The Renault-Nissan Alliance that has brought some successes to both brands is now even closer in the new Nissan Micra – which was launched in Ireland some months after the arrival of the Renault 5. I’ve driven the car in recent weeks and here I look at what the almost-identical small-car twins, have to offer.

It would take some detective work to spot the differences between the Nissan Micra and the Renault 5, other than the obvious brand badges. They are both built in the same factory, on a similar platform, essentially everything other than the badges is the same.

The battery options that power these cars are also the same. So why opt for Nissan over Renault?

The dash on the new Nissan Micra is identical to that of the Renault 5 with a wide screen and some practical buttons for heating and ventilation.

To begin with, this Nissan now feels and drives like a Renault; a feature that was never part of the Micra of the past (of which my family has had three versions, all very capable starter cars). So having driven and enjoyed the Renault 5 in 2025, this Micra felt so similar to drive, and the specification details in the table confirm these similarities in a very measurable way.

Nissan in Ireland openly admits to the similarities between both cars. The entry model comes with a 40kWh battery in both models, but most buyers will opt for the larger-capacity 52kWh version, which is the one that I drove.

It is interesting that there is a €2,000 price jump from the entry-level Nissan Micra to the higher-power 52kWh Advance version that gives it more pace and range. In the Renault family, that price jump is higher at €3,300 for the Renault 5 evolution specification option. That’s a significant difference in favour of the Nissan Micra choice.

The new Nissan Micra is a spacious small hatchback car with a 326-litre boot that extends to 1,061 litres with the rear seats folded.

This 52kWh battery pack with the automatic gearbox gives a very lively driving experience. There are the transmission options of eco, comfort, sport and personalise and setting changes are by means of a simple button adjustment. I drove mostly in eco mode to see how far that I could extend the car’s range.

The test car came on large 18-inch alloy wheels with 195/55 R18 Hankook tyres to give the car a great road stance.

I found that the car lived up to its predicted range of 380km in combined mild weather driving, even though it was during a week when the air-conditioning was most needed. Renault quotes a slightly longer range for the Renault 5. In reality, this can be seen as splitting hairs because small economy differences will always be evident in electric cars, unless an identical route is used.

Internally, both cars look the same, other than colour choices in upholstery and seat fabric. The dash design and layout is identical between the Micra and Renault 5. Like the new Renault 5 design, there are three stalks on the right-hand side of the steering wheel: the indicators, transmission and radio controls. For me that is cluttered and means that some of the controls don’t come as automatically as you would expect.

There are some very minor differences in the internal specifications between the cars, but they are so minor to not be of any consequence. Running costs will be the same, even though there are some warranty offer differences, with Renault offering a longer five-year warranty compared with Nissan’s three-year warranty. Both offer identical eight-year battery warranty, Nissan caps this at 100,000km while Renault gives 60,000km more.

Renault’s R5 is an identical car in terms of features with only brand-induced styling differences and higher entry prices.

They both come with identical advanced driver assistance systems and include up to seven airbags, and two Isofix child seat fittings. Despite this and Renault’s impressive safety equipment, the Renault 4 achieved only four-star Euro NCAP rating, mainly because some of the safety kit is not included in the entry level Evolution model.

These are both small and enjoyable cars to drive which are aimed, to some extent, at the second-car status. Renault claims a more youthful image with the Renault 5, which Nissan claims a more mature and traditional Micra audience, though I think that this has somehow moved on from the ‘convent company car’ of the past.

While some people might argue that any comparison between this new Nissan Micra and Renault 5 is not about price, it clearly is. When the specifications are so identical, any difference comes down to price offer and what your local dealer can tempt you with a trade-in offer. The price and specification packages could easily distract from the best value equation in both brands, while the Nissan offer seems the most competitive, at least at face value.

The 54 kWh Nissan Micra comes with an entry price of €27,995 or £26,995 NI.

Nissan offers a keen entry price at €27,995 or £26,995 Northern Ireland for the 52kWh Evolve models. Renault’s offer is from €29,295 or £27,695 Northern Ireland for the higher battery pack, lower specification Evolution range.

With over 100,000 Micras sold in Ireland over 40 years, Nissan hopes to tap into its existing Micra database with unique and attractive offers. This new Micra is being pitched as a small and affordable electric car with great heritage for the more cautious risk-averse buyers.

More small electric cars are coming in the market at keener prices, including a new Ford Fiesta based on the same design. There is also the new Skoda Epiq on the way, not to mention some Chinese options.

There is still a classic feeling to the Renault 5 that spills across to the new Nissan Micra in a very special way. Added to this is the cheeky and friendly front-end Micra design that’s warmer on the emotions and now also kinder on the pocket.