The Nissan Micra has returned as a Renault-based, French-built electric hatch for Europe with retro styling cues.
Electric Cars
The 2026 Nissan Micra electric hatch has debuted in Europe as a near-identical twin to the Renault 5 E-Tech – but it has not been announced for sale in Australia.
With a revised design over the model it is based on, the new Micra will be built at a Renault factory in France from later this year alongside the Renault 5, Renault 4, Megane and Scenic 'E-Tech' electric cars – rather than a Nissan plant.
It will be sold in Nissan showrooms in Europe alongside the next-generation Leaf – which is turning into a small SUV – an electric version of the Juke, and an electric micro-car derived from the Renault Twingo.
Of those Nissan electric cars, only the new Leaf is confirmed for Australia – still sourced from the United Kingdom – joining the Japanese-built Ariya mid-size SUV due in local showrooms in the second half of the year after several delays.
"Micra is a brilliant product and we’re thrilled to see it return to the Nissan line-up. At this time, Micra is available for European markets only," a Nissan Australia spokesperson said.
Compared to the Renault 5, the Micra has a restyled front with a circular daytime running light design inspired by the headlights of the K12 model introduced globally in 2002, and sold in Australia from 2007 to 2010.
Petrol-engined versions of the Micra were discontinued in Europe in 2023, while it was last offered in Australia in 2016 – though the K13 model from 2010 lives on with a facelifted design as the Nissan March in Mexico.
Nissan's designers refer to the slim headlights of the new Micra – splitting its two semi-circle DRLs – as an 'ice cream scoop' as it is "reminiscent of the shape a scoop would make if dragged across the surface of an untouched ice cream".
The electric Micra also has a different rear design to the car it is based on, with circular tail-lights – but key hardpoints, including its doors, side windows and windscreen, are identical to the Renault 5 E-Tech, which debuted in 2024.
Like the Micra, the regular Renault 5 E-Tech has not been confirmed for sale in Australia – though the brand will offer a limited number of its 373kW Renault 5 Turbo 3E hot hatch.
Renault Australia has indicated it is "really excited" about the standard version of the electric hatch, but it would need to be developed for Australian Design Rules (ADRs), which the Nissan Micra would also need to meet.
Inside, the Micra is again similar to the Renault with dual 10.1-inch displays for its instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen, though it adds a moulded outline of Mount Fuji in Japan on its centre console.
Entry-level versions will offer a 90kW/225Nm front electric motor and a 40kWh battery pack for a 310-kilometre driving range rating on the European WLTP lab-test standard.
Top-of-the-range grades upgrade to a larger 52kWh battery and a more-powerful 110kW/245Nm electric motor for a 408km driving range rating.
Nissan claims the Micra will offer "best-in-class" ride and handling against its electric rivals, which include the Fiat 500e, Hyundai Inster, Mini Cooper E, BYD Dolphin Surf, Citroen e-C3, and Opel Corsa Electric.
Customer deliveries of the 2026 Nissan Micra will commence in Europe later this year.
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Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
