It’s not often that a car comes with its headline built right in, but the Nissan Micra does: the least-expensive car in Canada. The base trim rings in at $9,998, and that’s the car I drove.

Calling it the “cheapest car in Canada” would have been snappier, but would also be inaccurate. The Micra is inexpensive, but it doesn’t feel cheap. While there are definite compromises if you’re used to a fancier vehicle, it's pretty impressive what you get for ten grand.

That base price is for the S trim line with five-speed manual transmission and no air conditioning. If you want a/c on the S trim, the price rises to $13,298, because it’s bundled with a four-speed automatic and cruise control. The only way to get air and a stick shift together is to move up to the SV trim, which starts at $13,698. At the highest end of the Micra lineup is the SR with optional automatic for $16,748.

Walkaround: 8.0/10

Let’s get this out of the way: with its buck-toothed grinning grille and short-butt styling, the Micra is a cute little car. That could be the kiss of death for some vehicles, but this one can pull it off.

The list of exterior features is as short as you’d expect for the price, with 15-inch steel wheels, manually-adjustable mirrors, rear drum brakes, and locks that must be turned with a key - relax, it’s set up so you can’t inadvertently slam the door and lock your keys inside.

Interior: 8.5/10

Open the door and get inside, though, and this is where the Micra gives you more than you expect. Yes, it’s all hard plastic, and yes, the seats get equally hard if you’re spending a lot of time in them.

But this ten-grand model includes a tilt steering column, 60/40 split-folding rear seat (I expected a one-piece folding seatback for the price), CD stereo with auxiliary input jack, trip computer with fuel economy readout, variable intermittent wipers, intermittent rear wiper, 12-volt outlet, digital clock, and carpeted floor mats. No, it’s not a “you-have-arrived” list, but you have to keep saying it: it’s ten grand. And it has all that for the price.

And as you’d expect, everything is simple and easy to use. The stereo features large buttons, while the heater uses three dials to work its magic. Adjusting the passenger-side mirror is a pain—you forget just how nice power-adjustable ones are—but at least it has an inside joystick, instead of asking someone outside the car to move the glass for you. And there should be red indicators on the chrome lock buttons to make it easy to see at a glance if the door is locked or not.

Tech: 6.0/10

It’s ten grand, what do you expect? There are six radio station pre-sets on the stereo, and you can adjust its speed-sensitive volume. You can play a CD or plug your iPod jack into it. Again, it’s ten grand.

Driving: 9.0/10

Here’s where things get fun. Yes, it’s just a 1.6-litre four-cylinder making 109 horsepower and 107 lb.-ft. of torque, but you need to get behind the wheel. It’s peppy, it’s nimble, the stick notches sharply into each gate, and the smooth clutch bites at just the right spot. It’s no Porsche 911, but it drives better than many cars that cost twice as much.

Against published figures of 8.6 L/100 km in the city and 6.6 on the highway, I averaged 7.1.

I’ve driven it with the four-speed automatic, too, and that’s also a great fit to this little car.

Now, there are some caveats. This is a city car and that’s where it’s at its best. I had a long highway drive to get it home, and at 100 km/h, it’s noisy and it revs high in need of a sixth gear, with a resulting dip in fuel efficiency. I also found that with my seating position, my leg got cramped on the throttle (my kingdom for cruise control!). And yes, those flat seats turned to concrete in a hurry. If you regularly travel long distances at higher speeds, this is probably not the car for you. For shorter hauls around town, though, it’s hard to beat. Just be sure to budget for good winter tires, because it can be skittish in heavy snow.

Value: 9.5/10

When I first heard the Micra’s price, I figured that since very few people will buy a car without air conditioning, it was a loss leader to get them in the door and then sell them a better-outfitted car that’s as costly as the competition.

But that isn’t the case. It’s quite a step up to add air, because you also have to throw in an automatic transmission and cruise control, and that takes you to $13,298 (as previously mentioned, the trim that gives you a/c plus a stick is $13,698). But the least-expensive four-door Toyota Yaris with refrigeration is $16,015, and you’ll pay $16,249 to get into a Hyundai Accent with it. And both of those prices are for a stick shift: add $1,000 to the Toyota and $1,250 to the Hyundai if you don’t want a clutch pedal.

Even the Mitsubishi Mirage and Chevrolet Spark are pricier than the Micra, and neither drives anywhere close to the Micra’s performance. To get into those two with air conditioning, you’re paying $13,798 and $15,645 respectively.

Beyond undercutting its showroom competitors, Nissan’s pricing plan is to take buyers away from used cars. For what you’d pay for a good pre-owned model, you get a brand-new car with a warranty that a bank will prefer as collateral when you’re trying to set up financing.

Conclusion

It’s not a long-distance highway car, it’s not filled with amenities, and it’s not going to get the stares when you pull up in it. But if you want basic city transportation, you simply can’t beat the Micra. It’s fun to drive and it’s ten grand. That’s a hell of a deal.

Overall rating: 8.2/10