The Renault 5 and Nissan Micra Share the Same Platform, Battery, and Factory. One of Them Costs Less Per Month and Looks Better.

The new Nissan Micra and the Renault 5 are products of a joint venture between Renault and Nissan, assembled in the same French factory, on the same platform, with the same 52 kWh battery, the same 148 horsepower front-wheel-drive motor, and the same 326-liter boot. Both charge at 11 kW AC and 100 kW DC, reaching 15% to 80% in roughly 30 minutes. Both include a heat pump and vehicle-to-load capability. The Renault 5 Techno Plus is priced at £23,945 after the full £3,750 EV grant. The Nissan Micra Advance 52 kWh costs £23,245 after the same grant. The Renault claims 252 miles of WLTP range and the Micra claims 257 miles from the shared battery, a gap too small to be meaningful in daily use.

The Micra adds one feature the Renault 5 does not currently offer: regen paddles on the steering wheel, giving four stages of regenerative braking up to full one-pedal driving. Renault's own Renault 4 already has this feature, and the Renault 5 is expected to gain it through a software update, though no date has been given. On financing, the Micra with Nissan's 7.99% APR runs £371 per month on a 36-month PCP with £1,500 down at 8,000 miles per year. The Renault 5 at 6.9% APR works out to £348 per month on the same terms, despite costing £700 more to buy outright. The Renault includes Google Maps integration, a wireless charging pad, and a storage channel running the length of the door sill. The Micra's interior uses the same screen and vent layout but a more uniform color scheme and no door-sill channel.

Driven back to back on English B-roads, both Electrifying presenters found it nearly impossible to distinguish the two cars by feel. The Micra felt marginally calmer to one presenter, but after switching back to the Renault 5 immediately afterward, she described it as slightly more energetic, quicker to turn in, and more willing off corners. Both observed that this was almost certainly psychological: the cars share identical chassis, suspension geometry, and weight. The Renault 5's styling is the clearest differentiator. Its rear lighting, flank design, and front fascia are more developed. The Micra's larger front lights were described by both presenters as too big for the car's proportions. Interior quality on both is good, though the Renault's French design details, including a gear selector modeled after a Chanel lipstick and historical nods to the original Renault 5 in the trim, give it more personality.

Bottom line: Both cars are good, because they are essentially the same car, and the Renault 5 is a well-regarded product. The Micra's regen paddles are genuinely useful for daily driving, and they are coming to the Renault 5 anyway. Until then, the Renault is cheaper on finance, more distinctive to look at, and the one most people will prefer to be seen in.