Car Statistics: Nissan - Note Series 06 (4 stars)

Styling (3 stars)

Hardly a head-turner despite recent embellishments, but functional design means plenty of usable room on board - ideal for growing families.

Handling (3 stars)

It's no hot hatch but the Note feels athletic enough with featherweight steering and alert chassis responses.

Comfort (3 stars)

The Note's suspension was tuned specifically for European roads - the result is a firm but compliant ride motorway ride.

Quality (4 stars)

Too many cabin plastics are hard, but the Note feels solidly built and robust enough to handle the rough and tumble of family life.

Performance (3 stars)

Although the 1.6 litre petrol engine is zesty and keen, it's also noisy at higher revs, while the diesel feels sluggish and dull.

Roominess (5 stars)

This is where the Note excels - the cabin is lounge-like in size and crammed with intelligently configured stowage spaces.

Costs (4 stars)

Both petrol and diesel engines are dependably frugal. Insurance and maintenance costs are likely to be low too.

Value (4 stars)

Another bullseye - Note buyers get plenty of safety and luxury gear on even the base model, and certainly won't feel short-changed. The 2011 refresh added a range of equipment extras to the top-spec N-tec model as standard.

Stereo (3 stars)

All models come with a decent-sounding CD player, while the top-spec Note gets an uprated stereo with MP3 connectivity and sat-nav as standard.