Nissan Note reviews

Bought the car at 11 months old in 2012 (previously owned and registered to Nissan) with 7,000 miles on clock. Had to replace front tyres at 16,000 miles and rear at 19,000. Had to replace 2 broken springs at 16,000. Needed new brake pads and discs at 20,000 miles. Air conditioning failed at 18.000 due to fractured high pressure pipe, replacement £129 for pipe plus £400 labour. Heater blower resistor card failed at 19,000 and cost £58 to replace, but appeared to fail after 9 months, but fault traced to bad connection to card due to loose wire in connector which was replaced. I have previously had good reliable Nissans, starting in the late 1970's with a 180B, followed by a Stanza, Bluebird, and Sunny. All replaced at around 100,000 miles. All tyres lasted around 35/40,000 miles, and never had to replace brake discs or springs, but all were manufactured in Japan. (Yes I know the last bluebird was made in Britain, but I had the diesel model which was only made in Japan). My Sunny was also diesel but British built with engine manufactured in Japan. Due to increasing prices In 2,000 I purchased a Skoda Falicia diesel estate which was 100% reliable and only required replacement brake discs at 70,000 miles. In 2008 I p/x it for a Chevrolet Tucuma 2ltr automatic as I developed a problem with my left leg (which was cured 2 years later) but I only kept this car, which was also 100% reliable, for 4 years due to fuel consumption of between 26 and 29 mpg. I decided I would return to Nissan for my next car, deciding on the Note, the biggest mistake of my 63 years of car ownership. I am 80 and bought my first car when I was 17. I suspect the problems may be due to Nissans association with Renault. The engine (good performance and economy) is the loudiest diesel I have ever known and sounds like an old fashioned typists pool, both at tick-over and on acceleration, but its a Renault engine, not Nissan. Likewise the faulty blower resistor card was made in France, but internet research says this is a common fault and advise replacing it with one made in China for Nissan. Don't know who to blame for fast wearing discs and pads, tyres and poor quality springs but suspect this use of poor quality components is also due to Renault influence. I'll never consider buying another Nissan unless I'm 100% sure it's pure Nissan made in Japan.

In 2000 when pregnant with my second child I started to work PT and lost my company lease car. I bought a preregistered (new) Nissan Almeira which was the most reliable car I have ever known, apart, perhaps from a Honda Accord in which I travelled a few miles. I had the Almeira for thirteen years. In spite of spending, literally years sitting in the drive, as I lost my licence on several occasions for medical reasons, it only ever once needed a battery charge and apart from tyre changes and a set of new windscreen wipers it was no problem. In 2013 I was persuaded to enter the Motability scheme and chose a Qashqai which apart from being too large for my limited driving skills caused me not a moment’s worry. The garage administration was another issue! In 2016 when my Qashqai came up for renewal I chose a Note: it was small, allegedly economical and all I needed. Unfortunately due to the government’s decision that all disabled people were either morons or dishonest I lost my PIP on the word of a nurse who did not understand my disability. The choice was buy the car, with a loan or become housebound and lose my business/job. I bought the car and it has caused me trouble ever since. The electronics inside the car: bluetoothing, speed limiter, sat nav had all had their off days despite trips to the garage. Also the driver’s inertia reel seat belt does not go back into the reel without help. It was last in the garage two weeks ago when I was told that all was now well. In addition, the service assistant, “warned” me that not all work was under warranty. I have the car back, the inertia reel seatbelt is inert unless I give it a shove and the speed limiter does not work. Incidentally, the economy of the Note is on a par with the much larger Qashqai. Avoid like the plague is my advice.

I bought the diesel version for economy - it delivers around 65mpg with modest driving and the road tax is low. However the engine is particularly noisy, even for diesel. There are lots of features - particularly useful are the Bluetooth integration, USB connection for playing audio from a phone or memory stick and of course the sat nav. However, map upgrades for the sat nav would cost considerably more than a complete new (3rd party) sat nav. The interior space is flexible, with lots of pockets, a lidded compartment on the dashboard above the centre console, the boot has a sub-shelf to bring the level to the same height as the tailgate, but there is more space underneath the sub-shelf if you need it, and the rear seats slide forward to make more space. On the downside, the build exudes lack of quality: there are annoying buzzes and rattles that can't be located, something in the rear door sounds loose but can't be located, the windows always seem about to fall out of their tracks (although the garage assures me they are OK). The car also pulls intermittently to the left, although on repeated visits to the garage I'm told they can find no problem. I've had to have 2 repairs done to the suspension, presumably as a result of driving through too many potholes, but they are the same potholes that other friends' cars drive through and they don't need fixing! Overall, it could be a great car if it were built better.

I acquired my vehicle as a second owner three years ago and my repair costs have outweighed my initial cost. The parts I have changed and repaired so far includes: Car boot door hatch, air conditioning, driver window wind up switch and just this week while driving the car stopped without any warning in the middle of the road, locked itself, the gear level couldn't move, key was stuck in the ignition. AA team could not diagnose the problem since the car was non responsive, they contacted Nissan team over the phone who reckoned the problem was gearbox had locked itself. The vehicle was towed to Nissan dealer garage, took them four days to diagnose and eventually reported the problem as main wiring harness costing £1800 but not definite solution. No need to pay such money without any guarantee and all inconveniences. So, it means scraping it off! and left without any car after all the repairs and replacements. Nissan, if you are aware of the manufacturer faults with this model, why not just recall them. It is not ethical for genuine customers like me to suffer like this. Before I bought this Nissan note, I had a Hyundai accent for 11 years and no issues at all, I thought I was upgrading little did I know I was degrading myself. I am happy to do all in my ability to bring awareness to innocent Nissan Note owners who might experience the same in the future or have but think it is their fault.

My second Mk1 Nissan Note and I bought this one to get another Mk1 version when the Mk2 (which I didn't like!) came out although I'm sure the one I bought at launch had several years running left. Originally targeted at families its a great car for older people and if you've still a bit of boy racer in you the 1.6 engine can really scream! Handles like a go-kart and because of this and the roads falling apart and speed humps it's a harsh ride. Fuel consumption is really what you make it - I've had 60+ mpg (calculated not from the speedo!) on a tankful but generally average about 45 urban and country roads. There's lots of adjustable load space - I've carried freezers, 3m planks and 4 adults' luggage touring in Europe. There were some nice touches on the earlier models like folding mirrors and seatback tables which they took out of the later models but it's got most of the things you'd want for everyday use like auto wipers, sat-nav, mp3 disc player. Biggest loss for me was removing the one touch demist button which was brilliant - can't believe that saved many pennies! Early cars had a problem with the auxiliary drive belt which screamed when wet - Nissan denied this of course but on the later model the belt is about 3 times the width! Neither car had problems except the washer non-return vale seized, cost £25, made in Sweden, but repaired it myself! All in all I believe a very underrated car.

I bought the car at 2years old in 2010 with just under 10000 miles on the clock. Since then I have added 20000 miles each year and it has proved extremely reliable and economical. Apart from replacement of brakes and tyres the only other parts are the usual light bulbs and wiper blades. For a 1400cc engine it performs surprisingly well; I was expecting to need to change gear far more frquently than my previous car as I live in a particularly hilly area but this was not the case. I often need to transport guitars and amplifiers and the boot is plenty big enough for this, especially if the rear seat is slid forward. My wife is not a particularly confident driver and wouldn't consider driving my previous car, a Nissan Primera, apart from in emergencies. She is very happy to drive the Note on a daily basis as its size is easy to manouevre in traffic and easy for parking. We regularly travel long distances for holiday or weekends away and find the car very comfortable and well suited to long stints on the motorway. The only drawback from my point of view is that it is slightly too tall, making it difficult to reach when washing or putting bicycles on the roof carrier. I look forward to seeing the new model.

While not a very big car on the outside, it is like a tardis on the inside. It seats 5 adults comfortably with the back seat in the back position, lots of leg and head room, even my 6' 5" husband can sit in it reasonably comfortably. My version features some boards in the boot which make it easy level loading for small amounts of shopping etc, but if I am carrying a lot, the boards come out leaving a hollow and the back seats slide forward to give a very generous boot space. The back seats also fold forward easily to enable quite large loads to be accommodated. I do quite a lot of short and medium journeys and average about 40-42 mpg which is very satisfactory, the insurance is quite low, and yet it is quite happy to cruise along at 70mph without strain. The slightly higher driving position is excellent for those with mobility problems and short people. A great vehicle for anybody!

A great car! I will have had my Note for 8 years by the time I replace it next summer (and I already have the buyer lined up). For versatility (ability to switch between carrying people and loading with 'stuff', 100%. For running costs, 100% (best I've ever known). for hiding places for keys and money, 100%. Sometimes, on long journeys (around 5 hours) I have experienced leg pain but I can fiddle around with the seat settings and find a more comfortable seating position for driving. My only criticism would be the car's appearance which is very boxy, and its least attractive feature (didn't put me off buying one though!). However, the new Note has sorted that out and that is what I will be buying next Summer when I have the funds.

I bought the Note second-hand when my Labrador started to struggle getting in and out of my elderly Range Rover. I chose it because I already had a Nissan 350Z which has proved to be reliable, it is built in England and I don't like any of the shooting brakes currently available. It has proved to be a super little car. It takes off quite fast and cruises very happily on the motorway. The downside is that it is a guzzler of fuel for a relatively modern small car (35.8 to the gallon, which is only marginally more than my 20 year old Discovery!) I intend to keep it until it falls apart but I'll never become emotionally attached to it the way I was to the Rangey or am to the Disco.

It has proved to be a good family car which both myself and my wife are happy driving, The design makes it easy to get our two small children in and out and the sliding rear seat makes useful additional luggage space when the children are in the back. Fuel consumption is good averaging about 45mpg. The car has proved reliable and was delivered fault free and had no faults at it first service which is tribute to the Nissan quality. The Nissan Garage provide a good quality service. The roof mounted luggage box provides additional luggage space for family breaks.

This is my second Nissan Note, the first bought second hand at three years old, this bought new a year ago. I find them a very practical car, especially for head and leg room and access, as I carry occasionally elderly people. The luggage space is very versatile, especially with the rear seat sliding forwards to give more storage space when necessary. Nissan Notes appear to be highly reliable, I had few problems with my first car and none with my current one. Fuel consumption has been reasonable given that I do mainly short journeys.

This is my second Note and find them practical even if somewhat dated in technology these days (hence the new model out now). Driving position and seat comfort for me (with back problems) far outweigh any other difficulties. MPG is not as brilliant as more modern engines, but is adequate as I don't do high miles. Practical in load space and design, sitting slightly higher than an average saloon has many advantages. Sadly the new model has been lowered - a mistake in my view. All in all, not an exciting motor, but we don't all want that.

I had the older version Note for 9 years and loved it, was worried that the new note would not live up to expectations how wrong was I, It feels even bigger inside if that's possible, it is so comfortable, the only slight disappointment for me was that the auto transmission didn't seem to pick up as well as the 1.6 but then I discovered the ECO button was on and just switched it off when I need that extra power problem solved. Built in Sat Nav is a bonus. If you are considering the note I would say don't hesitate great car for the money.

I previously owned the top Nissan X Trail auto in which I did 107000 miles in seven years.It was fantastic so I chose another Nissan and improved Mileage from an average 24mpg to 44mpg. It does everything I want including frequent Grandchildren transport and taking me to clay shoots as a shooter and International referee. Plenty of room except I no longer take 4 - 6 bags of rubbish to the tip. It could take 4 but it is new! May miss the heated leather seats in the winter but the in car 'phone is a plus and the computer easy to operate.

The car is surprisingly spacious inside, seating 4 adults comfortably. Visibility is good at the front and sides,but the rear pillars are wide,obscuring too much. If the rear window were deeper it would improve rear visibility.Storage space is excellent and the car has a good range of features. It would benefit from having rubber sidestrips for protection of the body. The spare wheel should be a normal wheel ,not one for short use only.The car has been very reliable and I have achieved 60m.p.g.The tyres do seem prone to punctures.

I find the Nissan Note a comfortable and easy to drive car, with plenty of room for five people in relative comfort. With the seat down it makes a good load carrier, the downside is the 1.4 engine which is not the most eager and needs acceleration through the gears to make decent headway, which in turn can affect the running cost re fuel wise. On a long run though the overall MPG is not too bad and it drives well at the speed limits and it reasonably comfortable and quiet. Overall a good reliable car with few faults.

Small car, lots of space. I'm 6'3", 34" inside leg, plenty of legroom to drive plus, if I am driving, I could also sit behind myself in the rear passenger seat and still have great legroom. This is due to the rear seat being adjustable, backwards and forwards. Move it right back and legroom is increased but boot capacity is reduced, and vice versa. They say it's a 5 seater, but the rear middle seat is only really suitable for a child. Great mpg, over 80mpg on the motorway and over 50mpg around town.

I love the interior shaping & versatility. When the rear seats are put down it gives a completely flat surface. The shaping of the rear door giving a square back means equipment & my bee keeping hive parts can fit in easily which if the door was sloping would not be the case. The flat surface when the seats are down is level with the bottom of the rear door, there is no lip to lift items over. There IS a spare wheel, be it a space saver. There is also a storage area under the floor area.

Excellent friendly service from Howard Roberts, Not pushy at all. Car appeared to be as described or better. Very clean inside and outside. After owning the car for only two days we are so far very satisfied. Drives well, very roomy and feels like less than the 21,000 miles recorded. The only hiccough one of the remote keys did not work but this is being fixed. The car was somewhat pricey for it's age. Very satisfied, Excellent service. Les and Edna Dawson.

Now on my second Note, and find them very practical. Love the driving position, and I find with back problems one of the best seating layouts for me. Many similar vehicles have got the seating wrong, and are not comfortable on long journies. Petrol consumption is not brilliant, but the payoff is the rest of the car in practicality and comfort for me. New model looks interesting and much improved, but not quite so happy that they've lowered the height of it.