2008 NISSAN Note 1.4L MPI 5MT (88 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After two years on the market, Nissan improved the Note MPV to comply with the Euro5 regulations, leading to lower CO2 emissions.

Nissan made the Note to compete in the compact segment with a small-sized MPV, thus offering it at a lower price on the market, but the result was a car that was hard to sell. Moreover, the world financial crisis affected the carmaker’s income.

Nissan noticed that the customers were not impressed by the Note’s appearance and extensively worked on that area. Thus, the grille was reworked and sported two parallel slats that met in the middle, supporting the carmaker’s badge. It also added a chromed trim at the bottom, just above the bumper. Moreover, the new headlights with clear lenses looked fresh. At the same time, the extended apron with a broad air intake improved the cooling area.

Inside, the most important upgrade was for the infotainment system, where the carmaker decided to install the Nissan Connect unit, which included the navigation and an HDD for storing MP3s. Even though the screen was small, it provided enough information for the driver. In addition, depending on the trim levels, the Note received better interior materials.

On the technical side, the carmaker softened the suspension settings, thus improving the comfort. Even though it claimed that it also improved the handling, that was true mostly on uneven surfaces. There were four engine choices, but only the 1.6-liter gasoline unit was available with a CVT, while the new, Renault-sourced turbodiesel powerplants were offered with a standard six-speed manual.