In its most natural and most honest state, the 2019 Nissan Note Nismo in black metallic is a vehicle that makes its intentions absolutely clear from the very first glance and never once contradicts them. The black metallic finish is the ideal and perhaps the only fitting colour for a car wearing the Nismo badge, absorbing light with a dramatic intensity that gives the compact hatchback a presence that is far darker, far sharper, and far more purposeful than its modest dimensions might initially suggest. Over that black metallic canvas, the Nismo bodykit rewrites the Note's exterior story entirely, reshaping the front bumper into something lower and more aggressive, extending the side skirts with a tension and muscularity that grounds the car's stance, and closing the rear with a diffuser arrangement that signals this vehicle's performance credentials clearly and without apology. The Nismo red detailing threads through the bodykit with a precision and deliberateness that has become the visual signature of everything this division produces, a flash of colour against the black metallic that is instantly recognisable to anyone who understands what it represents and deeply desirable to everyone who encounters it for the first time. In black metallic with its full Nismo kit, this Note does not look like a supermini. It looks like a statement.

Step inside and the Nismo cabin delivers an interior experience that is as focused and as characterful as the exterior promises. Alcantara bucket seats command the front of the cabin with an authority and a tactile quality that is the preserve of genuine performance interiors, their sculpted, embracing form wrapping the driver and passenger in a material that is warm to the touch, grippy under lateral load, and unmistakably premium in every fibre of its construction. The lavish dark-grey seating and the Nismo themed interior appointments create a cabin environment that is cohesive, purposeful, and thoroughly sporting in its atmosphere, every detail from the Nismo stitching on the seats to the distinctive Nismo seatbelts that run their bold branding across the cabin contributing to a space that feels curated and complete rather than assembled from individual parts. The front and rear dashcam system maintains a vigilant, comprehensive watch over every approach and departure, adding a practical and reassuring layer of security to the ownership experience, while the 360-degree camera provides a complete, bird's-eye view of the vehicle's immediate surroundings that transforms parking and manoeuvring in tight spaces into an effortless and confidence-inspiring experience. Android Auto connectivity integrates the driver's digital world seamlessly into the cabin's interface, keeping navigation, communication, and entertainment perfectly accessible without distraction from the driving experience that the Nismo specification of this car demands to be enjoyed.

Beneath the surface, the 1,200cc hybrid engine powers the Note Nismo through Nissan's e-Power system, a hybrid architecture that is as technically fascinating as it is rewarding to experience on the road. The petrol engine operates exclusively as a generator, charging the battery that feeds a pure electric motor responsible for driving the wheels, and the result is a power delivery that is immediate, seamless, and deeply engaging in a way that no conventional petrol engine of this displacement can replicate. The electric motor's instant torque response gives the Nismo-tuned Note a sharpness and urgency off the throttle that makes every gap in traffic feel like an opportunity and every corner exit feel satisfying and precise. The 1,200cc unit operates quietly and efficiently in the background, ensuring that the battery is always adequately charged and the electric motor always has what it needs to deliver the performance the Nismo badge promises, all while keeping fuel consumption at a level that makes daily ownership of this sporting compact as practical as it is pleasurable.

The 2019 Nissan Note Nismo in black metallic is a vehicle that exists as living proof that size and performance are entirely unrelated considerations when the engineering and the intent behind a car are both pointing in the right direction. From the dramatic black metallic and Nismo kit exterior to the Alcantara-lined, dashcam-equipped cockpit within and the electric-hearted hybrid powertrain beneath, this Note has been taken to a place that is entirely its own, a place where compact dimensions meet genuine sporting soul and the result is something that is as thrilling to live with as it is to look at. In its natural state, it is extraordinary.