $17,000. Keen to be seen as a viable alternative, Renault has hit hard at competitors, offering five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and fixed price servicing. Renault Australia managing director Justin Hocevar said at the Clio unveiling last month that the brand has high expectations of the car.“We have a fantastic value proposition in terms of a beautifully designed vehicle with high levels of personalisation, at an extremely competitive price.” he said. Traditional options like Mazda, Hyundai and Toyota still dominate the light and small car segments, but European rivals are fighting hard to gain credibility as mainstream brands.The big winners are the buyers, who may now afford to consider Italian design, French flair or German precision for the same price as more established mainstream manufacturers. The exception to the success story is Opel, which failed to accrue enough buyers in its very short stint in Australia. Despite competitive prices, the German brand disappeared in August, posting less than 1,000 sales this year between the Astra and Corsa small cars combined. 

Nissan’s 2014 refresh for the European-market Micra has surfaced online, ahead of a likely local debut next year – although Nissan Australia would not confirm dates as yet. The latest details follow the Bangkok Motor Show preview of the Thai-spec Micra update earlier this year. The European model features similar front and rear fascia updates to the Thai model, with the exception of subtly reshaped headlights that link the Micra with the design of the Pulsar and upcoming Altima models. The redesigned LED tail-light internals appear to match the Thai model, along with the revised interior which scores a new centre stack and updated trim and materials in a bid to move the little Micra away from the ‘bargain box’ stigma. The current model starts at $13,490 and tops out at $18,990 for the Micra Ti. Europe also gains an updated optional satnav system, and USB connectivity joins the feature list for the first time. Australian-spec Micras are currently sourced from India, and which version will be adopted by India -- and therefore Australia -- is yet to be confirmed. Asked when either version of the Micra will appear locally, Nissan Australia spokesman Peter Fadeyev told Carsguide a firm “not yet.” Such a revision to the local Micra lineup is likely to be at least 12 months away though, considering the revised specs and shift to Indian supply occurred in January this year. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn

Nissan has dropped the 1.5-litre engine from its, replacing it with the smaller three cylinder engine across the range. At the same time, it is switching production of the car from Indonesia to India where it is presumably cheaper to build. The punchline is that prices remain the same, but Nissan argues the Micra is a better deal because is it better equipped. The ST is priced from $12,990, ST-L from $14,990 and Ti from $16,990. An auto adds $2000 to the price. The 1.2-litre three cylinder engine previously powered only the entry level ST. The three pot produces 56kW of power and 100Nm of torque, compared with the outgoing 1.5's 75kW/136Nm. But buyers can take comfort in the fact that getting more for their money. The ST now gets head-lamp levellers and auto-off functions, along with new seats and rear arm rests. The mid-price Micra ST-L now gets 15 inch alloys, fog lights, rear spoiler, passenger seat bag holder and driver armrest. The top of the range Ti sees the addition of a rear spoiler not much of a trade? "The Nissan Micra is one of the most affordable cars on the Australian market and were pleased to offer an even more appealing proposition to customers," Nissan Australia boss William F Peffer Jr.