The Nissan Figaro is one of the cutest cars ever made and a lesson in how much design matters. If we look at Nissan’s range today, few cars stand out. There’s the Ariya and the Z, and that’s about it. You go to Nissan if you want a cheap and reliable sedan.
The last adorable car Nissan made was arguably the Juke, though we’re not sure if it’s adorable or fugly.
The Figaro is all about design. Nissan’s Pike Factory started producing a series of limited-edition cars featuring postmodern styling. Along with the Nissan Pao, Be-1, and S-Cargo, the Figaro was available for one model year only. These design elements eventually filtered down to more mainstream cars like the second and third-generation Micra.
Even though it looks like a fun-to-drive coupe, it’s a first-generation Nissan Micra with a different body.
It might have a turbocharged engine, but it’s only a one-liter engine mated to a three-speed automatic transmission, and it put out a paltry 75 horsepower and 78 lb-ft of torque, which means it would lose a drag race against a rental-spec Nissan Versa Sedan.
Still, those round headlights and taillights gave it a surprising amount of character that many small cars lack these days. The Mitsubishi Mirage, which is 150 inches of generic hatch, is a prime example.
