NISSAN PIXO HATCHBACK 1.0 VISIA 5DR
Nissan's budget-priced offering in the burgeoning city car sector is called the Pixo. Now, it's even more frugal, delivering up to 74.3mpg and 99g/km. Jonathan Crouch reports.
NISSAN PIXO HATCHBACK 1.0 VISIA 5DR
With the public increasingly keeping a closer eye on the environment and a tighter rein on their pennies, a car manufacturer without a compact and economical city car is missing out on a big opportunity. Nissan was once such a brand but no longer. The Pixo is here to showcase the Japanese marque's take on low cost motoring in the 21st century.
NISSAN PIXO HATCHBACK 1.0 VISIA 5DR
Nissan produces the Pixo citycar in partnership with Suzuki, drawing on that marque's considerable small car expertise. It's not the trendiest offering around but it should fill the small urban car role very nicely for most buyers with its roomy cabin and now even more economical 1.0-litre petrol engine.
NISSAN PIXO HATCHBACK 1.0 VISIA 5DR
With the public increasingly keeping a closer eye on the environment and a tighter rein on their pennies, a car manufacturer without a compact and economical city car is missing out on a big opportunity. Hence the importance for Nissan of this improved Pixo model. According to the Japanese brand's marketeers, the idea is to showcase the Japanese marque's take on low cost motoring in the 21st century.
What we actually have here is less a groundbreaking new small car concept (in the mould of Toyota's iQ, the Mitsubishi i or the Smart ForTwo) and more of a re-styled Suzuki Alto. Nissan has teamed up with those small car experts at Suzuki and is piggybacking on the latest Alto platform. The Pixo is built in Delhi, India alongside the Alto but it's designed very much with a view to cracking the European market.
NISSAN PIXO HATCHBACK 1.0 VISIA 5DR
The sole engine option is a simple but effective one designed expressly for city car applications. The all-alloy construction of the 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit makes it light and assists in achieving the Pixo's low 850kg kerb weight. This unit is now higher-tech than previously too, boasting Dual VVT variable valve timing. The maximum power output is 67bhp and peak torque of 90Nm is available from 3,400rpm, it means that despite its low mass, the Pixo will be no ball of fire but owners will gain tangible benefits in terms of running costs. The Pixo's intended operating environment is underlined by the presence of an optional four-speed automatic transmission that will add to its ease of use around town. The standard gearbox is a five-speed manual.
The MacPherson strut front suspension is tuned to give the rigidity and fast response required in a nimble small car and at the rear, a clever 3-link rigid axel suspension is used. The suspension's compact design is a further benefit in a small car like the Pixo when it comes to maximising interior space.
NISSAN PIXO HATCHBACK 1.0 VISIA 5DR
The Pixo is a compact proposition but not in the same league as the likes of the Toyota iQ and Smart Fortwo. It measures 3,565mm long and 1,630mm wide so there's no need for major sacrifices in terms of passenger or luggage carrying capacity. The Pixo will seat four adults in reasonable comfort and still offers a 129-litre luggage bay that can increase to 367-litres with the seats folded down. At the front end, the styling is more distinctive than that of the Pixo's Suzuki Alto sister vehicle. There's the familiar Nissan family grille as seen on the Note, a curved bumper and a large central vent, but venture further back and the five-door body is more reminiscent of the Alto.
Inside, the controls are chunky and simple to operate in the best Nissan traditions and the stereo is well designed with nicer finishes than you'll encounter elsewhere. A wide, deep pocket on the passenger side takes the place of a glovebox, providing useful storage, and there's a neat illuminated shelf in the centre console where you can stick your mobile phone or wallet in the spotlight. The wafer thin door pockets will be of little use except for paperwork or items that you've recently run over.
NISSAN PIXO HATCHBACK 1.0 VISIA 5DR
Nissan has rationalised the Pixo's initial three-strong range down to two variants - the budget 'Visia' priced from just over £7,000 and the slightly plusher 'n-tec', also offered for a four-speed fully automatic transmission. The base variant isn't the most luxurious conveyance around, a fact that's evidenced by the inclusion of 'front cup holders' and a 'rear wash/wipe' on the spec list, but buyers do get a CD stereo, power steering, ABS and a couple of airbags.
A split is developing in the city car market between the trendier offerings like the Fiat 500, Ford Ka and Toyota iQ at one end and the more utilitarian and affordable ones at the other. The Nissan Pixo falls into the later camp alongside the likes of Citroen's C1, Hyundai's i10 and Kia's Picanto, not to mention the Suzuki Alto. The standards we've come to expect from such models are higher than ever but the Alto is equipped to compete, particularly at the Visia's affordable price point.
NISSAN PIXO HATCHBACK 1.0 VISIA 5DR
Running costs will be a major attraction for Pixo customers with the improved 1.0-litre engine now returning up to 74.3mpg. The urban cycle is designed to replicate city use and at just over 50mpg will be more indicative of the sort of economy that owners can expect. CO2 emissions are similarly low with an average of 99g/km grouping the Pixo in with the very cleanest cars on the road.
NISSAN PIXO HATCHBACK 1.0 VISIA 5DR
The Pixo has done a decent job in the Nissan range of filling the citycar-sized gap beneath the company's Micra and Note models. It's a comparatively straightforward small car package that lacks the design innovation and fashion sense we've seen from other offerings in the sector but it makes up for that with decent practicality, low pricing and miniscule running costs.