The Pixo is 100% a town and city car. It is great for negotiating through the small gaps in city traffic and parking in the smallest of gaps, but it is rather challenged by long distance motorway driving. It is a little noisy, not all that comfortable, and there is not very much spare space for the luggage one you have four occupants, but that is not the point; the point is this car is cheap with the base price for a new model of just under £7,000.

So what do you get for your money? The engine is a 1 litre petrol unit with 68 bhp (as in the Alto) and you can get from 0 to 62 mph in just a little less than quarter of a minute but if you are sufficiently patient it won’t be too long before you reach the maximum speed of 96 mph. This is not too bad for an engine with just three cylinders and if you opt for the manual gearbox rather that the automatic, then you can enjoy an average fuel economy of 64 mpg.

The steering is light and ideal for nipping into the traffic and into that tiny car parking space. The shape of the car, which is completely blunt at the back, makes parking it very easy. The car is reasonably comfortable particularly for the driver and front seat passenger, though there is a decided lack of space in the rear.

If you are looking for a cheap town and city car, then this might be your ideal choice. CO2 emissions are 103g/km which means that road tax is only £20 per year. The car insurance for younger drivers on this car is epically cheap.

Nissan Pixo

The Micra has become known for high standards of safety and reliability, manufacturing quality and user-friendliness. An example of this was the Reliability Supertest undertaken by What Car? Magazine in 2007, in which Nissan came 6th out of the 26 car manufacturers featured, while the Micra K11 edition was ranked Nissan’s most reliable car. These qualities point to a major determining factor in the brand’s long-term popularity – the fact that it became one of the most popular cars among female drivers and has built upon and maintained that profile. This is due to the above-mentioned qualities, as female drivers are more likely to be concerned about practical applications such as a car’s reliability, safety and ease of use, than issues such as high-speed performance, acceleration speeds and size.

The look of the Micra has seen it classed by many as a woman’s car and, in order to try to expand the market for the brand, Nissan recently launched a new model Micra with what was considered a harder, more ‘masculine’ look. This ambition was confirmed by Nissan themselves who stated that the new model of the car was intended to appeal to a wider consumer group.

Within 12 seconds you will be travelling at 62 mph and you can keep on going right up to its top speed of 89 mph. As a town car it is perfect, though of course it is hardly a motorway cruiser.

Handling is surprisingly good, and this is probably due to the car’s very low centre of gravity which is mainly as a result of its heavy battery; again, perfect for zipping around in town. It is quite comfortable even on our potholed city streets and of course it is very, very quiet. There is sufficient room for five occupants too.

Of course there is a big downside. The car’s maximum range is only 100 miles and if you drive too quickly you can reduce that considerably. It takes eight hours to fully charge the car but you can partly charge it in 30 minutes, but what do you do if you run out of juice – just knock on a stranger’s door and ask if they wouldn’t mind if you plugged your car into their electrical socket? The fear of running out of power is known as range anxiety, and it can be painful.

Eventually when the infrastructure is more advanced this problem will be overcome and the 100% electric Nissan Leaf could well be the ideal way of getting around town.

The interior is roomy enough for four passengers to sit comfortably due its generous super-mini/crossover interior. For what is basically a small car it offers a slightly higher capacity than your average super mini. The ride quality over bumpier road surfaces is assured with the large tyres and sturdy frame. Cornering is better than expected with the tall chassis engineered so that it doesn’t lurch too much when turning at speed.

The Nissan Juke is looking to cash in on the success of the Qashqai and re-conquer the smaller car market. Prices start at just under £13,000 which offers comparable value to say a Mini which would be a market rival. To get full value you should look for insurance on the net where companies like Endsleigh can help you get the best deals by searching quotes from the UK’s leading providers.
Nissans success looks to be going from strength to strength with their quirky new SUV styled designs and the Juke looks to be just as popular as the Qashqai.

Naturally the big difference is that when you get home you just plug it in and charge up its batteries for very little cost. You will also know that you are doing your best for the environment as the CO2 emissions are zero.

It has to be said that buying a Nissan Leaf is a brave decision. It is by no means a cheap car; it has a limited top speed and a limited range. However if you are able to cope with these limitations, then the car has a great deal to offer.

Driving the Leaf is as simple as it gets. You simply press the start button and put the car in drive (D) mode and press the accelerator. The electric motor delivers up to only 108 bhp, but it has exceptionally high torque which more than compensates for the low bhp. Torque levels can be as high as 280Nm which is more than you would get from a good many V6 petrol engine cars, though the top speed is limited to 89 mph and the 0 to 62 mph time is 11.9 seconds.

Handling is very good (not very different from a standard petrol engine car) and the stability of the car is enhanced by the low sling battery pack. It is superb in town and does not feel out of place in normal motorway driving.

Comfort levels are also excellent and the car will ride bumps without causing discomfort to passengers. Naturally it is very quiet as there is no engine noise and the aerodynamic styling means that wind noise is maintained at very low levels.

The only real downside is the range which is only 100 miles and a standard charge takes 8 hours, though you can charge the car to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes with a quick charge, but the number of times you can do this between full charges is restricted. If you can live with this, then this is a car you should consider.