Nissan Note

Step inside the cabin of the Nissan Note, and you are bound to feel that it is an old vehicle. The overall layout of the cabin, as well as plastic quality of the panels with pared-down grey finish, are no match to those of the competition cars, and it makes you feel a drab place to be in.

The three-spoke steering wheel here is devoid of any controls (a big miss!) and the instrument console too has a very basic design, which makes the driver’s cockpit look a bit pared down. The same thing can be said about the center console of the dashboard, with a large 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system taking the center stage and minimalist looking dials for the manual AC below it and twin round AC vents above it.

The car even gets a very limited list of features onboard, which makes it feel furthermore basic. What surely works here in the favor of Nissan Note is the great sense of space on the inside.

This current version of the Nissan Note has been in the existence for quite a long time now, which might create an impression of a dated looking vehicle for it. However, the Nissan Note is growing old quite gracefully, as the design still feels quite relevant.

At the front, the Nissan Note has got a long swooping bonnet which is in sync with the sharply raked windscreen, thus making the front profile looks pretty aerodynamic. The sweptback long boomerang-shaped headlamps engulfing projector bulbs make way for a large trapezoidal grille from their inner edges, with a large extended U-shaped chrome garnish further making it look wide. The small trapezoidal fog lamps placed on the lower portion of the front bumper look good too.

It is from the side profile that the Nissan Note has got some MPV inspiration, thanks to the long wheelbase, big side windows and angular pillars. The large window panels for the rear quarter glass and besides the A-pillar further manage to make it look long and airy on the inside (more on that later). Beneath the rounded wheel arches, the Nissan Note gets simplistic 15-inch alloy wheels.

At the back, the Nissan Note feels a bit old and oddball, with a slightly rounded and bulky approach carried for the boot lid design. The serving design of the tail lamps, which do get modern-looking LED inserts, somehow add some cool quotient to the rear profile of the Nissan Note.

The Nissan Note has a suspension combination of independent Macpherson struts at the front and torsion beam axle at the rear, which offers a plush and composed ride quality to the passengers inside. The sense of comfort is further enhanced by the roomy cabin and large window panels, the latter of which gives an additional airy feel to the cabin.

The Nissan Note has a 1.2-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine under its hood, which is being offered with a CVT gearbox as standard. The engine belts out decent outputs, with the maximum power and torque outputs rated at 79 PS and 106 Nm. For a large hatchback like Note, these performance numbers are not so enthusiastic.

The very basic list of safety amenities available in the Nissan Note as standard contains dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and reverse parking sensors.

Barring the huge sense of space and comfortable ride quality, there is not much special about the Nissan Note. The fact that it is in the market for quite some time with very limited changes and feature additions make it feel a bit dated and less desirable when compared to other premium hatchbacks, which deters its appeal very much.