2021 3rd Generation Nissan Note (E13)

[tweek79]

About 30/70 city to highway

[technetium]

Hi everyone. Posting for the first time as I would like to share my views on the Note. 

Unfortunately for me, I was in the market for a compact car (as my 1st car, and somewhat my family's 2nd car - the 1st is nearing its end of COE) although COE prices were rising every month. While shortlisting the viable cars, I did stumble on this thread and noted  many comments on the new Note (mainly how expensive it has become, and how Nissan/TanChong must be mad). There were also comparisons made to other cars in the range (although some did come across as comments made without actually test-driven any of the cars).

Hence I would like to share my views on the matter, having test-driven the Nissan Note e-Power, Honda Jazz Hybrid, and Hyundai Avante (and others but for me, those were the closest considerations). Perhaps this will help whoever is reading this forum to assess if the new Note is buy-worthy. 

 

Price

Admittedly, the previous generation of Notes have conditioned us to thinking it is a "entry-level" car for $60-80k. The new generation now comes in at over $100k, which is naturally quite a big a shock. 

However, do note the higher COE, and more importantly, the fact that hybrid systems does cost a fair bit more than conventional ICE engines. So while the price hike is real, I feel it isn't as crazy/shocking/outrageous as some posts imply. (In a few years time, the same group of people will be stating how Hyundai & Kia are crazy for selling S$180-200k EVs when they can buy a continental car for that price. All I can say is, that is true but not true - other EVs would probably be around or over S$200k as well, but are you looking for vehicle type or price?)

I feel the correct consideration is whether you need/want a Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), Hybrid, or Electric vehicle. And thereafter compare like-for-like instead. 

For me, the consideration of fuel savings (I do travel a fair bit), and the uncertainty in SG gov policies to promote electrification (rising petrol tax, road tax for ICE vehicles, many other forms of penalties) gave me a push towards Hybrid vehicles. I feel the time is not right for full-EVs yet as the charging network is not operational in the near term. Hence, I felt hybrid was a safe bet, at least for the next 5 years or so...?

And of course, I felt that I'd rather buy a new-new car than a old-new car. 

 

Comparison: Note vs Jazz vs Avante

With consideration of the price-range/car-size and the fuel consumption, I down-selected my shortlist to the 3 vehicles. Nissan Note e-Power, Honda Jazz Hybrid, Hyundai Avante. 

 

The Avante is a ICE vehicle but somehow can still supposedly do 18km/l, which is not that far from the 20+km/l touted by the 2 hybrids. Honestly, it gave a very good value of comfort+safety+tech for the price. The interior felt & looked premium (for its price), the safety systems are pretty complete (for the mid/higher trim), the infotainment and driver displays are nice. It comes with wireless AppleCarplay/AndroidAuto, and has rear aircon vents. So I can understand why some forum-users are suggesting this although it is not strictly in the same category. (For those considering cars like Toyota Altis or Kia Cerato, I strongly encourage you try the Avante.)

So why did I go for the Note instead of the Avante? The exterior styling is a bit too extreme for me, and ultimately my family was looking for a more-compact car, that is easier to drive / we don't actually need the extra space. 

 

The Jazz Hybrid is commonly viewed as the close-competitor to the Note. On paper, many would even claim it is much better. Having actually test-driven the car, I can say that the Jazz doesn't feel as responsive to accelerate which took away a lot of the joy when driving. The dash console also lost out quite significantly with a dated/budget look and feel (even the turn signal click-clacks sounded cheap somehow. And the mirror adjusting buttons were very basic/cheap to touch).

And of course, the exterior styling is definitely not something I'd go for / you may need to spend a bit more to get kits/decals to modify the look...

Though I must give it point for the intelligently designed rear seats, which can be folded in many ways to give even more space. I hope this can be the standard for compact cars going forward, but sadly I suspect IP won't allow.

 

For the Note, I really liked the nappa leather seats, the front cabin comfort, and the infotainment console +driver display look. The exterior looks good to me, and is just "hatchback"-ed enough to not be another pretentious mini-SUV. It felt nippy during my test-drives, although I cannot comment on driving above 80-90km/hr as I didn't get to go on the expressway. I am honestly quite worried about it running out of "power" at higher speeds (although I guess its a good anti-speeding feature, which I have been caught a couple of times...). May update again when I get my car. 

Sadly there is only wired Carplay/Auto (not wireless), and no blindspot monitoring. Those would have been sweet icing on the cake.

The back cabin is also a bit spartan with hard pastics, no USB/aircon of any kind, and no armrest - kinda shows that the car is built to a price-point BUT I must say I don't really care about the passengers. I'm the driver or at most the front passenger hehe. Would be good if they were better though. 

And yes, the rear brakes are drum brakes which is like a grave sin in 2021 as pointed out by many users, but I do wonder if it helps with the regenerative braking to restore power to the batteries (yes, like other EVs, the Note regenerates energy to the battery when braking. It also has single-pedal driving which helps restore more energy and feels quite interesting - it felt like engine brake of a manual car and reminds me of drive-learning days...)

Ultimately, the 10year battery warranty also dispelled enough doubts for me (seeing how their early Leaf batteries had quite a few issues). All-in-all, I do quite like the exterior look of the new Note, at least much better than the previous drabs Nissan was coming up with. I think the upcoming Ariya looks better but also likely more expensive.. 

 

So yep, the above are my thoughts having visited the showrooms and test-driven the cars (and others). In the end, for the reasons above, I have placed an order for the Note and am waiting for my car to come. 

Just wanted to share some thoughts on the matter, and hope this will be helpful for those who are genuinely considering to purchase and is looking through the forum for guidance of sorts. Unfortunately, not paid or related to Nissan/TCM in any way (although if Nissan/TCM wanna pay me I won't mind! Contact me please. Help subsidise my car!).

 

 

Bonus: Type of Hybrid

Marketing aside, the e-Power is a "Series-hybrid", different from most other cars which use "Parallel-hybrid" (and no, "Mild-hybrid" Is NOT actually considered hybrid). IMO there is no clear better/worse between series/parallel, they are just different with their own pros and cons.

I'd recommend researching more on Series/Parallel Hybrid systems (independent of the marketing terms) on Google for some interesting general knowledge. 

 

 

 

 

[phozt]

@technetium I looked at both the e-power note and jazz e:hev. Got neither. Note does feel quite comfortable for me in the driver and front passenger seat, but the deal breaker for me was that tan Chong decided to cheap out on the tonneau cover. You may not need a tonneau cover in Japan, but this is a necessity when driving in Singapore and Malaysia, unless you want to come back from your meal/errant with a smashed in rear window.

[Didu]

19 hours ago, technetium said:

Sadly there is only wired Carplay/Auto (not wireless), and no blindspot monitoring. Those would have been sweet icing on the cake.

As I do not keep Bluetooth constantly running on my phone, plugging in a USB cable or turning on Bluetooth takes about the same effort for me. 😁

[technetium]

@phozt Yeah, agree with you on this! (That's why I already arranged for a aftermarket add--on haha)

Yes. Wish TC could have provided for everyone. Likewise for the rear seat arm rest, I've seen online reviews where overseas models have the armrest. Not sure if it's distributor added/optioned. 

[Rm2s]

@technetium Congratulations on your new car.

You could convert the wired CarPlay to wireless with this adapter.

https://cplay2air.com/

 

[Westguy]

Got some enquiries on the specs of this car. Does it come with the following features?

 

Daytime Running Lights - 

Rain-sensing wipers - 

Walk-away auto lock - 

Tweeters on the A-pillar - 

TPMS - 

Camera on windshield to read speed of road signs - 

Front Parking Sensors - 

360 deg camera - 

Lane keep assist(if stray out of line steering wheel will vibrate or try to keep in current lane) - 

[Goldenvodka]

Hello to the owners of note. How is the vehicle? Any issues since year 2021 and by the way does the Singapore version of note comes with the single pedal driving mode?

Edited April 15, 2023 by Goldenvodka

[kitemansg]

On 4/15/2023 at 5:28 PM, Goldenvodka said:

Hello to the owners of note. How is the vehicle? Any issues since year 2021 and by the way does the Singapore version of note comes with the single pedal driving mode?

I just took delivery of the E13 two weeks ago. My qashqai 2.0 was reaching 10 years and it doesn't make sense to renew COE as CAT B COE was (and will be) very high.

I was looking for a CAT A B&B car for the next 10 years and seems like Note E13 is the cheapest bybrid (even comparing with ICE) I can find in the market, TC offered me a good deal with the trade in, the rest is history. 

Loving the drive expecially the one pedal, hardly need to touch the brake except when coming into stationary. Petrol consumption is good in my persepctive clocking average > 20km/l. Highest was 25+ km/l. Nimble and fast car when starting from stationary. No issue on expressway overtaking as it is a EV motor driven car. I drive into JB quite often hence the auto-hold is nice especially during jam.

All good, no complaints so far.

My priority for choosing the ride is cost as I am a retiree. For the fact that it is one of the cheapest in the market, with low road tax, hybrid (low running cost), it doesn't take me long to decide.     

[Akuihi]

Hi all, Can I check if the the Nissan Note e-power made and assembled in Japan? or it is assembled in one of the Southeast Asian countries?

[Kiteman]

On 4/24/2023 at 6:25 PM, Akuihi said:

Hi all, Can I check if the the Nissan Note e-power made and assembled in Japan? or it is assembled in one of the Southeast Asian countries?

Note in Japan, Kicks in Thailand. 

[Junyanyap]

Hi all, looking at getting an used nissan note epower. Any issues with the car? How's the real world fuel consumption on maybe 50/50 city highway driving? 

[ammarramyx]

Hi I have a 2021 note and I am having troubles with the headlights. does anyone had this problem?

[Noteworthy]

To all the Note owners, are there any specific accessories that you have purchased that have made the driving experience better?

For the so called "harsh" ride at the rear, are there any after market shocks that can help improve?

Anyone got the new facelift model?

[Terbaik]

New user here but considering Honda Jazz Crosstar or Nissan Note e-Power

Just to give my background:

Currently single but have to take care of aged parents with mobility issues, and still open to marrying and starting my own family. So may need more space and need to carry heavier things.

The Note's price is more attractive than the Jazz Crossstar and the 10 years hybrid battery warranty by TC is sweet. However, from my test drive and reviews here, it seems that once the car passes the 70km/h mark, the engine may be very noisy. Also, the rear seats are not very comfortable compared to the Crossstar. But Nissan e-Power technology is attractive and the modern "mouse" gear is cool, since it is essentially an EV powered by petrol.

The Crossstar looks less appealing than the Note and it doesn't help that KM only covers 5 years of hybrid battery warranty, although they assured me that the insurance will cover any battery issues. Driving wise, the steering wheel feels more stiff and the technology is a bit less updated than the Note (normal gearstick and the driving screen feels old). And it is pricier. But the rear seats are very comfortable and even has an armrest for those who need to rest their arms. The body colours are more pastel which are good for our kind of weather.

The Crossstar feels like a B&B car while the Note feels sporty.

Just wondering what will you guys recommend as per my profile.

Edited July 9, 2024 by Terbaik