Nissan announced the introduction of the Note compact minivan

The new Nissan NOTE is a roomy five-door hatchback that combines innovative styling and practicality with a strong sporting flavour. It is aimed at parents who have a need for a car to match their busy lives, but who don't want to stop having fun behind the wheel. The NOTE has a dynamic stance and distinctive styling cues, which will appeal to buyers who have always considered design as an important priority when they're shopping for a car. But good style and fun to drive does not mean that the NOTE cannot meet the needs of busy families with a limited budget. Stretched so it has a longer wheelbase than many C-sector cars, it replaces the Almera Tino compact MPV and although it's not quite as big overall, it's just as practical, feels more spacious inside and is even more user-friendly and easy to drive. This is a family-sized car that really can seat tall teenagers or adults comfortably in the back yet, with its sliding rear seat, can adapt to carry a decent amount of luggage. Nissan did a lot of research among owners of rival models, who said that actually, they never used all of their car's functions, especially if they were complicated to work out or awkward to operate. There's no gimmicks in the Note, therefore: the rear seats do the usual split-folding thing, and slide backwards and forwards on their base by up to 160mm. Inside, there is a vast amount of space thanks to the wheelbase of 2600mm - longer than that of a VW Golf - and the space can be maximised thanks to folding rear seats, as well as a sliding rear bench. The Note shares many of its components with the Micra, as well as the latest Clio and the Modus, and these cars have generally been reliable so far - bar electrical/electronic issues, mainly with the Micra's keyless entry/ignition system or the multiplex wiring set-up. These glitches should now be sorted, so the Note should be pretty dependable, as it's all tried-and-tested mechanically. There will be four engine options: two 1.5 dCi diesels developing 50kW and 63kW (68 and 86PS) respectively, a 1.4-litre 65kW (88PS) petrol unit and a new 1.6-litre 81kW (110PS) petrol engine found in the new Micra 160SR and C+C. Source:Nissan