In Acenta S guise, the Nissan NOTE adds a bulging equipment list to its other qualities. These include its cleverly designed cabin, low running costs and exemplary interior space and together, they make the little Nissan one of the top small family cars around.

Nissan's NOTE may have struck a chord with the car buying public but isn't exactly a purveyor of popular music. Coming out of the leftfield, this is a car that subverts the conventions laid down by the car market's established genres, albeit in a modest way cleverly calculated to convert more people than it alienates. Neither supermini, family hatchback nor compact MPV, the NOTE is tough to pigeonhole but Nissan is confident it has a potential chart topper on its hands and in Acenta S trim, it sounds particularly sweet.

Nissan's decision to move away from the conventional family hatchback market where its Almera effort had lived out its life in relative ignominy, was a brave one. These days, it also looks extremely well-judged. As alternatives to the likes of Ford's Focus and Vauxhall's Astra, the marque brought us the QASHQAI which mixed family hatch and compact 4x4 attributes and the Note which pulls a similar trick with the best bits of family hatches and compact MPVs. It's the NOTE Acenta S model we examine here and residing at the upper end of the Note line-up, it shows the Nissan in an attractive light.

The Acenta S is available with the full range of Note engine options. That means the range opens with a 1.4-litre 16-valve unit before stepping up to a 1.6-litre 16-valver and a 1.5-litre dCi diesel. This oil-burner has 86bhp but those seeking a bit more clout can opt for the range-topping engine, a 1.5-litre dCi diesel with a 103bhp output. None of the Notes are overly rapid with the 1.6-litre model posing the fastest 0-60mph time at 10.7s. The smaller petrol and the lesser diesel both manage the feat in around 13s and the range-topping diesel takes 11.1s. With 240Nm of torque at 2,000rpm, this flagship powerplant actually feels stronger in real world driving than the 1.6-litre petrol.

Refinement is generally good across the NOTE range and the car changes direction swiftly making it adept in an urban setting. It's also relatively compact so parking and other manoeuvres are made that much more straightforward. The standard gearbox is a five speed manual but there's a six speed manual for the more powerful diesel engine and the 1.6-litre petrol is available with a four-speed automatic.

"Designed to smooth the path of family life with its low running costs, versatile design and spacious interior."

The NOTE's interior is its key strength as designers have managed to achieve an abundance of space with a high degree of practicality. The lofty roof gives a light airy feel and legroom for rear seat passengers is very impressive. The roomy cabin can be attributed in no small part to the fact that the wheelbase of 2.60m is longer than that of cars like the Mk5 Volkswagen Golf. This available space can be optimised between luggage and rear passengers with the aid of a sliding rear bench seat as well as the usual folding arrangement. The NOTE's most interesting feature, however, is the split level luggage bay. Most would never know that beneath a flat loading deck there's a 250mm deep second layer that can keep valuables out of the way of prying eyes. Cup holders, bag holding hooks and umbrella stowing points also hint at the NOTE's attention to detail.

The designers have managed to avoid the formulaic box-on-wheels shape that afflicts the Nissan NOTE's small MPV contemporaries. It appears lower and longer with minimal rear overhang and quite a pronounced nose protruding at the front. On it, resides a slatted grille similar to that first seen on Nissan's Murano 4x4 as well as a pair of bulbous headlamps. The NOTE is squared-off at the rear with the natural roofline taking an unusual last-minute jerk upwards to maximise cargo capacity in the back.

Prices start at £11,995 and the Acenta S trim level sits one rung below the top of the NOTE range playing second fiddle to the top spec Tekna model. Nevertheless, it's very well specified with climate control, a 6 CD autochanger stereo with MP3 compatibility, Nissan's Intelligent Key system and automatic headlamps. These features come in addition to the basic specification of the ordinary Acenta model with runs to 15" alloy wheels, a trip computer, electric windows and a plethora of storage boxes and cubbies. Despite this, the price differential between the Acenta and the Acenta S is only £400, extra cash with many buyers will consider well worth finding. Inside, the Ascenta S the cabin look is enhanced by flashes of sliver trim that contrast with black inserts on the seats and the door linings.

Your view on the NOTE's value proposition depends on which rivals you align it with. It's a touch expensive in comparison to the top line of five-door superminis but it trumps this class of vehicle in terms of interior space. Compared to larger family hatches and MPVs, it looks good value. Most buyers who regularly travel with rear seat passengers will look for something larger and more expensive than a supermini but the NOTE can fulfil this role and looks good value as a result.

The lack of any barnstorming performance engines helps make the NOTE's running costs refreshingly low across the board. The diesel engines in particular do sterling work with the entry-level unit capable of returning 57.6mpg with CO2 emissions of 129g/km. The more powerful oil-burner is scarcely any more expensive to run with its 55.4mpg economy and emissions of 136g/km. On the petrol front, buyers can expect emissions of 150 and 156g/km from the 1.4 and 1.6-litre units respectively along with economy of 44.8mpg and 42.8mpg. Insurance groups are 4 and 5 across the board so, again, the NOTE is not a car that's going to cost the earth to run.

Buyers can expect residual values to fall slightly faster than more mainstream offerings with the NOTE likely to prove tricky for buyers to get a handle on. This could present a great opportunity for those in the know to get their mitts on a bargain with Nissan's excellent reliability record making the car an even more attractive ownership proposition.

Nissan's NOTE is a great small family car that majors on practicality and space. In Acenta S trim, it comes extremely well-equipped and priced attractively. The engines are competent and produce low running costs although performance is a little underwhelming. The Note is an unorthodox choice in the scheme of the wider family hatch market but by focusing on the needs of cost-conscious family buyers, it has found a ready niche that the well-judged Acenta S derivatives should help it exploit.

Excitement isn't really on the agenda with the Nissan NOTE, although it does handle perfectly competently. By the same token, it's not a car that makes much of a fashion statement. What it does do is smooth the path of family life with its low running costs, versatile design and spacious interior. If those sound like your priorities, the NOTE makes a compelling pitch.

TOP 4 NOTE DEALS

The results below show the top NOTE deals on buyacar

	Nissan Note 1.6 Acenta S 5dr Spec edn Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £215	Saving £1,524	Price £11,194
	Nissan Note 1.4 Acenta S 5dr Spec edn Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £199	Saving £1,453	Price £10,481
	Nissan Note 1.6 Acenta S 5dr Auto Spec edn Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £234	Saving £1,573	Price £12,026
	Nissan Note 1.5 dCi Acenta S 5dr [103] Spec edn Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £249	Saving £1,518	Price £12,618

typical 12.64% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000