Nissan Note Reviews

Nissan is going on an electric offensive in 2025. The Japanese giant has been mired in financial difficulty but it has some tasty product in the pipeline to help it climb out of trouble. In a recent financial earning presentation the company revealed that two electric cars are due to arrive this year. We already knew the next-gen Leaf electric car was due this year, but the company revealed a compact EV is also on the way. This is expected to be the new Micra hatchback. The Micra was axed from sale in Australia in 2016, but is due to come roaring back as an electric car to battle some of the most affordable and accessible electric cars on the market. Confirmed details of the new Micra are scarce, but it will be based on the new Renault 5. This means Micra buyers can expect a 52kWh battery delivering a driving range of about 410km.  This is matched to an electric motor that makes 110kW and 245Nm delivered to the front wheels. A cheaper version is also available that shrinks the battery to 50kWh and reduces the electric motor outputs to 90kW/225Nm. It can charge at a max rate of 11kW when hooked up to an AC charger or 100kW when connected to a DC fast charging pylon. The smaller battery version drops max DC charging speed to 80kW. The Micra will have similar dimensions to the Renault 5, which means it’ll be less than 4000mm long, which makes it shorter than a Mazda2.  Despite its diminutive size it should have a roomy cabin compared to similar-sized petrol vehicles. This is because it is built on an EV-only platform that allows for the wheels to be pushed to all four corners and the removal of any mechanical link between front and rear, which will open up space in the cabin. Nissan Australia hasn’t confirmed the Micra for Down Under, but it is in the process of rejigging its entire model line-up over the next few years. The company’s local boss, Andrew Humberstone, said late last year it will launch 11 new vehicles before March 2027. A new Patrol 4WD, Navara ute and Leaf and Ariya electric SUVs are confirmed. The addition of the Micra to the local line-up could help the brand navigate the Federal Government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). This policy fines carmakers for selling high-polluting vehicles, but those sales can be offset by selling electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids. Nissan currently has none of those vehicles on sale since the current Leaf was discontinued.

The most economical car argument is still a valid one, despite the fact that oil prices have stabilised around the world.

The 2025 Nissan Qashqai costs less than before, but all is not what it seems, and you need to be quick!

Hugely successful and wildly influential, the British-built Nissan Qashqai has set the pace in small SUVs globally since 2007, but is more of a niche player in Australia. This may change with the third-gen model's MY25 facelift, bringing fresh styling, cabin updates and more e-Power hybrid variants, as well as an industry-leading warranty. The improvements elevate an already premium proposition.

Utes are Australia’s most popular type of vehicle, but which models offer the best resale value when the time comes to selling them? CarsGuide’s analytics team crunched the numbers so that we could bring you this exclusive report. 

There will be no Nissan and Honda merger.

Nissan’s new Leaf is going through a massive transformation. The little electric hatchback set Nissan’s EV agenda, but it was never the best looking or most practical electric car out there.

A proposed merger between Honda and Nissan, with the potential to create the world’s third biggest carmaker, appears to have stalled, with the main point of contention being Nissan’s reluctance to accept ‘subsidiary’ status as part of the deal. According to Bloomberg sources close to the discussions confirm Nissan’s current position “could jeopardize talks between the two carmakers to join forces”. Following initial talks in March 2024, Honda and Nissan put the operational wheels in motion by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last December, with the possibility that Nissan’s Alliance partner, Mitsubishi, could join the party in a collective bid to conquer increased competition, especially from emerging Chinese challenger brands. Nissan’s board is scheduled to meet today at the company’s Yokohama HQ where, according to Bloomberg’s sources, it appears likely to vote down Honda’s proposal to buy Nissan’s shares and make it a subsidiary. For context, Honda’s 7.3 trillion yen ($76 billion) valuation is nearly five times higher than Nissan’s and there is no appetite from the latter’s other Alliance partner, Renault (which owns 36 per cent of Nissan), to enter these ‘merger’ talks. Rather, the French giant is said to be primarily concerned with Nissan extracting a premium for its stake if Honda takes control. Officially, Honda and Nissan continue to work towards mid-February (delayed from late January) for release of a combined framework, but the Nissan board’s allegedly mixed sentiment in response to Honda’s offer could still throw a spanner in the works. Target timing for the announcement of a final structure is June this year with a listing of shares in a joint holding company scheduled for August 2026. It's worth noting other regional outlets including the The Asahi Shimbun and Nikkei Asia have reported that the two companies are on the edge of calling it quits, so this week’s Nissan board discussions are clearly critical to the deal’s ultimate success. Stay tuned!

Nissan has taken the extraordinary step of addressing speculation that the company is teetering on the verge of closing down globally. Outlining specific details of its Australian-market strategy that has been nearly 12 months in the making, Nissan Oceania Vice President and Managing Director, Andrew Humberstone, announced that the brand is going nowhere but up.

Sometimes the best cars are amongst the worst sellers.