My husband had been looking for a used car for his commute since last year, and at the end of last month, our home welcomed the Nissan Note e-POWER NISMO S. Since he’s been using it not only for commuting but also for touring Shikoku and driving the Royu Driveway, I decided to ask him about his impressions of the NISMO.

The NISMO Arrives at Our Home

Delivery day was unfortunately rainy. That day, my husband took a break from work to go directly to the dealer and pick up the NISMO.

After signing the paperwork and receiving explanations about the warranty and maintenance, he quickly took delivery of the car. Since he’s already familiar with my mother’s Note e-POWER X, he said he didn’t have any trouble getting used to the controls or usability.

When I asked, “What was your first impression after driving off the lot?” he said,

I gently pressed the accelerator in ECO mode, and compared to the regular Note e-POWER, it felt much more powerful. The regular Note feels a bit heavy at takeoff in ECO mode, but the NISMO S hardly feels that weight and accelerates smoothly. It’s a compact car that never feels underpowered, so I think very few people would find it sluggish.

When I asked, “Are the regular Note and the Note NISMO S really that different inside?” he explained,

The motor in the NISMO S is actually the same specification as the one in the Serena e-POWER, which weighs 500kg more than the Note. Looking it up, it has 100kW (136PS) at 2985-8000rpm and 320N·m (32.6kgf·m) of torque at 0-2985rpm. The numbers might not seem impressive at first glance, but notice the torque range: “0-2985rpm.” That means it delivers 320N·m of torque from zero rpm — the true thrill of an electric motor. Feeling maximum torque the instant you press the accelerator is incredibly satisfying.

I’ve driven this NISMO a few times myself, and the instant acceleration really is unlike anything I’ve experienced before — it feels almost like a linear motor car. (Though I’ve never actually ridden one, lol)

How’s the Ride Comfort of the Note NISMO?

My husband had watched reviews and videos beforehand and was a bit worried because many said the ride is quite stiff. However, after driving it, he personally doesn’t think it’s that hard.

It feels like the average stiffness of an imported car’s suspension, plus a bit more. But if you’re used to the softer suspension of Japanese cars, you might find it a bit different. Even on rough roads, it doesn’t deliver the harsh shocks or unpleasant jolts you’d expect from a tuned street racer, but it doesn’t completely eliminate strong vibrations or vertical motions under heavy input, so there’s some roughness. Honestly, I wish they had invested a bit more in the dampers. Also, the NISMO’s standard seats are quite thick, which might help with ride comfort.

I also rode in it and didn’t find it hard at all — it felt smooth. I thought, “If people say this is stiff, then I probably couldn’t handle a Porsche with its famously firm ride…”

Regarding the ride, my husband said,

If you ask if the ride is perfectly flat, there are cars that feel flatter, so I wouldn’t give it a perfect score. It’s more like a passing grade. It’s obviously fine on smooth pavement, but when you pass over a series of uneven patches at a certain speed, the damper’s rebound timing doesn’t always match, and you can feel a bit of vertical shaking then. The Porsche’s suspension is stiffer, but the ride comfort is actually better in the Porsche. I wish the Note’s suspension had quicker, smoother shock absorption.

I’ve also noticed occasional “vertical shaking” lasting a few seconds on some roads, but overall it’s no problem for everyday driving.