Also driven: Nissan Micra 1.2 Acenta

Nissan’s new DIG-S technology updates the supermini to help reduce emissions down to 99g/km and boosts economy to 65.7mpg.

The Japanese brand is following the trend to develop a petrol engine to the point where it delivers diesel-like economy, refinement and performance.

Acceleration is reasonable and it’s relatively comfortable zipping down the motorway.

Even on the high Acenta trim, build quality in the cabin is not class leading, but it’s simple and does the job.

Start/stop engine technology is included as standard and the DIG-S comes with a £1,000 price premium over the non-supercharged version.

The drop in emissions from 115g/km to 99g/km on the DIG-S means there’s no charge for VED and it is exempt from the London congestion charge too.

Several superminis on the market have a lot more personality than the Indian-built Micra, but this DIG-S engine increases the strength of the practical package on offer for customers spending £12,150 with their head rather than their heart.