Nissan Pixo Review

The Government's car Scrappage Scheme is all about getting people to support British car manufacturing and at the same time buy new cleaner cars. The result, according to recent statistics, shows that people taking advantage of the scheme are also downsizing and opting for more economical cars than was originally anticipated.

Cars such as the Kia Picanto and the Hyundai i10 have seen extra sales as a result and both are worthy of the attention. Like many budget cars they will take you from A-to-B and back again in comfort and with a minimum of fuss and, it has to be said, trimmings.

Clearly the city-car is a growing market with more and more manufacturers are bringing out A-segment models. To the point that it is becoming difficult to choose between them and even more difficult when manufacturers engage in some badge-engineering, as many now do in order to cut costs.

However, there is such a shared vehicle that stands a little above the crowd and that is the new Nissan Pixo and its twin, the Suzuki Alto, both of which are built in India by Suzuki. In truth, there is very little difference between the two cars except that Metallic Rose is not amongst the Nissan Pixo's six body colours.

There are, however, some distinguishing features. The Nissan Pixo, as you would expect, has its own 'face', with an upper grille comprising six slots on two levels, either side of the Nissan emblem. This is in keeping with other models in the Nissan stable.

The headlight clusters are a further example of Nissan family traits as they are similar in style and to those on the Nissan Note and Nissan QASHQAI. According to Nissan, the tops of the triangular headlights are slightly raised, like the Nissan Micras, so that they can be seen from the driver's seat making them an aid to parking, and, if you sit very close to the steering wheel, it works.

Clearly separating the top, bonnet section from the lower grille, is a full-width bumper that is set into the deep front skirt, which, depending on the model, also houses the front lights.

At the rear end, the only difference between the Nissan Pixo and Suzuki Alto is that the Nissan has a rear bumper 'garnish' in black, to match the one at the front and, below this, the skirting has slightly different contours.

From the side, both the Suzuki Alto and Nissan Pixo are exactly the same, with a window-line that rises towards the rear end and a strong design line just above the sill that flows into and accentuates the curvaceous wheel arches.