Nissan Note (2006 – 2013) Review
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Nissan Note (2006 – 2013) At A Glance
Easy to drive and manouevre into small spaces, roomy cabin with plenty of headroom in the back, some clever and practical features inside, economical dCi diesels, well built.
Ride is firm on 16-inch wheels, smaller engines can be noisy on the motorway. No reach adjustment in the steering column. Recurrent front subframe bulkhead mount failure is a worrying fault and MoT failure.
Nissan isn't afraid to do things differently and this shows in the Nissan Note. It's a small yet practical car that's somewhere between a hatchback and a mini-people carrier. This means it looks neat and compact, yet has plenty of passenger space. In fact, adults in the back of the Nissan Note will be impressed with the amount of legroom room and yet it still has a decent boot.
This means the Nissan Note is an ideal small family car with access to the back particularly good thanks to wide opening doors - useful when you're fitting child seats. Driving the Note is also a doddle thanks to light steering, easy to use controls and good forward visibility, while there's a decent choice of engines ranging from the entry-level 1.4-litre petrol up to a 1.5 dCi that can average 62.8mpg.
Practicality is another strength with rear seats that fold down flat at just the pull of a handle plus they slide back and forward to increase either legroom or luggage space. There's also something called a Flexi-board which creates a hidden storage area in the boot - one side of it is carpet while the other is wipe-clean, ideal for muddy wellies. You can also remove it to create a deep boot large enough to carry a pushchair or buggy.
The Nissan Note was facelifted at the beginning of 2009 with a sharper front end (with new headlights and grille), improved levels of standard equipment and more efficient engines.
Reviews for Nissan Note (2006 – 2013)'s top 3 rivals
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Nissan Note (2006 – 2013) handling and engines
- Engines range from 1.4 to 1.6 Automatic
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 28–74 mpg
Where it scores over mini MPVs like the Renault Modus (with which it shares its floorpan) is that, like the Jazz, it isn't tall enough to upset its handling. I thought it steered and handled better than the Renault Clio (with which it also shares its floorpan), and while some people have criticised the ride quality I thought that was fine too.
I deliberately picked the 86PS 1.5 diesel and wasn't disappointed. From inside the car you hardly ever hear it's a diesel, it has a perfectly adequate power delivery for most people's needs, and its trump card is its economy. Even I got just over 50mpg, which is close to phenomenal considering the use I put it to.
So it's a good car: practical, economical and decent to drive, at its best with the tax-friendly, belt-cam Renault diesel engine but also available with chain-cam 16v 1.4 and 1.6 Nissan petrol power. And it now has a brilliant, low-price music, satnav and phone system. It's a very serious British alternative to the Honda Jazz.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 | 45–48 mpg | 13.1–13.4 s | 139–150 g/km |
| 1.5 dCi | 55–67 mpg | 11.1–13.0 s | 110–136 g/km |
| 1.6 | 43 mpg | 10.7 s | 149–156 g/km |
| 1.6 Automatic | 42 mpg | 11.7 s | 159 g/km |
Real MPG average for the Nissan Note (2006 – 2013)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
96%
Real MPG
28–74 mpg
MPGs submitted
792
Nissan Note (2006 – 2013) interior
- Boot space is 280–1332 litres
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4083–4100 mm |
| Width | 1690–1691 mm |
| Height | 1550 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2600 mm |
As before, the beneficial features are wide opening doors with low sills for easy access, a sliding and folding rear seat that gives either very good or excellent rear legroom without sacrificing too much boot space, and a false boot floor made up of two reversible planks that allow you either a level surface, or a deep hole in which to stow things (with a space-saver rather than a can of puncture repair glop underneath). The high roof allows three to sit in the back seat without piggy in the middle having to duck
Other knick knacks are folding picnic tables on the front seat backs, an air-conditioned glove locker capable of cooling 12 cans of Coca Cola, a dash top compartment, and a flip up passenger seat squab with ‘secret storage' underneath (not secret any more).
So no clever lift-up rear seat squabs as in the Honda Jazz. But if you wanted to store something like a wheelchair in the centre-rear, the seats do move back far enough to make this possible. And if you're one of those people whose weekend isn't complete without a visit to IKEA, I'm pleased to tell you that the passenger seat can be reclined completely flat so you can either sleep off the experience or accommodate MDF as long as 2.4 metres.
It's also quite practical for DIY work on itself. You can actually change the headlamp bulbs (very easily) rather than pay a dealer to dismantle the whole front of the car, which is often the case these days. And you can power things like cooliboxes, DVD players, rubber boat inflators and electric drills from an extra socket in the boot.
Where it scores over mini MPVs like the Renault Modus (with which it shares its floorpan) is that it isn't tall enough to upset its handling. I thought it steered and handled better than the Renault Clio (with which it also shares its floorpan), and while some people have criticised the ride quality I thought that was fine too.
Changes for 2009 include new look bonnet, bumpers and headlights, new alloy wheel designs, new interior trims and exterior colours. Acenta and Tekna models now have cruise control with a speed limiter, very handy for that 20-mile stretch of 50mph roadworks on the M1 North of Leicester. And, while the 103PS 1.5 dCi has been dropped, emissions of the 86PS diesel have been cut by 16g/km, bringing it down to 119g/km and into the £35 Band C VED bracket.
But the most interesting change is Nissan Connect, a combined music system with Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and 5" colour touch screen satnav for just £400 on the Acenta and standard on the Tekna.
It's designed to be intuitive, with buttons for the most commonly used functions as well as the touch screen and steering wheel mounted controls.
Open up the storage cubby on top of the dashboard and you'll find both a USB connector and a 3.5mm auxiliary input socket (aux in). That means tracks stored on iPods, other MP3 players, and anything connected by USB can be played via the in-car system. MP3 and WMA music on CD can also be played.
Once an iPod is connected, the touch screen can be used to search for and select tracks and while a track is playing, the song title, artist and directory folder are all displayed on screen. The steering wheel buttons offer volume adjustment and track selection. Usefully, if you're hopping out of the car and want to leave an MP3 player hooked up, then it can stay hidden in the storage cubby away from prying eyes.
Tracks on mobile phones or audio devices that support Bluetooth audio-streaming (A2DP) can also be played wirelessly via Nissan Connect, with on-screen display of current track and selection of previous/next tracks. You can make hands-free calls using Bluetooth-enabled mobiles and as long as your phone supports synchronisation, the phone book and call log are automatically downloaded.
As well as GPS, gyro and speed sensors constantly monitor the car's movement, allowing quick responses and rapid rerouting after wrong-slotting. This also means that if the GPS signal is weak - for example in a tunnel - then navigation can continue.
Clear displays in either 2D or 3D formats are backed up by voice instruction and destinations can be set using postcodes. Zoom level adjusts automatically depending on road type, while the scale can be adjusted using the convenient dial on the right of the unit.
You can choose fastest or shortest route and there's an ‘Eco' option which selects a route aimed at optimising fuel economy. That's complemented by TMC (Traffic Message Channel) with alternative route calculation when congestion levels are sufficiently high.
Because the navigation database is held on an SD card it need never become outdated, since map updates can be purchased and easily loaded. Similarly, points of interest and speed camera locations can be updated via the USB port.
Nissan Note (2006 – 2013) models and specs
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4083–4100 mm |
| Width | 1690–1691 mm |
| Height | 1550 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2600 mm |
| Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight | 1150–1290 kg |
| Boot Space | 280–1332 L |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Servicing | 12500 miles |
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| List Price | £9,990–£16,000 |
| Insurance Groups | 10–15 |
| Road Tax Bands | B–G |
| Official MPG | 41.5–67.3 mpg |
| Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Adult | 4 |
| Child | 3 |
| Pedestrian | 2 |
| Overall | - |
On sale until September 2013
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.4 Acenta 5dr | £13,250 | 47.9 mpg | 13.4 s |
| 1.4 n-tec+ 5dr | £13,750 | 47.9 mpg | 13.4 s |
| 1.4 Visia 5dr | £11,650 | 47.9 mpg | 13.4 s |
| 1.5 dCi Acenta 5dr | £14,495 | 67.3 mpg | 12.8 s |
| 1.5 dCi Visia 5dr | £12,895 | 67.3 mpg | 12.8 s |
| 1.5 dCin-tec+ 5dr | £14,995 | 67.3 mpg | 12.8 s |
| 1.6 Acenta 5dr | £14,050 | 42.8 mpg | 10.7 s |
| 1.6 Acenta Auto 5dr | £14,950 | 41.5 mpg | 11.7 s |
| 1.6 n-tec+ 5dr | £14,550 | 42.8 mpg | 10.7 s |
| 1.6 n-tec+ Auto 5dr | £15,450 | 41.5 mpg | 11.7 s |
| 1.6 Visia 5dr | £12,950 | 42.8 mpg | 10.7 s |
| 1.6 Visia Auto 5dr | £13,950 | 41.5 mpg | 11.7 s |
On sale until January 2012
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.5 dCi Tekna 5dr | £15,200 | 67.3 mpg | 12.8 s |
| 1.6 Tekna 5dr | £15,000 | 42.8 mpg | 10.7 s |
| 1.6 Tekna Auto 5dr | £16,000 | 41.5 mpg | 11.7 s |
On sale until October 2008
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.5 dCi 103 Tekna 5dr | £15,195 | 55.4 mpg | 11.1 s |
On sale until April 2008
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.4 Acenta R 5dr | £11,945 | - | - |
| 1.5 dCi Acenta R 5dr | £13,045 | - | - |
| 1.6 Acenta R 5dr | £12,745 | - | - |
| 1.6 Acenta R 5dr Auto | £12,745 | - | - |
On sale until February 2008
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.5 dCi Visia 5dr | £11,090 | 57.6 mpg | 13.0 s |
| 1.6 Visia 5dr | £10,790 | 42.8 mpg | 10.7 s |
| 1.6 Visia 5dr Auto | £10,790 | - | - |
On sale until July 2007
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.4 S 5dr | £9,990 | 44.8 mpg | 13.1 s |
| 1.4 SE 5dr | £11,240 | 44.8 mpg | 13.1 s |
| 1.5 dCi S 5dr | £11,090 | 55.4 mpg | 13.0 s |
| 1.5 dCi SE 5dr | £12,340 | 55.4 mpg | 13.0 s |
| 1.5 dCi SVE 5dr | £13,590 | 55.4 mpg | 13.0 s |
| 1.6 S 5dr | £10,790 | 42.8 mpg | 10.7 s |
| 1.6 S 5dr Auto | £10,790 | - | - |
| 1.6 SE 5dr | £12,040 | 42.8 mpg | 10.7 s |
| 1.6 SE 5dr Auto | £12,040 | - | - |
| 1.6 SVE 5dr | £13,290 | 42.8 mpg | 10.7 s |
| 1.6 SVE 5dr Auto | £13,290 | - | - |
Model History
- May 2006: Nissan Nite launched
- March 2008: Note upgraded
- June 2008: Note Accenta S introduced
- September 2009: Facelifted Note launched
- August 2010: Nissan Note improved
- January 2012: Note n-tec+ launched
May 2006
Nissan Nite launched
Three engines and three equipment levels. Prices start at £9,995 for the 1.4 S topping out at £13,395 for the 1.6 SVE automatic. All orderable from January 2006 for delivery in March 2006 (April for diesel).
Sliding rear bench seat designed to increase leg room or load space as required moves up to 160mm. With the rear seats in place, minimum 280 litres of load space. Load area has a false floor covered by a split luggage board on all but base model. Lifting one or other of the boards reveals a secret storage space beneath the boot floor ideal for stowing valuables out of sight.
Slide the rear seat forward and lowering the luggage board, the load area rises to 380 litres. Should extra space be needed for larger items, the boards can be removed altogether, raising total load space potential to 437 litres. Boards are also reversible, with conventional carpet on one side and a waterproof covering on the other. More flexibility provided by the front passenger seat which reclines to horizontal and in combination with the folded rear seats, allows objects as long as 2.4m to be carried.
Three equipment levels: S, SE and SVE. Prices start at £9995 for 1.4 S with 88PS. 1.6 110PS petrol £1,695. 1.5dCi 86PS diesel £10,995. JATCO 4-speed torque converter automatic extra £700 on 1.6. NOTE S comes with anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and four of airbags.
Standard tyre size: 185/65 R15. High spec tyre size: 185/55 R16.
Also gets a CD player, front electric windows, remote central locking, flat reclining front passenger seat, friendly lighting system with battery save, a nine litre glovebox, passenger airbag cut-off switch, Isofix childseat mounting points and the sliding rear seat.
Air conditioning can be added for £600. SE at extra £1,000 adds air conditioning which includes cooling vents for the glovebox, another two airbags, 15-inch alloy wheels, the split level luggage floor called Flexi-Board, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, rear electric windows, rear cabin lights, a centre armrest for the driver, expandable front seatback mounted pockets and foldaway tray tables for the kids, a six speaker stereo for everyone and extra colour-coding for the body.
For extra £2,000 over S, SVE mirrors electrically fold, the alloys grow to 16-inch, the air conditioning gets upgraded to electronic climate control, electronic stability programme becomes standard (except on automatic models) as does part leather upholstery, and the SVEs headlights and wipers will come on automatically. Rear passenger windows are dark tinted.
March 2008
Note upgraded
Now has fully body coloured bumpers, Bluetooth phone operation with steering wheel activated controls, an MP3 auxiliary jack socket, air conditioning with glove box cooler, flexi-board storage system, front seat storage nets and foldaway tables, front and rear electric windows, plus the combi-meter display which is now set in a silver background with orange indicator needles.
ABI Insurance Groups for ACENTA R are 4E for the 1.4 and 1.5dCi and 5E for the 1.6. Option of 4 speed automatic transmission on the 1.6.
£500 buys additional comfort pack which upgrades the single CD player to an in-dash 6 stack auto-changer, changes the air conditioning to be climate control and adds automatic sensors to the windscreen wiper and headlight operating systems.
June 2008
Note Accenta S introduced
Sits between Acenta and the top of the range Tekna grades and starts from £11,995. Also a higher output variant of the same 1.5 dCi engine, boosting power from 86PS to 103PS, and available in both Acenta S and Tekna; prices are £14,245 and £14,995 respectively, an increase of £1150 over the 86PS engine.
September 2009
Facelifted Note launched
Has first fitment of Nissan Connect featuring touch screen audio, satellite navigation and Bluetooth, Exterior changes to bonnet, bumpers and headlights, New alloy wheel designs, New interior trims and exterior colour choice.
1.5 dCi engine CO2 level reduced to 119g/km. All prices reduced - Visia now £9,795.
2009 Acenta and Tekna specification Notes come equipped with a handy speed limiter ideal in those situations such as motorway roadworks which normally require constant attention to avoid straying above the speed limit. The system is available with all three engines and both manual and automatic transmissions.
Nissan Connect is £400 on Acenta, standard on Tekna. Full music and Bluetooth compatibility. Up to the minute sat nav technology. Nissan Connect has been designed to be intuitive, with buttons for the most commonly used functions and a touch screen for rapid navigation through the menu system. Further versatility comes from steering wheel mounted controls.
August 2010
Nissan Note improved
Both Acenta and Teckna now feature silver painted door handles and a silver finish for the tailgate trim. Note n-tec gets a new front spoiler finisher and front entry guards also add to the Note’s well-proportioned appearance.
Acenta has been fitted with a new audio system, allowing drivers to enjoy the benefits of USB, iPod and audio input connections at no extra cost.
Responding to customer demand, Nissan has enhanced the standard n-tec kit list with climate control, auto lighting and auto wipers, while a new interior trim colour is also available. Standard kit already includes Connect satnav and audio system, 16-inch alloy wheels and privacy glass. ESP now fitted as standard on Acenta, Tekna and n-tec. Nissan’s Intelligent Key now standard on n-tec and offers ‘key-less’ entry and starting as long as the driver is in possession of the key fob.
January 2012
Note n-tec+ launched
The new model incorporates rear parking sensors to help keep the bodywork scuff-free. As with the n-tec, darkened rear privacy glass and the touch screen ‘Connect’ satellite navigation system also feature.
The ‘Connect’ system additionally provides a full digital music connectivity package with built in CD/radio, iPod gateway, Aux-in, USB connection and Bluetooth phone connection
What to watch out for
Windscreens can mysteriously crack from the bottom edge.
On 1.5 dCi, EGR valve should open to allow carbon dioxide, which acts as a cooling gas) into the combustion chambers when the engine is under load (>30% boost). This allows the combustion chamber temperature to drop and thus the temperature of the exhaust gases. If it sticks in the closed position the exhaust gas temperature will rise causing a) the turbo bearings to fail and b) engine oil into the induction system. This can cause the engine to run on its crankcase oil until it is either stalled or goes bang. Problems with EGR valves in Renault dCi engines are also the cause of rough running when the valve is stuck in the open position. In several cases turbos have blown but the EGR valve has not been replaced. Inevitably the new turbo unit will not last long. This seems to be confined to early 1.5DCIs as Renault modified the EGRs and no further reports of trouble in the 9 months to April 2007.
One reader requires two replacement steering racks on a Sept 2006 Note, in autumn 2007 and again in July 2009, together with a front wheel bearing. Further reports of steering track failures.
One report of leaking radiator.
Report of repeated door lock failure on a 4 month old 1.4 n-tec.
10-09-2011:Report of latch mechanism of rear seatback refusing to release. But the answer is to give the latch lever a very quick tug.
30-07-2012:Front subframe bulkhead mounts prone to fracture on 2006 cars. See MoT files 2006.
27-03-2013:Injection pumps of 1.5 dCi can fail after around 6 years if high lubricity diesel is not used.
13-06-2013:Cracks also reported in subframe bulkhead mounts on 2007 Notes. See MoT files 2007.
29-03-2014:Screeching sound on start up is ancillaries belt slipping on alternator pulley. Well known problem and belt needs to be replaced under warranty.
05-06-2014:Timing chain failure in 2006 Nissan Note with petrol engine. Quoted £1,000 engine out job to replace. Stretched timing chains have also been a problem with Nissan Micra.
06-06-2014:Passenger seatbelt became unstitched in 2010 Nissan Note 1.4 n-tec. Replaced foc without quibble.
12-04-2015:Knocking noise reported on 51k miles 2010 Note N-tec. Bonded front bushes of front subframe had detached and apparently whole front subframe needs to be replaced at vast cost. Has become a recurrent fault on Notes and an MoT failure. See: 13-6-2013 and 30-7-2012 and See MoT files 2007.
12-04-2015:Entirely separate report of coil spring failure of a 2008 Note a year ago, followed by a further recent failure of the replacement springs.
28-05-2015:Another report failure of both front springs on a Nissan Note. They are not 'pigtailed'.
28-02-2016:28,000 mile 2009/59 Nissan Note 1.6 automatic reported as not changing up into 4th.
27-04-2016:Yet another report of a broken n/s front spring this time on a 2012 Nissan Note.
13-11-2017:Report of 2008 Nissan Note 1.6 Tekna automatic failing its MoT due to failed subframe bushes 18 months after subframe bushes were replaced. See: 13-6-2013, 30-7-2012, 12-4-2015 and See MoT files 2007.
30-12-2017:Report of broken nearside suspension coil spring on 2012 Nissan Note at 70,000 miles.
09-02-2018:Report of excessive front tyre wear on 2009 Nissan Note 1.5 dCi 86 Tekna. Tyres only lasting 10,000 miles. Probably caused either by widely reported front subframe bushes failing or a coil spring failing.
23-05-2018:Report of no compression in No 4 cylinder of 2013 Nissan Note 1.4 at 37,000 miles.
12-08-2018:Report of 2007/57 Nissan Note being recalled for 2-3 hours work on the passenger airbag. Likely to be part of Worldwide Takata airbag recall that affects about 20,000,000 vehicles. See Recalls 28-11-2017 R/2017/226.
