You can argue endlessly about the design of this modern car, but you certainly won't call it boring or "gray." Especially since our big-eyed test subject is painted in a rich bright blue.
The car itself is very noticeable, and it's not just about the body color. If you recall your school biology course, the Note is a kind of hybrid of two other models of the Japanese brand. The maternal line came from the cute and friendly Micra, while the paternal line came from the stern and courageous Murano. And this is exactly the case where the offspring inherited traits from both parents: in the Note's appearance, both family features are easily recognizable. There are also its own "tricks" — for example, elegant rear lights shaped like boomerangs that extend onto the roof. Don't even ask the question "why is this needed?" — it's simply prettier that way. After all, the car is fundamentally built on the mother's platform — here the Micra genes turned out to be dominant. But the Note's "face" took after its father.
From this angle, the little Note can easily be confused with its "dad" Murano.
So, what interesting things can this Japanese "child" offer? Since the car is positioned as a family one, the main thing here is the interior. It looks pleasant, comfortable, and very practical. Inside, there are many compartments, shelves, and various containers. The front passenger seat has a hidden compartment. On the backs of the front seats, there are fold-down tables — so the kids can finish their homework on the way to school or have a snack if they didn't have time for breakfast in the morning. The glove box, unlike the climate control, is "dual-zone": there's a regular section for documents and small items, and an inner one that cools. There are also enough cup holders for all passengers, so on a long trip, there won't be any problems organizing a "cocktail party."
The interior and exterior of the Nissan Note received high praise from our leading expert on family cars.
To get inside, you don't need to take the key out of your pocket at all. The car somehow senses with a sixth sense that the owner is nearby. And if you say the magic words "Open Sesame!" and press the small black button near the door handle, the Note will unlock the doors by itself. Later, I was told you can do without the "sesame," but I didn't have time to check it. On the steering column, instead of the usual ignition lock, there's a funny rotary knob resembling a channel selector on an old tube TV. True, here it's not responsible for channels but for starting the engine. When leaving the car, you can lock it with the same black button. And the key stays in your pocket. At first, it's unusual, but undoubtedly very convenient.
But we're not going to get out — let's sit in the cabin instead. The seats don't have the slightest hint of sportiness, but they are quite comfortable. The seating position is convenient; the only thing to nitpick is the not-so-well-designed accelerator pedal — in a long journey, your foot might get tired. Or maybe it won't. Everything else is fine — both visibility and ergonomics. But the upright seating position has made the cabin truly spacious. Very spacious. Even unrealistically spacious. If you slide the rear bench all the way back, children of any age up to two meters tall will fit comfortably. This car, as they say, is one to grow into!
Tables, cup holders, shelves, drawers, hideaways. If you suffer from memory lapses, it's better not to put anything in them. Otherwise, you'll have a hard time finding things.
The trunk can't be called huge, but it's "two-story." If you remove the plastic panels of the false floor, underneath you'll find an additional niche where it's convenient to hide candies from the kids. Or store necessary car small items — washer fluid, wipers, gloves, napkins, a baseball bat. And even lower, in the very "basement," a "donut" spare tire is tucked away.
The Note's element is the city. But it's not afraid of long trips either.
The steering wheel of the Note is very light. You can turn it literally with one finger. We unfortunately didn't get to weigh it, but by the look of it — about two kilograms, no more. In parking lots, it's a lifesaver, but at speed, adequate effort appears on the steering wheel. There's another curious detail: the stereo gradually increases the volume as speed rises — so the musical accompaniment covers the growing noise.
But now we've taken the kids to school, and we can go to work. It's early morning, and the roads aren't congested yet. Of course, expecting any wild dynamics from a car with a 1.6-liter engine and an "automatic" would be naive. Surprisingly, these expectations were almost not met. Partly because the new Nissan 110-horsepower unit with an aluminum block and variable valve timing accelerates the car quite briskly. And partly because of the special sensations.
In bad weather, you won't have to constantly fiddle with the "wipers" — the rain sensor will turn them on and off by itself.
Take the gearbox, for example. To be honest, it's a fairly old four-speed "automatic." But! Unlike its lazy counterparts, it seems to have retained a lively "bachelor" spirit. While other gearboxes, when you press the gas confidently, first think about what you want and only then unhurriedly shift down a gear, the Note's "automatic" behaves differently. It seems to suggest itself: "Come on, let's have some fun!" And as soon as you press the pedal, it enthusiastically instantly drops one or two gears down, sending the tachometer needle into the red zone. The engine roars, the soul sings! And it doesn't matter that the acceleration with such noise isn't actually that great — but how it's presented! In short, the car feels much more dynamic than it really is. After a full-throttle acceleration, when you think you've almost reached escape velocity, you glance at the speedometer — and there's barely anything. And that's wonderful! You can't get sporty dynamics from a 1.6, no matter how you look at it, but the Note delivers emotions as if it had two and a half liters. And it's all the more interesting that during calm "cruising," it doesn't heighten the sense of speed. Only during acceleration.
Of course, you might say: you journalists just want to have fun! Like, you'd even send a tram into a drift. Yes, we would. And we perfectly understand that this is a family car where practicality and comfort are key. But the Note is an unusual family car! After all, even Nissan itself says this car is for those who need a spacious compact MPV but aren't ready to put up with mediocre handling and a boring character. Or, simply put, for those who love to have fun! And if so, they asked for it themselves. So, let me tell you: having a bit of fun in the Note is easy. Not only is the engine peppy, but the handling is also at the level of good sedans. No delays, body rolls are within acceptable limits. The Note does everything right. The steering wheel, light when parking, fills with pleasant heaviness as speed increases; the car holds the road excellently, only occasionally "jumping off" the trajectory on bumps. Even the high seating position doesn't prevent the feeling that you're driving a regular passenger car. Who said a family car is a death sentence? Not at all; you can and should enjoy driving it too!
In the Note, you can calmly go about family errands. Or you can "shake off the old days," remembering your bachelor life.
True, it's in the suspension, which provides such good handling, that the car's main drawback lies. It's bumpy. The stiffness isn't teeth-rattling and doesn't even come close, but all the irregularities that road builders made (or didn't make) will be felt by your passengers. Although, if in the city this is a drawback, on the highway it's more of an advantage. What would you prefer: kids getting carsick on the way to the dacha, or the whole company being slightly shaken? Moreover, accompanied by a suspension that "thumps" on joints and potholes. But even more important is that this suspension is quite easy to "bottom out" to the bump stops. It's clear that the Note's chassis was tuned for Europe, not for our roads with their eternal potholes, bumps, and patchwork asphalt. So it's better to "iron" roads at the level of German autobahns and well-maintained Alpine serpentines. On others, it's better to restrain your enthusiasm. This is perhaps the only serious drawback of the car.
Note. Nissan Note. And if you try to read the badge in Russian, you might get "LYUTE." But it's not fierce at all; it's actually very kind.
Overall, the impressions of this car remained the most pleasant. It stands out visually, is spacious inside, drives briskly and, what is especially valuable, feels truly "alive." Such a car is suitable both for trips to the shops and for a family outing to the countryside, and it will also give the driver pleasure behind the wheel. Why not consider it a full-fledged member of the family? I deliberately omit here the dry figures of technical specifications — they can be easily found in the table. For me, the main criterion is the pleasure of driving. And it is fully present here. Moreover, the price for this pleasure is quite adequate: $20,490 for the Luxury trim, which we had on test. Neither overpriced nor underpriced — just what is justified. Those wishing to save money can choose a simpler version for $14,990 with a 1.4-liter engine and manual transmission. And for the same $20,490, you can order the top Tekna trim, which adds leather inserts in the cabin and 16-inch wheels. With all this, the car remains stylish and modern, but absolutely without a hint of pretentiousness. Although for us, convenience inside is more important than the impression it will make on others. However, it will definitely make an impression — at least with its signature "boomerang" rear lights.
Nissan claims that the "boomerang" rear lights not only decorate the car but also work on aerodynamics. It is hard to judge how this affects streamlining, but the fact that passersby's glances keep catching on these lights is a fact.
Technical Specifications
| Specifications | Petrol 1.4 L | Petrol 1.6 L |
|---|
| Model |
|---|
| Body type | 5-door hatchback |
| Available trims | Comfort, Luxury | Comfort, Luxury, Tekna |
| Number of seats in cabin | 5 |
| Engine |
|---|
| Engine designation | HR14DE | HR16DE |
| Number and arrangement of cylinders | 4, in-line |
| Number of valves per cylinder | 4 |
| Engine displacement, cm3 | 1386 | 1598 |
| Cylinder bore and piston stroke, mm | 73.0 x 82.8 | 78.0 x 83.6 |
| Max. power, kW (hp) / min-1 | 65(88)/5200 | 81(110)/6000 |
| Max. torque, Nm/min-1 | 128/3200 | 153/4400 |
| Fuel type | Unleaded petrol with octane rating 95 |
| Ignition system | Electronic with direct ignition system |
| Fuel supply | Multi-point injection |
| Emission reduction systems | Three-way catalytic converter |
| Transmission |
|---|
| Gearbox | 5 MT | 5 MT (4 AT) |
| Gear ratios: 1 (AT) | 3.727 | 3.727 (2.861) |
| 2 (AT) | 2.048 | 2.048 (1.562) |
| 3 (AT) | 1.393 | 1.393 (1.000) |
| 4 (AT) | 1.029 | 1.029 (0.697) |
| 5 (AT) | 0.821 | 0.821 (-) |
| Reverse (AT) | 3.545 | 3.545 (2.310) |
| Final drive (AT) | 4.067 | 4.067 (4.072) |
| Drive wheels | Front |
| Chassis |
|---|
| Front suspension | Independent, MacPherson type |
| Rear suspension | Torsion beam, springs |
| Steering | Rack and pinion, with electric power steering |
| Tires (option) | 185/65R15 (185/55R16) | 185/65R15 (185/55R16) |
| Weight and Dimensions |
|---|
Curb weight
min./max. (AT), kg | 1092/1150 | 1107/1165 (1131/1177) |
| Gross weight (AT), kg | 1546 | 1560(1580) |
| Length, mm | 4083 |
| Width, mm | 1691 |
| Height, mm | 1550 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2600 |
| Front track, mm | 1470 |
| Rear track, mm | 1460 |
| Max. luggage compartment length (with rear seat slid back/forward), mm | 610/770 |
| Max. luggage compartment width, mm | 1255 |
| Max. luggage compartment height (with shelves in trunk/without shelves), mm | 383/604 |
Luggage compartment volume
(option) (VDA), L | 280/437 |
Luggage compartment volume
with folded seats (VDA), L | 1332 |
| Fuel tank capacity, L | 46 |
| Dynamic Characteristics |
|---|
Fuel consumption:
urban cycle (AT), L/100km | 7.9 | 8.5 (9.3) |
| extra-urban cycle (AT), L/100km | 5.3 | 5.5 (5.8) |
| combined cycle (AT), L/100km | 6.3 | 6.6 (7.0) |
| CO2 emissions (AT), g/km | 150 | 156 (166) |
| Max. speed (AT), km/h | 165 | 183 (174) |
| Acceleration 0 - 100 km/h (AT), sec | 13.1 | 10.7 (11.7) |
| Minimum turning diameter, m | 11 |
Equipment of the Tested Car
- Safety systems:
- Driver airbag;
- Front passenger airbag;
- Anti-lock braking system (ABS);
- Electronic brake-force distribution (EBD);
- Emergency brake assist — Nissan Brake Assist;
- Central locking with remote control and Anti-Hijack system;
- Rear door locks against accidental opening by children;
- Immobilizer;
- Three-point seat belts for all seats (with pretensioners and load limiters for front seats);
- ISOFIX child seat anchors;
- Exterior:
- Retractable high-pressure headlight washers;
- Power-adjustable and heated exterior mirrors, body-colored;
- Adjustable halogen headlights;
- Rear fog light;
- Panoramic rearview mirrors;
- Metallic body color on choice;
- Cabin equipment/interior:
- Heated front seats;
- Electric power steering;
- Tilt-adjustable steering column;
- Power front windows;
- 12-volt power outlet in center console;
- 4 cup holders;
- Pockets in front doors;
- Rear window defroster (with timer);
- Luggage compartment light;
- Anti-glare interior rearview mirror;
- 3 headrests for rear seats;
- 60/40 split-folding rear seat;
- Sliding rear seat;
- Outside temperature sensor;
- Remote fuel filler flap release;
- Technical
- Fuel tank capacity 46 L;
- Compact spare wheel 14'' (steel);
- Increased capacity washer fluid reservoir 4.5 L.
- Additional to base trim:
- Front side airbags;
- Luxury fabric upholstery;
- "Chip key" remote (keyless door opening/engine start);
- Climate control;
- Power rear windows;
- On-board computer;
- Audio system: AM/FM radio and 6CD changer (2DIN);
- Audio controls on steering wheel;
- Height-adjustable driver's seat;
- Rain sensor (auto wipers);
- Auto headlights;
- Additional map reading light in cabin;
- Two-section luggage compartment shelf FlexiBoard;
- Front and rear armrests;
- Pockets in front seat backs;
- Fold-down tables in front seat backs;
- Cooled glove box;
- Luggage box under front passenger seat;
- 15'' alloy wheels;
- Power-folding mirrors;
- Fog lights;
- Front spoiler;
- Body-colored moldings;
- Exterior door handles: body-colored;
Car for test provided by
"U-Service+" car dealership — official Nissan dealer
Behind the Scenes
