Nissan Note to be discontinued; replaced by 2017 Micra

The Nissan Note will be phased out of production when the new Micra goes on sale in the UK in March 2017.

The fifth-generation Micra will replace both the outgoing model and the Note as the Japanese firm sees no need for two B-segment cars competing for the same buyers.

A Nissan spokesman said: "The Note will continue for the time being, but it will be phased out as the new Micra comes on stream. There is no timescale for this at present." However, it’s expected the Note will be dropped from the line-up by next summer.

Nissan GB’s Managing Director Jim Wright told us: "Even though the last Micra was priced more as an A-segment car, it would be inefficient to continue with three models instead of two, so our B-segment offer is now the Micra and Nissan Juke.

"That means we are more efficient in building them and marketing both models. This has obvious benefits for production but also our customers as we can deliver a far better car for the same amount of money."

Sales of the current Micra have been disappointing in Europe, slipping from 153,000 in 2005 to 66,000 in 2015. The European market for superminis is 3.5 million vehicles per year and Nissan believes the new larger Micra, with its European-led design, is in a better position to take on the Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio and Volkswagen Polo.

The Juke will continue as a small crossover contender with the Micra alongside it, and production of the next Juke has been confirmed for Nissan’s Sunderland plant. Nissan has also confirmed that the current Nissan Qashqai will be produced at Sunderland with its ProPILOT autonomous drive technology from the middle of 2017.

Alisdair Suttie