LOOKING at the new funky Nissan Micra, I can't help feeling that the company might be trying to replace both the previous model and the Note baby MPV in one fell swoop.

The new car is sharper and more modern than either of them and drives very well in almost every respect.

The edgy styling of the new Micra repeats the look of the excellent Pulsar family hatch, but actually does it better, with colour touches that repeat inside and out adding to the feeling of something a little different - a car that stands out from the supermini crowd.

I drove the N-Connecta close to the top of the range, powered by a turbocharged three cylinder petrol engine boasting just 900cc.

But don't be fooled into thinking it's slow. Out on the road, it feels willing and peppy, pulling well from just 1,500 revs in all five gears.

Real power doesn't come in until about 2,500-3,000 revs, so it has to be revved to get best acceleration, which will obviously have a serious effect on economy.

That said, it's also very easy to drive at low speeds, trickling through townin fourth gear quite easily, and taking most corners in third. This makes it very relaxed to drive in town.

It's so smooth that it will pull away gently from just above tickover in all five gears, and as the revs rise, it sounds very sweet.

Driving it fairly hard, I got just over 40mpg, but with a more gentle right foot, I would expect it to be capable of 45-50.

Emissions are commendably low too, as they should be these days

The gearchange is a delight, the brakes superb and the responsive steering is wonderfully precise.

This helps towards very good handling around town or out on the open road, making it a pleasure to drive in any situation.

It holds the road beautifully through a series of bends at speed, and is delightfully agile, making it great fun.

Yet the level of comfort is also good, with a smooth ride that soaks up the worst road bumps and lumps to protect you from the many poor road surfaces we now face every day.

In N-Connecta trim, the Micra comes with electric heated mirrors, air con, remote locking, sat nav, 60/40 fold rear seats, height adjust driver's seat and height adjust steering column.

It also has a DAB radio with all the right inputs for your own music, alloys wheels and cruise control.

The seats are comfortable and supportive, rear legroom is good and the boot is also a decent size.