Nissan 160SR (Micra 1.6)

 Another unassuming sports edition, that I almost actually had.

I have an interesting relationship with K12 Micras.  I used to hate them, my mother however fell in love with them when they first came out, thanks to the bubbly design, cute, friendly fascia and amazing visibility. After having had forgotten about the car for twenty years I just began to think about owning one a few months ago. Not any kind though, but the 160SR

This is the car of Josh, whose ride you can find under the Insta handle @soria_160_sr. Soria is a 2006 model, that cost him just £450 to buy as the clutch was on the way out. Doing the job himself, it only cost another £640 to get her on the road, totalling out at just below £1100. He bought the car mid February 2020, with 109K on the clock and has put another 4K in it since. 

The 160SR has a naturally aspirated, 16v, inline four 1.6, with an output of 160bhp…… sike! You wish, but that would be a death trap with its weight of just 1092kgs. In reality the 160SR has 108bhp at 6000rpm which is still respectable for a small hatchback like the K12 and the name refers to the displacement rather than performance. Torque is 153Nm at 4400rpm. 

With these stats, the sporty Micra has a 0-60 time of 9.8 seconds while its thirst is claimed to be 40mpg combined. 

From his experience, Josh told me, that with a heavier right foot (which is a condition directly acquired by driving these funboxes) the numbers more realistically sit around 30mpg, which I still consider a bargain trade off for what you get. 

Although Josh put Soria on lowering springs and a shorter shock, it’s important to mention that the 160SR is already dropped by a few mills from factory. The front springs are made 20% stiffer and the rear ones are 10% stiffer than on base models, aside from this there’s 27% less body roll on the 160SR and is rocking some 16 inch rims. He highlighted the handling as one of the more surprising qualities of Soria and I can see why: the sport model’s chassis was not a “lick and a promise” job to please a wider customer range but it was actually engineered by the same team that worked on the 350Z… talk about great genes!

Other modifications, Josh made to Soria, was installing a cherry bomb backbox and getting another black housing headlight as the car came with mismatched lamps from the previous owner. 

Safety-wise the car gets my respect too, scoring 4/5 stars at NCAP and having six airbags, including seat mounted side airbags, to save you from red light runners or rhino attacks. 

The melty, bubbly design continues on the inside, though not as much as on a Mini or Fiat 500 as the Micra want’s to stay somewhat professional, respecting the boundaries of form and function. There’s four, folding cupholders for each person in the car. And many small storage spaces hidden around the cockpit, including a storage box under the passenger seat. 

Another fun feature, I expect, most K12 Micra owners don’t even know they have is the “find your front door” or as Josh calls it, the “stay at home” lighting. When you pull into your driveway in the dark and turn the ignition off, flashing the high beams makes your lights stay on for another 20 seconds to illuminate your door while you’re searching for your keys. 

Downsides:

Little legroom and headroom in the back, not really fit for a family. 

Even less space in the 3 door versions. 

9.8s to 60 might not be satisfactory to all. 

The design is controversial, some may even say feminine. 

Some purists would consider the Renault co-engineered engine a problem, but you know, can’t please everyone. 

Lack of aftermarket support. 

Positives:

According to owner ratings, the 160SR is a reliable car. 

Quirky design. 

Feature packed trim level. 

Great handling. 

Cheap to insure (16E) And cheap to run. 

£200 to tax. 

Unassuming looks. 

Modern, timeless, blackout housing headlights from factory. 

Meaner looking body kit. 

Not too rare. 

The models on sale right now start at around £1000 for a 150K mile model and go up to £2200 for one with 60K on the clock. That’s usually around the same price you would pay for other trims in the K12 lineup. 

As to why there isn’t an abundance of 160SRs running around on the streets of Britain? Marketing probably didn’t hype it enough and people looking for sports cars, especially Nissans, had better alternatives to consider.

So if you’re a young driver or someone into budget hot hatches or simply in the market for a K12 Micra, consider the 160SR if you want a fun car that’s glued to the road. 

If I had one, I would definitely park next to the 350Zs at car meets just to mess with people and would explain them that while it doesn’t look like it, my little Micra IS part 350Z… or at least in the tought process behind it. 

GLS

Check out Soria on Instagram