Nissan Note 1.6 SVE

Road Test
Nissan Note 1.6 SVE

Chart-Topping Release
by David Finlay (12 Apr 06)

The Note is Nissan's entry into a market sector known as B+, which covers small estates, enlarged hatchbacks and mini-MPVs. Originally this was regarded as little more than a market niche rather than a sector in its own right, but recent growth has been spectacular, and the Note finds itself up against the Fiat Idea, Ford Fusion, Honda Jazz, Mitsubishi Colt, Renault Modus (a close relative, as we'll see) and the western European market-leading Vauxhall Meriva.

Nissan Note 10.

This is mighty opposition. There is a lot to be said for everything in that list, and there are no real clunkers. But thanks to a combination of clever design, impressive practicality, decent performance, ease of driving and an extraordinary amount of interior space, the Note enters the chart at a very high level.

Despite various radical aspects of the design, the Note's underpinnings are familiar. It shares its "Alliance B" platform with the Micra, as well as with partner Renault's Clio and Modus. In fact, it would be tempting to imagine that the Note is little more than a rebadged Modus, since Renault got there first, but the Note is significantly larger - its wheelbase is actually greater than that of the Volkswagen Golf, though it's shorter from bumper to bumper.

Nissan Note 11. As a versatile lugger of people and their accoutrements, the Note ticks an awful lot of boxes. The basic luggage volume is 280 litres, which doesn't sound too impressive, but that's with the back seat in its rearmost position and the rear storage compartment covered by a false floor consisting of two removable boards (available on higher-spec models including the SVE tested here). It doesn't include the space under the boards, where extra stuff can be stored out of the sight of onlookers.

From this starting point you can remove the boards and move the back seat forward, or fold it down, heading towards an eventual volume of 1332 litres. Recline the passenger seat flat and you can also carry something 2.4 metres long. It's all very impressive considering there's a Micra at the heart of it all.