Nissan Micra C+C (05-09) - Review

Thanks to the glass panel in the roof, the Micra feels bright inside, but the driver's seat is set quite high, so taller drivers will find it cramped - not helped by the angled windscreen which hems you in. The seats lack support for longer journeys too while the rear ones are pretty useless aside for extra luggage room. With the roof up, it's fairly quiet at lower speeds, but things can become very noisy at 70mph. Driving with the roof down is a relatively draught free experience up to about 50mph with the side windows in place and it's even possible to have a conversation.

With the roof up, the luggage capacity is enormous, with an impressively large boot of 457 litres - that's more than a Ford Focus. Drop the roof down and there's still a decent amount of storage space, although it is harder to access as the roof creates a narrow slot beneath to get things in and out of. The roof itself is fully automatic so there's no catches or handles to release - simply push a button and it retracts in 22 seconds. Handily it works at slow speeds which is useful if you get caught in a sudden downpour while in traffic. Next to the twin cup holder up front is a space designed to take a mobile phone. A secret compartment under the passenger seat will easily swallow a small handbag, camera, sunglasses or suchlike and locks whenever the central locking is activated. Like the standard Micra, top of the range versions feature the Intelligent Key, which allows the key to remain within your handbag or pocket automatically unlocking the doors whenever you approach. Only the heavy rear boot-lid which might take two hands to lift, draws any criticism.

The C+C is as easy to drive as the Micra hatchback with light steering and easy to user controls, along with good visibility in all directions. The windscreen surround has been strengthened to provide roll-over protection, but without making the pillar so thick that it causes a blind spot. Roof up or down the cabin is very pleasant thanks to the use of differing textured materials while build quality is excellent. The stereo on all models has been specially developed to adjust its acoustic performance depending upon whether the roof is up or down so that it always sounds good.