USED Nissan Note Hatchback (06 - )

My car

I have had my Note for two months - what a wonderful car.

This is the first time I have bought a brand new car, and with so many to choose from, I finally looked at Honda Jazz and Nissan Note, but only test-drove the Note - it won hands down. I bought the 1.4 SE petrol model.

The interior is large enough for my husband and sons of over six feet tall, and my mother finds the seats are easy to get out of. I like the air-conditioning and the extra sockets in the boot and rear seats, which will take a 12v cool bag.

The anti-hijack cetral locking system is ideal if you are on your own or with small children and do not want all the doors unlocking at once. I am getting 49.5mpg on Devon lanes and A-roads. The boot space is exceptional with the moveable rear seat.

This is the first car I have had with power steering and I am getting used to it. We may take the Note on holiday instead of the larger family car, as it is proving such an excellent car.

My car

I've tried this car, as I was helping a friend of mine to substitute his old Honda HR-V, and I was quite satisfied with the overall impression I got from it.

First, it's solid and well built. Although there are some hard plastics on the cabin, the same is very quiet and feels solid. It has nice steering, good overall handling, and lots of space inside.

I would only wish for only a more powerful engine, let's say the 1.5 dCi 106hp with a six-speed gearbox, as I felt this one, with only 86HP, is a little too short for the size and weight of the Note. I would buy one for my wife (106 hp), no doubt about that.

My car

Having driven the Tino Dci for over 5 yrs I was a little apprehensive about Nissans downsizing of their MPV range.

Having been told that the Note is an inflated Micra and a stretched Modus, I was concerned that this would not meet our needs. I need not! This car is very deceiving. With the sliding back seat you can choose if you require leg or boot space. We went on our usual trip April and the Note swallowed the lot and coped just as well as the Tino.

The kids love it although small children will need a booster because of the extended seat pan, but that’s the law anyway! The drive is far superior, the car is more nimble and handles well (even when loaded) and does not drive heavy as the Tino did.

Equipment level is high although an MP3 stereo would be nice. On the road the Note lacks a 6th gear as you feel that you need to change up to reduce the noise. Although I do not see this car for motorway bashers. Other than that the Diesel unit is powerful and has loads of torque and spins you along effortlessly.

I have had nothing less than 51 mpg and on a long journey we get 58, add this to the low road tax and low insurance the annual saving is massive. A few niggles on trim rattles but these will be sorted by our excellent dealer Chorley Nissan. For me I can still get two sets of golf clubs in the boot and a Powakaddy even with the parcel shelf in place. The rest of the time I have to fight my wife for the keys as she prefers to drive this rather than her Micra !

My car

Having owned this car for three weeks, I have now got rid of it and bought a VW Touran.

This car suffers from very bad delayed acceleration. When you put your foot down on the pedal, nothing happened, then it did. Also, when you pull out at a junction, you accelerate to 2000rpm, then take your foot of to change gear - it takes a little time for the engine revolutions to drop. By that time, you've changed to the next gear.

Also, they've changed the servicing intervals from 18,000 miles to 12,000 - if you look at how much it costs to service in three years, it costs about £960. I think it's a little bit poorer on fuel economy, too, as I have only managed 50mpg at 70mph - the touran I have just bought does 47mpg.

I really think Nissan should have thought of putting a six-speed gearbox for extra economy - and those daft drum brakes on the back wheels look naff when your car has 16-inch alloy wheels on. Would I buy another Nissan? I think not.