Review and photos by Mark Stevenson
San Diego, CA – Nissan’s new subcompact arrives in North America with less power than its Tiida-based predecessor. But, where it matters – fuel economy, technology, and affordability – the Japanese automaker believes it’s hit a home run with the new-for-2014 Versa Note.
 2014 Nissan Versa Note. Click image to enlarge |
Marketed in other locales simply as Note, Nissan didn’t want to lose their already well-earned equity in the Versa nameplate. As a result, the two names were amalgamated, with Versa Note being the product.
During our day in the San Diego area driving Nissan’s new subcompact offering, it’s easy to see how many will elect for the new Versa Note over the competition. But, let’s start with the basics.
Underneath the new sheet metal is Nissan’s new V-platform (basically a second generation B-platform), which also underpins the Versa Sedan and other global products. This means the two Versas are pretty much identical when it comes to suspension and hard points.
 2014 Nissan Versa Note. Click image to enlarge |
The 1.8L seen in the previous Versa hatchback is gone. In its place is the same engine as the sedan, a 1.6L DOHC four-cylinder engine with dual fuel injection and Continuously Variable Timing Control (CVTC) for intake and exhaust. The engine also makes the same amount of power and torque as it does in the sedan: 109 hp and 107 lb-ft. Not earth shattering numbers by any stretch and less than the old Versa hatchback’s 122 hp and 127 lb-ft.
On our drive, the 1.6 four-pot was very quiet to the point where you could mistake it for a Leaf for most of the journey. However, due to the underpowered nature of the engine, full throttle was used on numerous occasions for passing, creating a buzzy racket up front due to a combination of a small displacement engine and a rubber band CVT.
There is a method to this seeming madness. People who buy commuter cars care about fuel economy and tend not to care about horsepower numbers. When the engineering boffins went to work on the new Versa Note, the focus was simple: make a more fuel-efficient engine and ignore the dyno.
   2014 Nissan Versa Note. Click image to enlarge |
And fuel efficient it is. The new 1.6L mill sees a decrease of consumption by almost 1 L/100 km on the highway when mated with the CVT. In the city, the decrease is over 1 L/100 km compared to the outgoing engine and CVT, mostly due to the wider gear ratio range of the transmission. The new Versa Note has a combined fuel economy rating of 5.5 L/100 km with CVT-equipped models. A highway rating of 4.8 L/100 km and 6.1 L/100 km city makes it easily one of the most frugal conventionally powered vehicles in Canada. Manual-equipped models (yes, they still have them!) get rated at 7.4/5.4 L/100 km (city/hwy).
 2014 Nissan Versa Note. Click image to enlarge |
Nissan is not following the route Toyota has taken with the new Corolla and has thrown out the traditional automatic option altogether. Instead, you are given the option of a five-speed manual as standard gear or Nissan’s Xtronic CVT as an upgrade. People looking to row their own who want the Technology Package are out of luck; the Technology Package can only be equipped on SL-trimmed CVT models.
The tech pack is the pièce de résistance to place the Versa Note squarely ahead of the pack. AroundView – the overhead camera system first available in 2007 on Infiniti vehicles – has now trickled down far enough to be used on Nissan’s least expensive offering. Using four cameras (front, rear, and one under each door mirror), AroundView creates a virtual bird’s eye view of the car’s surroundings and displays it on the infotainment screen.
To demonstrate AroundView, Nissan blacked out some windows in a Versa Note equipped with the tech, forcing you to rely on just the camera feed. It was surprisingly easy to back up into a space without looking out the windows (though we wouldn’t advise you do it on public roads). However, due to the placement of the rear camera offset a few inches from the middle of the car, it can give you a skewed perspective.
Also part of the tech pack is navigation, voice recognition, and Bluetooth streaming audio; features that are becoming more and more prevalent in the subcompact market. Hands-free text messaging assistant and NavTraffic are also included in the package.
Another feature on the Versa Note usually reserved for much more expensive cars is double sealing around the doors to cut down on noise pollution entering the passenger cabin. Inner and outer seals work together, in conjunction with other features, to make the Versa Note one of the quietest subcompact vehicles money can buy.
   2014 Nissan Versa Note. Click image to enlarge |
These features and others are what Nissan is hoping will bring in new customers. Along with aggressive pricing, the high-tech kit should help the Versa achieve broader appeal and higher sales, narrowing the gap to the subcompact-sales-leading Hyundai Accent.
However, there are a number of things that may turn customers away. Our main concern is the new 1.6L and CVT, which – when used together – create a very slow car. Passing maneuvers should be scheduled well ahead of time in your day planner as acceleration is glacial. If you are just running about the city, this should not be an issue. But, if you plan on jumping on the 401, things may get hairy if you need to fit between two cars doing 110 km/h while you merge onto the highway.
   2014 Nissan Versa Note. Click image to enlarge |
Switchgear in the interior is also fairly second rate. Knobs for temperature and fan speed look and feel like they’ve been cribbed directly from a child’s playhouse oven. Other than the large screen, the inside of the Versa Note is also quite spartan and lacking any real distinctive design. This is in stark contrast to the outside.
Big headlights and larger grilles seem to be making their way to this segment and Nissan is not going to be left behind. The Versa Note has a fresh, handsome face without going far out there like the Chevrolet Spark (which takes things to the goggle-eyed extreme). Around the back, large boomerang taillights complete the look and tie the Versa Note in with some of Nissan’s corporate design language.
 2014 Nissan Versa Note. Click image to enlarge |
But it’s the drive that will sell a car. Nissan took us through some great valley roads full of 90 degree turns and smooth pavement. Believe it or not, the Versa Note handled them at a fairly decent pace with comfort and ease. There is a fair bit of body roll, but comfort is key with this suspension, so body roll is totally acceptable. However, the seats are fantastically bolstered for a sub-compact and kept my 6’1″ frame in place quite handily. The interior is also incredibly roomy for a subcompact car, with class-leading rear legroom for your friends who are north of six feet tall. Putting two larger buddies in the back shouldn’t be an issue. A third might cause some unwanted personal space issues.
Other options, such as heated seats and a large media screen up front add up to a pretty good value equation a lot of consumers will see. Base S models won’t be getting air conditioning but in Canada we will be able to get a manual transmission with any trim. In the US, if you want the stick, you have to make do with the base S trim.
 2014 Nissan Versa Note. Click image to enlarge |
We will miss the more powerful 1.8L engine as the OEMs fight for fuel economy dominance in the subcompact space. While never one to tear up tarmac, the outgoing Versa had reasonable performance, especially when combined with a stick. Will people shopping in this category miss it? We doubt it.
Consumers are going to get exactly what they are looking for: fuel economy, technology, and design all in an affordable package. Nissan has accomplished its goals and the new Versa Note is destined make automakers take another look at this segment and what technology they can bring to the table to maintain their sales numbers.
Pricing: 2014 Nissan Versa Note:
Base Price: $13,348
Base Price (SL): $16,9988
Options: $2,155 (Metallic paint – $135; CVT Package – $1,300; Technology Package – $720)
Destination: N/A
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $19,253
Competitors
Chevrolet Sonic 5-Door
Chevrolet Spark
Ford Fiesta Hatch
Honda Fit
Hyundai Accent 5 Door
Kia Rio 5-Door
Mazda 2
Toyota Yaris Hatchback
Crash test results
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
