The Nissan Note, not a new car but one that has been recently face lifted, so now is a good time to revisit it and find out if they have been able to improve on an already successful receipt.

The original Note was an underrated car, overshadowed a lot of the time by its bigger brother the Qashqai. Based on the current generation Micra, the majority of the mechanicals remain the same as before, with the only a subtle tweaking to the gear ratio’s, done to improve the cars fuel consumption and reduce the CO2 figure.

There are three models now available, the Visia, Acenta and range topping Tekna with a choice of three engines, a 1.4 petrol, a 1.6 petrol and the 85bhp version of their excellent 1.5 diesel. In addition to this should you not want to change gears yourself an automatic is available on the 1.6 petrol. It is not an expensive car, with prices starting at £9,795, rising to £13,965 for the fully loaded Tekna. Couple that with a maximum of group 6 insurance, and a 119g/km CO2 output (£35.00 per year road fund licence) for the diesel models and this is a very economical vehicle to run. The car I tested was a mid range 1.6 Acenta with the optional automatic gearbox.

From the outside little has changed. A revised front grill, bumper, bonnet and front and rear lights distinguish it from the earlier version. The rest of the boxy bodywork remains the same but this is no bad thing, either from a practical or aesthetic point of view. Styling still retains cues from both the Murano (front) and X-Trail (rear) bigger brothers. The overall appearance is starting to look slightly dated although remains stylish with out the utilitarian looks of some of its competitors,

Inside is where previous owners will see the biggest change. The last Note, whilst having a pleasingly designed and well built interior, looked relatively cheep courtesy of some shiny hard scratchy plastics. Whilst, like the exterior, it retains the same overall design the majority of the plastics have an improved feel and look, being substantially better than those used in the previous generation car. The rest of the interior is business as usual, which includes clear instrumentation, folding front passenger seat with storage area and airy cabin courtesy of a large glass area. One of the best features though, also brought across from the previous model, is the sliding rear seat which offers a large range of travel, ideal for people who need to vary the ratio of rear seat to boot space. It’s so good you wonder why more manufacturers don’t fit this as standard across their ranges.

Sitting in the driver’s seat is slightly different. Whilst there is plenty of head and leg room, there is a feeling of narrowness. It first manifests itself when you realise the space between you and the front passenger is less than in some of its rivals. It also becomes apparent on the road, where it is a positive rather than a negative point, when you thread it down narrow country lanes, or tuck in to tight parking spaces.

The 1.6 petrol Note is eager and accelerates with ease, but the engine can sound somewhat vocal at high revs. Using the lower half of the rev band though means you can make swift progress without disturbing your passengers. When a motorway cruising speed is reached, the engine settles in to a much more agreeable tone. It is not hush hush refined like its bigger brother the Qashqai but it not fatiguing and conversations can be held easily without raising your voice. The gearbox, whilst of the old school four speed torque converter variety is quick reacting and well suited to its application. The car always feels spritely and willing, the quoted 0-60mph time of 11.7 seconds seeming a little pessimistic.

Some of the refinement can be attributed to the suspension set up. Shod with 15” wheels the Note’s ride and handling is well resolved. From the outset the compliancy of the ride is notable (forgive the pun) compared to may of its larger wheeled rivals. Because it rides on 65 profile tyres there is a level of compliancy that is becoming increasingly difficult to find. The fact the same basic wheel / tyre size and suspension set up is available across the range suggests that Nissan believe they have found the ideal balance that doesn’t need to be messed with.

Fortunately, the ride comfort is not at the expense of the handling, which is both fun and engaging. Ultimately the Note has been set up to understeer, but the grip levels are high enough for that rarely to become a problem on the open road. Body roll, whilst evident is kept in check, although the damping could do with some more work as sometimes on the faster sections of road the car could become slightly floaty. Over the test route, which included both motorway and fast country lane work, the Note was always a faithful companion, the softer setup working well on some of the less well surfaced B roads, undoubtedly retuning a quicker A to B time than a car with firmer settings. Whilst the steering was not the most feel some, it still offered a degree of feedback whilst being quick and accurate.

Despite being pedalled relatively hard over the 150 mile test route, I retuned an impressive 35mpg. The fuel tank however is not that large, taking only 35 litres of 95 grade unleaded from an indicated empty. This would give a range in the region of 250 miles if driven in a spirited manner, although I would expect to see closer to 320 miles on a run.

If you need space and flexibility but with a low cost, then the Note should definitely be on your shopping list. It’s not the most modern car of its type on the market and the fact Nissan have dropped the 102bhp diesel version does limit its appeal to some. Overall though, this is a pleasing practical car which is also able to put a smile on your face when the time arises.