A SWEET NOTE
Russell Purcell finds this 2015 Nissan an excellent value in its segment
The cost of fuel shows no sign of lowering, so many consumers are looking to get behind the wheel of smaller and more fuel-efficient automobiles to help relieve some of the financial burden.
Unfortunately, as you slide down the automotive food chain you usually find the need to forgo many of the features you enjoyed in your larger vehicle as the diminutive size of the typical subcompact or city car makes it difficult to accommodate many extras.
Nissan has always recognized the importance of small cars in the Canadian marketplace, and the company has had tremendous success with their Versa lineup of subcompact sedans and five-door hatchbacks. When it came time for the Versa to get a redesign in 2013, the company decided to market the hatchback with its own unique identity, and the Versa Note was born.
There are three models of the stylish hatchback available, but the Versa Note SR is the sportiest of the bunch. The SR has been packaged to appeal to young, urban residents looking for a small car with a little more flash and curb appeal. Members of this target audience can be rather finicky, so the marketing and product planning teams at Nissan had their work cut out for them.
The Versa Note has been designed with the wheels stretched out to the corners to both maximize interior volume and provide functional stability.
The tall roofline and aerodynamic wedge shape make the car appear much larger inside and out, but it is the car’s cityfriendly dimensions that make it such a perfect fit for crowded urban environments.
Unfortunately, most small cars feature slab-sided bodywork bereft of any real styling flair or sense of style. The Versa Note SR on the other hand, sports a body that has obviously been designed to cheat the wind and appeal to the eye. The lines are enhanced by a unique SR grille, side skirts and a rear spoiler.
The look is both sporty and graceful, and the shapes of every vent, lamp unit and trim piece used on the car work well together.
The spacious interior will accommodate five people in a pinch, but four adults will find no trouble getting comfortable in the tidy cabin as head, leg and shoulder room is abundant in all seating positions. The design is very modern and far more upmarket than that in most of its contemporaries.
The gauge cluster, switch gear and controls are all placed within reach of even the smallest hands, and visibility is excellent in all regards.
Seating is supportive and not too firm, and the upholstery appears to be very durable. High contrast orange stitching and a bold stripe help give the SR’s seats a custom look that is very attractive.
The Versa Note SR will accommodate 532.4 litres of cargo with the seats in place, and an impressive 1,084 litres when the rear seats are folded down. This is enough to accommodate large hockey bags or a small pack of dogs.
The Versa Note SR features the same 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine under the hood as the other Versa models, but with 109 horsepower and 107 footpounds of torque it had more than enough scoot to keep me entertained.
Unlike lesser models of this car, the Note SR is not available with a manual transmission. However, the driving experience revealed that this car has a relatively wide power band, and the Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) helps guarantee that the driver will always have power readily on hand. I explored some back country roads as well as some rural highways in this car and never felt that the engine was overwhelmed.
I was also really surprised to find that engine noise didn’t seem to interrupt the serenity of the cabin, even during periods of hard acceleration. Nissan’s engineers have done an excellent job of insulating the passenger cabin from outside noise.
Handling is nimble and precise, as the Note SR’s speed sensitive electric power steering helps give the driver the ability to point and squirt the car through traffic with ease. A tight turning circle and the fact that this car is small enough to park just about anywhere will help it gain a solid fan base with urban dwellers and commuters.
The suspension adapted well to road irregularities and with the help of front and rear stabilizer bars, traction was maintained and the car responded very well.
If you spend a large amount of your day on the road, then the last place you would want to be is behind the wheel of a stripped-down subcompact, so Nissan’s product planners have made sure that the Versa Note SR is spacious enough to provide comfort, and equipped with enough features to keep you and your passengers entertained.
The list of standard features on the SR is surprisingly long and includes many items that you usually have to spend big bucks for including a rear-view monitor, air-conditioning, heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals, leather- wrapped steering wheel, and the innovative NissanConnect infotainment system.
Safety enhancements include advanced ABS brakes with Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist, Traction Control and Vehicle Stability Control. A full complement of advanced airbags is on-board to protect your human cargo.
If you are in the market for a compact car with a little more style and a high level of creature comforts, you would be making a big mistake if you fail to take a close look at the Nissan Versa Note SR, as this car represents one of the best values in the marketplace.