Nissan Micra Active or Any Other Car in Same Budget (< 6 Lac)


Thread Starter #1
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
22
Likes
6
Location
PUNJAB
Hi all the petrolheads here..warm greetings..myself Dr Sahil from Punjab,India...I am in the market to buy a hatchback since our family ride Maruti800 has grown bit old...I hope to get some serious bit of advice as per my requirements given as follow:

> My Budget: (6 Lac On Road)

> New or Used: (New Car)

> My Location: (Punjab,India)

> Top Five Priorities in the same order as written: (Safety features and sturdy build quality,Comfortable to ride within city in routine as well as little peppy for occasional highway trips,Spacious with decent luggage space,long term companion,bit frugal)

> Monthly Running: (approx 1,000 kms)

> Type of Fuel: (Petrol is what I think it should be,suggest otherwise if you find it so)

> For What Purpose: (Regular city commutes and occasional once-in-a-month highway trips)

> Seating Capacity: (5 Adults)

> Type of Segment: (Hatchback)

I have test driven Honda Brio,Old i10,Grand i10,Micra Active and Swift petrol...The important contender left till now is Celerio which I am planning to have a look at too in few days...out of these the winner had been Swift of course but it is way out of my budget and I would buy a diesel car if I plan to spend near 7 lac...

I have found Nissan Micra Active XV Safety interesting and super Value for money..all the web discussions point towards poor Nissan's after sale..I have a dealer within 5 kms to my house,then I have another at 45kms..another two at 80 kms in two different directions..
Can someone point at pros and cons of Micra Active and the other cars in this budget (esp a comparo with Maruti Celerio would be good).

PS: I am bit pissed off at the fact that Celerio has the same mill as Wagon R and with all the added features the car is still 50kgs lighter than Waggie in terms of kerb weight reminding me tin-can build quality of Marutis,no wonder the same engine gives higher mileage than in waggie.Though I might be missing something here.
 
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
1,256
Likes
395
Location
cochin
Dr.sahil,

Welcome to TAI.

I had driven my friend's Celerio AMT Vxi. Which is way better than Wagon R in build quality and space.

Nissan Micra active comes in another segment and surely a better car compared to Wagon R and Celerio. In the same segment maruti offers Ritz too. Please check out the same. It is well built car with maruti service back up.

If you have only less than 15K km monthly running it is good to go for petrol car. IF your running comes in this margine or above I will suggest you to go for Diesel.RItz and micra diesels are great city cars which is worth buying but you should increse the budget. Swift is not comfortable for 5 People and luggage.

If you are ok with Tata brand, Bolt is a good option with petrol turbo engine.It has a 45K exchange offer now. Turbo petrol is good to drive and has enough space as far as i heard. Milage is average for petrol Bolt i think.
 
Thread Starter #3
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
22
Likes
6
Location
PUNJAB
Thanks for the warm welcome and for the reply.Another point goes to Micra Active when you said it falls under another segment and is a better car compared to Celerio.

As far as Ritz goes I have few problems with it 1) I can't stand the car looks and design which doesn't fall completely under either a sporty flavor or a tall-boy family hatch..for me its so odd to look at it (I don't have problems with Brio which looks like a sweet small sporty car to me,Micra's rear is bit girly and nothing great but the front especially of the Micra Active with that sporty bumper and smoked headlamps look good to me,but Ritz I can't stand) 2) Ritz interior are a notch down than Swift whose interiors and quality I already don't feel like good for the amount of money it asks.3) With such great engines under its hood you expect a performance like Swift's.

Well I too,sometimes, have my mind swayed to getting a diesel car but for a good diesel hatch with all my requirements I need to extend my budget about 1.5 lakhs more which I think would take around 4-5 years to recover.

A polite NO to TATA at least as of now...further Bolt to me is just a revamped Indica in terms of looks but thats a secondary issue...

PS: Please don't think that I am a sucker for good looks..its just that I can't stand Ritz looks and combined with the flimsy build of Maruti (although I know they are the best long term comapanions and we have owned one for all these years)..but I wish to have a bit sturdy built car since I think the age have changed from when just driving safe was enough for you and family's precious life.When I sat inside the Micra Active and shut the door the very first thing which struck my mind was "Damn,Maruti is just ripping us off"
 
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
1,256
Likes
395
Location
cochin
I can understand your View.

regarding Ritz, I felt it is the better built car by Maruti than even Swift. because this car design is from Opel (GM). It is more spacious and had better boot space than Swift. The design which will slowly grow on you.I too dont like it earlier especially with the skinny tires in L & V varients.

Regarding Bolt, You are correct, it is a reworked Vista and Tata has improved a lot from the old Indica years. Bolt is a nice car with better rear seat. I can't comment on Tata ASS.
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2009
Messages
3,171
Likes
829
Location
Ahmedabad
i20 elite magna variant would come in your budget which is a segment above all these cars with hyundai ASS at par with maruti across india.
Apart from the looks which it grows on you after a while Ritz is a very good car from maruti stable.
 
Thread Starter #6
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
22
Likes
6
Location
PUNJAB
Thanks Vijay,Elite i20 Magna will:
---> Fall well above 6 lac on road in my place.
---> Have no safety features like airbags/abs
---> Feel lethargic with 1.2L petrol mill due to heavy weight than Grand i10 (I have driven Grand petrol)
---> Give a bad FE since hyundai petrols are already known notorious in mileage field plus the added weight of the car will contribute to it (a known has prefacelift i20 petrol,even he experiences the same)
So I don't see myself buying a petrol Elite but diesel one would have been a superb choice.

Ritz is the last car I would go for in my budget..since even my family members don't like it :P

Now the deal: As I have written earlier that I am all praises about Nissan Micra Active,I wish to jot down why I am thinking so:
a) Micra Active scores full marks on safety features and the only car I see (near my budget) with such features like EBD and BA is Swift.
b) As I have written earlier I found the build quality as superb.Interiors weren't cheap as I was expecting from the pictures I saw on web.
c) Sure the engine felt little strained on revving hard but the car felt peppy in the right power band..the suspension was comfortable as I drove the car intentionally into many potholes
d) I found the space inside good..on rear seats it was much better than Brio and Swift,almost equal to Grand.Boot space equals Grand.
e) Finally I read on web that a petrol Micra (not active) delivers around 14-15kmpl in city traffic and more on highways and since the Nissan claims full 1 kmpl extra on Active on account of lesser weight and engine re-tuning I expect Active to deliver the same if not more.
f) In January 1st week I had almost finalized upon Grand i10 Asta (O) 1.2VTVT but I had to cancel at the last moment when the dealer turned greedy and asked me to pay 15k more than our agreement on account of increased excise duty BUT on a 2014 MY car...thereafter the price of the car increased by 45k in lieu with the hike in excise and lapse of year end discounts.Now when I compare Micra Active with Grand i10 I find I'll be saving atleast 1Lakh initially if I go for Micra and then FE would be better in Micra too (petrol prices can go up anytime soon since crude has started to warm up internationally :P) so even if Nissan proves pricier than hyundai in after sales service I would be in profit...and with almost same space and basic features the only thing I'd be losing is gimmicky gadgets of hyundai which are not quite needed.

Now I am planning to get a new car in few days,to cash in Holi and financial year end discounts...so I want to know ownership/experts/experienced views (also views from fellows who have knowns who own Nissan vehicles) that :
1) Are my considerations about Micra Active a) to f) correct or you think otherwise on any of the points???
2)The biggest question - Is Nissan a brand to be trusted (after all the reviews on web) and more importantly is Micra Active reliable as a car in long run??? I don't want to see my car visit the service station a lot or for more days than a car should be...though little pricier service and spares could be acceptable as long as quality is good..
As I have written I have many Nissan dealerships in and around my town..as a comparison a Honda,toyota,chevrolet,VW,Ford dealer is minimum 80kms from me...
And I have many Micras plying on roads in my city since we have so many dealerships around,but all these are diesels (I have been stalking the dci badges ..lol ),so I couldn't get any familiar person owning a petrol Micra to talk to me.
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2014
Messages
354
Likes
76
Location
rajpura
as i am from Punjab there are not to many Micra on the road but better to talk with an micra owner and clear your doubt .these car also have poor resale as well and hard to find accessory.so better to go with any maruti car [:)]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Joined
Oct 23, 2013
Messages
1,143
Likes
865
Location
Bangalore
Micra is a good value for money (VFM) car. It competes directly with Swift. If you have a dealership and service center nearby go for the Micra.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2013
Messages
757
Likes
419
Location
Pune
Tata Bolt would be the best option and best VFM car. The 1.2L revtron has already created "DHOOM" in the market. The success story of Zest is proof of that.

Bolt is the all new car from TATA with some exciting features. Comfort and ride quality is also best among all.

If you are not interested or deviated to some brand/model then below are some more options,

- MS Ritz
- Nissan Mirca [not the Active variant]
- Hyundai i10/Grand i10
- Renault Pulse
- Chevrolet SAIL Hatchback/Beat
- Ford Figo
- Toyota Liva
- Honda Brio

out of which Ritz, Grand i10 would be my suggestion.

Why Ritz?
- share same platform as of swift
- share same engine as of swift
- good ride quality
- better mileage
- better safety [ABS+Airbags]

Why Grand i10?

- loaded with features
- smooth engine
- bigger boot
- great design
- better safety [ABS+Airbags]


My choice : Ritz.
 
Joined
Mar 30, 2011
Messages
905
Likes
1,232
Location
Bengaluru
Welcome Dr.Sahil,

I see that the Micra has made the all important connection with your heart [:)]. I second Jatinder's view on interacting with Micra Owners. Go to the show room and after showing your interest in Micra, ask them to arrange a visit to their A$$. You would be able to talk to owners there. Get the first-hand info. I did that when I bought my Matiz way back in 2000. About the "engine feeling little strained" that you mentioned, I would say it is "music to the ears", after driving Matiz for nearly 12 years. Because it lets you know the speed without having to look at the Speedo [;)].

I owned Matiz totally trouble free for nearly 10 years after Daewoo went bankrupt. Seeing Nissan's financial conditions, there's no need to worry at all about Nissan Motor Co. The stock value has doubled over the past five years in Tokyo SE. Moreover, the majority stock-holder is Renault. Worry NOT.

If owner's feedback is good (it will be), if you and your family like it (I feel you guys do) and if you are ready to explain to your friends and relatives on "Why Micra" / "Why not ABC or XYZ car" etc (believe me, these questions/answers are good to prolong a conversation and irritate that one person you always wanted to), JUST BUY MICRA ACTIVE.
 
Thread Starter #11
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
22
Likes
6
Location
PUNJAB
as i am from Punjab there are not to many Micra on the road but batter to talk with an micra owner and clear your doubt .these car also have poor resale as well and hard to find accessory.so batter to go with any maruti car [:)]
Thanks for your suggestion,in my place there are lots of Micra and Sunny plying on the road,maybe because there are Nissan dealers and service centers in the town and nearby ones too..and regarding resale I am to keep this car for 5-7 years atleast and might even more so I am not much bothered about it,further even Honda Brio has a very low resale as far as I have inquired in the market but I would have loved to own it if only if the rear seat and boot was good enough for the family...

Tata Bolt would be the best option and best VFM car. The 1.2L revtron has already created "DHOOM" in the market. The success story of Zest is proof of that.

Bolt is the all new car from TATA with some exciting features. Comfort and ride quality is also best among all.

If you are not interested or deviated to some brand/model then below are some more options,

- MS Ritz
- Nissan Mirca [not the Active variant]
- Hyundai i10/Grand i10
- Renault Pulse
- Chevrolet SAIL Hatchback/Beat
- Ford Figo
- Toyota Liva
- Honda Brio

out of which Ritz, Grand i10 would be my suggestion.

Why Ritz?
- share same platform as of swift
- share same engine as of swift
- good ride quality
- better mileage
- better safety [ABS+Airbags]

Why Grand i10?

- loaded with features
- smooth engine
- bigger boot
- great design
- better safety [ABS+Airbags]


My choice : Ritz.
Thanks for the suggestions and the comparo...One question : Why Micra and not the Micra Active???
 
Thread Starter #12
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
22
Likes
6
Location
PUNJAB
Generalmax and Vijay968 thanks a lot for the valuable piece of encouragement and advice..I am on to find such owners...

Meanwhile there's an update...I went to see and test drive the Celerio in flesh.And as I was anticipating I could not digest the build quality..worse to it I felt the performance underpowered and felt like driving a suspension-boosted wagonR..
Please don't think I am writing this because I am biased towards Non-marutis,even I feared it so but believe me when I tried to lift the rear bottle holder's cover the whole center plastic stack around the handbrake ,which houses the storage areas and cup-holders too, moved and could easily be shaken with hand..upon my curious face the SA commented "Sir this is just fixed with two nuts and shakes in every Celerio" and then I went off to a test drive in another Demo Celerio and I obviously tried to see the same thing again and it really was the same in this car too and seeing this the SA was like "I told you sir,fixed with only two nuts" and I was like "I have got my nuts screwed tight enough so as not to buy this car for 5.75 precious-saved-by-me lakhs (as quoted later to me by SA) :P "...
Jokes apart,I didn't have such down rated anticipation after listening in an online review to a reputed guy who said the plastics and seat fabrics in Celerio is at par with what we have seen in Grand i10...the seats fabric felt poor in quality to me and so did the door side controls of the power windows and electric orvms...I adjusted the front seat according to me and i could just fit in at the rear and more importantly I have become conscious of the under thigh support of the seats after everyone bashing Micra's rear seats for that and I for the first time,of all the cars of this segment I test drove so far,found the thigh support as zero in Celerio...the only thing which I felt like premium was the steering wheel (wheel as well as the feedback and response as well) and the gear-shift lever (just the lever thing and not actual shifts) which I guess are straightforwardly lifted from Swift...
So Celerio which was not okay to me and family in terms of looks till now is struck off from the list after today's TD...
 
Thread Starter #13
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
22
Likes
6
Location
PUNJAB
Can TAI members convey me the Kerb weight/gross vehicle weight of Micra Active XVS???
The petrol Micra kerb weight is 895 kgs I guess..any info if they reduced the Micra Active's weight considerably down?????
 
Last edited:
Thread Starter #14
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
22
Likes
6
Location
PUNJAB
Just want to drop by and tell that finally I have booked the Micra Active today..was still in dilemma about Grand i10 or Micra Active till yesterday :P but took the decision today and went ahead with it...
TAI and Releesh,Vijay,Joni_rajpura,generalmax,Amitpshelke and vijay_968 thank you all for your invaluable inputs...
 
Joined
Nov 24, 2013
Messages
941
Likes
925
Location
Pune
Congratulations. I am a Micra CVT owner- and an extremely satisfied one at that! It gives me 15.3 kmpl mileage in city conditions.
 

Top Bottom