NISSAN'S new Micra will hit the road at £7,495 for the entry-level 1.0E model and will be doing it a week earlier than previously forecast.

Releasing prices for the Micra, Nissan also announced first deliveries will take place on January 15, rather than January 23, due to high demand.

To help ease confusion, each model price jump has been kept tidy: £500 more to go from E to S, £1,000 from S to SE, and the same from SE to SX or SVE. The 1.4-litre engine adds £300 to the 1.2-litre and the 1.5-litre dCi 65 is £800 more expensive. Five doors get a £500 price hike and an automatic gearbox adds £900.

Although the entry-level model is £245 more expensive than the cheapest outgoing Micra, the 1.0 S specification levels are high: every Micra now comes with twin airbags, electric power steering, CD player, electric windows, remote central locking and ABS.

  • Selected prices:1.0 16v E three-door £7,495, 1.0 16v E five-door £7,995, 1.2 16v S three-door £7,995, 1.4 16v SE three-door £9,295, 1.4 16v SVE five-door £10,795, 1.5 dCi 65 S three-door £8,795, 1.5 dCi SE five-door £10,295.