GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES
A pleasant, tidy and likable little runabout
Overview: Roomy little runabout that’s great for city driving
Pros: More rear legroom than many mid- size sedans
Cons: Not very engaging to
drive Value for money: Good
What I would change: Add a telescoping steering wheel
How I would spec it: For $ 16,398, the mid- range SV offers plenty of value
They don’t get much play in the buff book pages, but little economy hatchbacks make up a sizable portion of new car purchases. It’s a ferociously competitive segment, with automakers continuously introducing new technology and features previously unheard of at this price.
The Nissan Versa Note arrived in 2014, and immediately impressed with its voluminous interior space and long list of extras. It isn’t a new name for our market; the Versa has been available since model year 2007 as either a sedan or hatch. While combined sales of both, at 117,352 units, made it the top- selling subcompact in the U. S., the Versa sedan never sold well in our hatch-friendly Canadian market. The decision was made to drop it and relaunch the newly revised hatch as the Versa Note.
It was soon eclipsed by the arrival of Nissan’s tiny Micra; priced at $ 9,998, it became Canada’s lowest- priced new car. For anyone needing a small, city runabout, the Micra is pretty hard to beat. It’s also a blast to drive. However, the Micra is simply too small for anyone who regularly carries passengers and gear, and the base model delivers a fivespeed manual car with a cheap radio and that’s it.
On the other hand, the base Versa Note, which starts at $ 14,998, adds Bluetooth and air conditioning; for an extra $1,300, you can opt for a continuously variable transmission.
New for 2016, the mid-range SV model at $ 16,398 now includes last year’s optional Convenience package ( NissanConnect with Mobile Apps and a five-inch colour display, Bluetooth and satellite radio) as a standard feature. All SV models also include a rearview monitor, remote keyless entry, and the Divide- N- Hide adjustable floor.
While it will never be mistaken for a sporty “hot” hatch, the Versa Note features sharp creases and fluid styling. For t hose wanting more show than go, the SR trim includes 16-inch SR wheels, sport grille and darkened headlights, side mirrors with LED t urn signals, sportier front and rear fascias and faux suede bucket seats with orange trim and stitching.
My tester, a top-spec SL costing $ 19,748, adds a 5.8- inch colour display, navigation, push- button start, intelligent key, around- view monitor, heated front seats, fog lights and 16- inch alloy wheels. In a pearlescent white, it’s a pleasant, tidy little package.
The most attractive aspect of the cabin is its remarkable space. Otherwise, it’s rather dull and consists of durable cloth and grey plastics. The SL features “piano black” (marketing-speak for polished plastic) trim, which brightens the centre stack somewhat. Ergonomics are simple; climate and volume controls are simple knobs.
The Versa Note leads the segment in headroom, and the rear seats offer as much legroom as the Honda Fit — and more than the Honda Accord family sedan. A modest 532 litres of cargo space i ncreases to 1,084 with t he s eats f olded. That’s far more than the Hyundai Accent’s 600 L, but f alls short of the Fit, the undisputed c hampion of small-car capacity, with 1,492 L. The seats don’t fold completely flat like the Fit’s do, but there’s a nifty cargo floor that can be adjusted to give you two levels to stow your parcels.
That tall roofline and generous legroom add up to an overall feeling of airiness in a segment that can tend toward cramped and confining. I liked the generous expanse of glass, providing not only light, but great visibility. Taller drivers, however, may have trouble finding a comfortable seating position due to the lack of a telescoping steering wheel.
I’ve been taken to task by enthusiast friends for recommending cars like this, but they forget that not everyone is looking for sporty handling. Indeed, one found the Fit — my top- rated small car — too noisy and harsh, but loved the quiet comfort of the Versa Note. Wind and road noise, the sound of rocks pinging off the undercarriage, these are the signs of cost-cutting in the budget segment. But the Versa Note’s cabin is remarkably well insulated from noise intrusion, and also features a sandwich “acoustic glass” windshield and double-sealed doors.
Around town, the Versa Note is a pleasant and likable little car; it’s quiet, fuel efficient and comfortable enough to carry several people without inducing claustrophobia. But if you’re looking for a dynamic drive partner, forget it. The Versa Note’s combination of small engine and CVT is geared entirely toward fuel economy, with a rating of 7.5 L/ 100 km in the city and 6.0 L/ 100 km on the highway. During a week of dashing around town to run errands and a couple of long highway drives, I achieved 7.0 L/ 100 km overall.
The Versa Note’s 1.6- L engine puts out a fairly meagre 109 horsepower and 107 pound- feet of torque. It’s more than sufficient for puttering around town, but the Note really doesn’t like to be pushed; flog it hard, and it moans and groans in protest. The soft handling — geared for comfort — isn’t conducive to spirited driving, and pushing it hard isn’t very rewarding.
If performance and an engaging drive top your list of requirements, you’d be better off looking at the Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta or Hyundai Accent, currently Canada’s top- selling subcompact. But if you’re in the market for a roomy, pleasant little car that’s reasonably priced and delivers good fuel economy, then the Versa Note should be on your test- drive list.