New Car Honours 2006

	It's the brainchild of a Japanese designer, who was worried that the arrival of his first child would mean he could no longer drive a good-looking car.

The world of small cars has changed beyond all recognition in the last decade - so much so that we've included a new category for 2006. So welcome to our inaugural Supermini MPV award. These are small cars that think big, maximising interior space, yet which remain light and nippy while costing pennies to run.

Nissan has clearly been paying close attention to developments in this sector because, when the Note was launched earlier this year, it set new class standards for its attention to detail, equipment, space and road manners. It's the brainchild of a Japanese designer, who was worried that the arrival of his first child would mean he could no longer drive a good-looking car - and so he came up with the Note! A curving roofline, wide track and striking nose and tail-lights give it a more purposeful appearance than any rival. But it also has a mature ride quality that eases long journeys, without being ponderous around corners. And build quality rivals that of the Honda Jazz.

But it's the Note's sheer size and thoughtfulness that make it so family friendly. As well as being bigger than rivals, the sliding rear seat, flip-up tray tables and twin-level boot floor are welcome design touches that boost versatility. Rear legroom is a match for cars a class above, and there's a simple functionality to this not-so-little Nissan. With two petrol engines and one diesel unit to choose from, there's a good range of power outputs, and the mechanical robustness is impressive, too. What's more, it's built in Britain and offers top value ą young families step this way!