The city car market is a fierce one, with lots of ruthless competition going on to attract buyers. Nissan's Pixo is one of the cheapest cars on sale in the UK with prices starting from around £7,000, and it comes from a more solid brand than many of the cars it is competing with at this bargain basement level.
That better reputation does lead you to expect more from Nissan, though. The company is quite hit-and-miss with its cars - it's often surprising that the Cube, Qashqai and 370Z can come from the same family as the Pixo and the Micra.
You could argue in many ways that the Pixo isn't really a Nissan at all, it's merely a Suzuki Alto in a posher frock, because that's essentially what you're getting. Nissan has grafted the family face onto the front and done a reasonable job of perking up the interior, but these two cars are built together in India to cut down on costs - one of the reasons that the Pixo is one of the cheapest cars you can buy.
There are no premium pretensions here - quite the opposite in fact. The Pixo is clearly a budget car, with dull if solidly constructed materials used for the dashboard. Having said that, at this price you shouldn't feel short-changed - the Pixo comes with a reasonable standard equipment list which includes a CD player.
Space might be an issue if you need it too - the Pixo is a borderline 2+2 with a lack of space in the rear seats. The boot isn't large by any means and the car doesn't have many storage areas up front, so there's not a great deal of room for luggage if you decide to drive longer distances, but the seats are comfortable enough that you could manage it.
The car is quite fun on the move, with an athleticism that pleasantly surprises. Grip isn't astounding, but the car will gently understeer when you reach the car's limits - it's accessibly amusing for everyday driving. This matches the 996cc three-cylinder engine's zesty, rev-happy temperament. It's great for the city but gets hoarse at motorway speeds, running out of power.
The Pixo is fairly anonymous car which stands on its cheap pricing as its main attraction. It might not be versatile enough if you drive a lot, but for a city-dweller it might just hit the spot.