Nissan Note e-Power bags Japan Car of the Year award, beats out 86/BRZ and HR-V

Nissan has announced that the E13-generation Nissan Note and Note Aura have won the coveted 2021-22 Japan Car of the Year (JCOTY) award.

According to JCOTY’s committee, the reason why the E13 Nissan Note won the award was the combination of its driving dynamics, e-Power hybrid powertrain, high-quality interior, and affordable pricing.

This marks the fifth time Nissan has won this award. The little hatchback claimed 335 votes, beating out the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ duo (264 votes) and Honda HR-V (227 votes).

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Nissan Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta said: “We are honored to receive the Japan Car of the Year award for the Note, which represents the new Nissan along with the Ariya. The Note is equipped with e-POWER, a powertrain that will play an important role in the electrification that Nissan is promoting. With this award as encouragement, we will continue to deliver innovations that turn everyday driving into an exciting time for customers.”

Also Read: Nissan Note e-Power: We drove Malaysia's most fuel-efficient car that you can't buy (yet); 2.8L/100km

As a refresher, the Nissan Note’s e-Power powertrain features a naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre petrol engine that's hooked up to generator that sends power to the battery. And no, the engine does not drive the wheels at all. Driving the front wheels is the duty of the main traction motor, which produces 109 PS and 254 Nm.

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Because the Nissan Note isn't an EV per say, there's no need to plug the Note e-Power in to charge, like you would with the fully-electric Nissan Leaf; instead, you just refuel the car like any ICE car. Yet, at the same time, you get all the benefits of an EV – quiet operation, immediate torque, and smooth cruising – without any range anxiety associated with charger availability and wait times.