The new Nissan Note received a four star rating in its round of Euro NCAP testing; the same score as the 2006 model.

Anything less than a five star rating is uncommon so it is disappointing to see the Note fall short here, especially as it is designed for families.

Of course it’s not just about laboratory stars when it comes to safety, and Nissan has included a raft of new technology on the Note to make it even safer in the real world. All boast six airbags as standard but opt for Tekna models and you’ll enjoy the firm’s new Safety Shield system too – it remains an option on the mid-range Acenta models.

There’s Blind Sport Warning, whose warning light illuminates then flashes should the driver indicate to pull out into following traffic hidden in their blindspot. And Lane Departure Warning ensures you keep between the white lines of the motorway thanks to a series of beeps and will adjust its sensitivity and actions to the speed the vehicle is travelling at.

With Around View monitor the Note has a rear-mounted camera that helps you park without hitting any obstacles by displaying the view on the car’s 5.8-inch screen. However it also boasts Moving Object Detection so if it sees a child or other car moving towards you while you are reversing your Note it warns you with both visual and audible signs.

And thanks to other cameras the device builds a 360-degree overhead view for a clear indication of what is around the car when manoeuvring at low speeds.

Something of a raison d’etre for this car, Nissan Note practicality is key to its appeal. So while it’s not as much fun to drive as the Ford Fiesta Nissan are directly targeting with this car, it is far more practical.

And this is especially apparent in the rear where the sliding seat bench means buyers can liberate more legroom than a Ford Mondeo, and more crucially a BMW 7 Series. And with that tall roofline, which reminds us more of a small MPV than a regular family supermini, there’s an abundance of headroom too.

That means adults can stretch out behind other adults.

It also means that boot space shrinks though, from 295 litres to 325 litres. Still there’s a handy 30-litre storage area under the bootfloor, which is itself adjustable for height, perfect for keeping under-used but mainstay items in place. And maximising this car’s carrying capacity by folding the rear seats flat offers a van-like 2,012-litres of loadspace to take advantage of.