Budget buster

Nov 16 2009 Alistair Coull & Val Jessop

IT'S been described as a no-frills city car but Nissan's urban micro car is much better than you expect.

Even at entry level, the pint-sized Pixo doesn't skimp too much on equipment associated with more upmarket urban cruisers with prices to match.

Few car makers can equal the standard spec for the on-the-road price tag.

The Visia base model, for instance, starts at £6,995, which includes ABS, a MP3 compatible CD player and Isofix child-seat mounting points - but only two airbags and no ESP.

Move up a trim, to the Acenta, and you'll get additional side bags, remote control locking, electric front windows, fog lamps and 50-50 folding seats for £7,745.

Move up again and the flagship Tekna on test adds features such as curtain airbags, electronic stability programme and air con with the price nudging up to £8,645. Metallic paint, wind deflectors, mud flaps and storage cover bumps that up to £9,168.

But it's still not a high price to pay when you take into account the amazing average fuel consumption of 64mpg and low C02 emissions of 103g/km and the tax benefit it provides.

The Pixo is a Suzuki Alto in disguise, with a few Nissan signature features and badges - courtesy of the collaboration between Nissan and the Suzuki Motor Corporation.

Such collaboration is commonplace now and makes a lot of sense in limiting overheads and costly development of new models. However, perhaps Suzuki won't be too enamoured that the Nissan model undercuts its own Alto in the UK market by around £700-£800.

The Pixo isn't the most exciting city slicker around. In fact, the Nissan model could easily morph into a line-up of rivals with their tiny, bubble, Noddy-like demeanour and you'd be hard-pressed to tell them apart.

It is difficult for car makers, given the restrictive dimensions and budget, to come up with something different with little cars but I think more could have been done to jazz up the Pixo. But then I suspect the cost would have risen.

The Pixo is powered by a 996cc engine which trundles around town spritely enough, but there's a reluctance to crank up the speed on the open road. Floor the accelerator and work the gears and you'll be rewarded, albeit with some hefty protest from the three-pot engine.

Get the 67bhp Pixo back to the urban jungle and it becomes quite civilised again. The tiny Nissan handles reasonably well, though the ride can be on the choppy side at times.

Steering is light and easy, ideal for town, and the micro runabout is fun to whizz around in.

- Val Jessop

BUDGET motoring at its most affordable - that's the Nissan Pixo summed up in six simple words. Small car sales are rocketing - helped by the Government's scrappage scheme - and the urban friendly Pixo is perfectly placed to succeed.

Slotting into Nissan's supermini range below the Micra and Note, it answers the needs of people looking for a low-tech, cheap car with ultra-low emissions, superb fuel economy and a credit crunch-busting price.

Backed by the quality and reliability synonymous with the Nissan brand, the compact yet spacious Pixo leaves rivals like the Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto and Toyota Aygo standing.

The Pixo, mechanically identical to the Suzuki Alto and built alongside it at a plant in India, is tiny. If you want an easy-to-park city car, this baby Nissan is just 3.56 metres long, that's 15cm shorter than a Micra. But despite its diminutive dimensions, it still has five doors and four seats.

The cabin has a utilitarian dashboard with some sharp edges, but overall cheap doesn't mean nasty in this instance. The seats aren't armchairs but at least this little runabout isn't going to dent your bank balance too severely.

The Pixo range is simple to understand: three models - Visia, Acenta and, as in the test car, a flagship Tekna - all powered by the same engine.

Start it up and the one-litre, three-cylinder engine bursts enthusiastically into life. Small cars that display healthy bouts of energy are confidence-inspiring despite the tiny powerplant.

In fairly narrow urban streets, the Pixo is ideal for zipping in and out of cramped spaces. It has even got rubber protection on the bumpers to guard against accidental 'contact parking'.

Nissan do offer an optional four-speed automatic gearbox but that reduces fuel consumption which is one of the car's main attractions. Stick to the five-speed manual and you'll be rewarded with economy of over 64mpg.

Out on the open road the Pixo doesn't feel quite at home although the controls remain easy and intuitive to use. The Pixo is lively enough, certainly no slower than any of its city car rivals. Top speed is 96mph although things tend to get quite noisy once you get anywhere near 80mph. Acceleration to 62mph takes 14 seconds but nobody buys a car like this to perform sprints.

The Pixo is remarkably agile and always felt safe. Body roll in corners is kept in check by a well set-up chassis although you can easily find the limits of the tyres' grip if you are a little too enthusiastic.

The driving position could do with reach adjustment to make it more comfortable and the seats could be more supportive. Even so, you could spend long trips in the Pixo if you had to.

- Alistair Coull

FAST FACTS

Nissan Pixo Tekna

Price: £9,168

Mechanical: 66bhp, 996cc, 3cyl petrol engine driving front whels via 5-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 96mph

0-62mph: 14 seconds

Combined mpg: 64.2

Insurance group: 1

C02 emissions: 103g/km

BIK rating: 15%

Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles