Nissan | Car Reviews | Honest John

370Z (2009 - )

Good: Great performance and wonderful engine, easy to drive quickly, seven-speed automatic transmission works well, the only £30,000 hairy chested sportscar.

Bad: Visibility isn't good, manual gearbox loved by some drivers but not by others, thirsty and expensive to run.

370Z Roadster (2010 - )

Good: Great feelgood roadster, looks and sounds great, V6 engine delivers storming performance.

Bad: Firm ride on 19-inch wheels, high CO2 means expensive tax, far from economical.

GT-R (2009 - )

Good: Mindblowingly quick and astonishingly capable, twin-turbo V6 develops 560PS, good value compared to anything else as fast.

Bad: Automatic only, not suited to traffic or driving in town, tricky to park, interior quality and finish are poor given the price.

Juke (2010 - )

Good: Radical looks make it stand out, an appealing mix between a hatch and an SUV, seats four in comfort, impressive direct injected 190bhp 1.6-litre turbo drives well.

Bad: Boot is on the small side, 4WD only comes with CVT auto, small rear windows make the back feel gloomy.

Leaf (2011 - )

Good: The first sensible sized electric car at a sensible price, ideal as a second car for short suburban runs or for use in the city, drives and handles very well indeed, the best EV so far.

Bad: Limited range of 100 miles means it cannot fully replace a petrol, diesel or hybrid family car, limited supply and at £25,990 not cheap.

Micra (2010 - )

Good: Low emissions and fuel consumption from 1.2-litre engine. Roomy and seats five. Decent value for money. Bluetooth as standard.

Bad: Lags behind most other small hatchbacks. Not as much hip and shoulder room as headroom. Interior feels cheap in places. Unexciting to drive. Air con not standard on Visia.

Murano (2008 - )

Good: Comfortable SUV, reasonable performance, pleasant and easy to drive, 2.5-litre diesel finally introduced in 2010.

Bad: Petrol model is bulky and thirsty, big triangular blindspot at base of nearside A pillar, diesel expensive at £37,950.

Navara (2005 - )

Good: Reliable and feels good quality, car-like interior, was the fastest pick-up in its class, useful rear hinged rear doors on crew cab.

Bad: Bigger than L200 and doesn't handle as well.

Note (2013 - )

NV200 (2009 - )

Good: Good quality small van, available as a useful seven seat MPV with reasonable luggage space, 1.5 litre dCi is economical, rides much better than most vans.

Bad: Fairly utilitarian.

NV400 (2011 - )

Good: Nissan's version of the Renault Master, wide choice of versions and bodystyles, long service intervals.

Bad: Interior quality not up to the standard of a Volkswagen Crafter.

Pathfinder (2005 - )

Good: Rugged looks, seven seats, strong performance, tidy handling and very capable off road, good value for money.

Bad: Adults will find the rearmost seats rather cramped, vague gearshift.

Pixo (2009 - )

Good: Cheap to buy new, low CO2 emissions and high economy mean it's cheap to run, available with an automatic gearbox, nicer seats than near identical Suzuki Alto.

Bad: Low rent features like stalk adjustable door mirrors.

Primastar (2006 - )

Good: Available as a nine-seater, reasonable safety kit and decent fuel economy.

Bad: Limited choice of trim levels.

Qashqai (2007 - )

Good: Very comfortable with a good quality ride, rugged and stylish looks, feels well built, strong dCi diesels, elevated driving position and good forward visibility.

Bad: Rear seats not as spacious as you'd expect, can be crashy over potholes on larger wheels, 2.0 diesel particulate filter problems, some quality problems.