Capsule Review: 2009 Nissan Note 1.4L

Mike Solowiow
by Mike Solowiow

So the United States finally gets the Nissan Cube, a funky, cool box. From initial impressions, it provides a unique and entertaining driving experience. Meanwhile, here in Western Europe, we get the Nissan Note, a Micra front-ended, Renault Modus-derived piece of crap. To say that I longed for a basic Ford Focus after driving this from Trier all the way to Maastricht, down to Luxembourg, and then back to Trier says a lot. The Note made me angry, so angry in fact that I actually contemplated sabotaging the thing so Sixt Car Rental would replace it. But then I realized they’d probably hand me the keys to yet another sour Note.



“Its a frugal, flexible, family MPV,” critics might say. “Of course a pistonhead will hate it.” Well, you’re wrong, son. The Nissan Note fails on all sorts of levels. First, while roomy, it’s not very clever. The Citroën Berlingo has all sorts of cubby holes, storage bins, moveable seats and interesting details. The Note’s only notable feature: it’s tall. A six-foot person with short legs will feel comfortable in the rear seats.

The Note’s build quality is distinctly un-Nissan. If Wiki ever launches a dictionary of digital sounds, the way the Note’s doors “twang” will be the main entry for “cost-cutting.” The MPV’s headliner was already wrinkled and smashed near the assist handles, with just 2000 km on the speedo. I’ve seen better carpet on a FSO Polonez, and at least the Polish commie-mobile’s floor didn’t shift around underfoot.

Which brings us to the drive. Paula, my Kabul-based Australian journalist friend, drove from Maastricht to Luxembourg City—and promptly got lost in Belgium. Getting lost in Belgium means meandering on tiny roads fraught with potholes and hidden bends that suddenly reveal the front end of a tractor. The Note may not have crashed into anything, but it crashed over everything. The steering proved so vague I returned to base with several samples of Belgian flora attached to my wing mirrors. Paula, in her third-world, combat-covering, edgy-journalist stance proclaimed the not-so-nimble Nissan “the Taliban Tote.”

Slow acceleration from a wheezy 1.4-liter I can stand. Cheapness I can understand. But when wrapped up in a mediocre driving experience without any clever details to compensate, I have to rate the Nissan Note up there with “Epic Fail” status. Americans: thank Nissan for the Cube. Europeans: in your next riots, burn Nissan Notes instead of Mercedes. That is all.

Mike Solowiow
Mike Solowiow

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  • Niky Niky on May 10, 2009
    The Note’s build quality is distinctly un-Nissan. Nissans have build-quality? Not if they're not made in Japan, they don't...
  • Kristjan Ambroz Kristjan Ambroz on May 10, 2009

    Trying some of Nissan's competitors might open your eyes that this sector of the market is simply dire. Had a rental Citroen C4 Picasso recently. It had some nice features and was adequately spacious. In terms of driving pleasure it was absolutely horrendous, the 109bhp diesel simply could not handle the weight of the car at all and the seats, while looking good would have all four of us wincing in pain after 2 hours. And that's a size and price class up on the Note :\

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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