The Versa Note is Nissan's equivalent to Honda's Fit and Toyota's Matrix, Can it live up to their reputations?
The Note is a decently priced large sub-compact hatchback, but it is a tad plain.
The Versa Note is the 5 door hatchback version of Nissan's subcompact sedan, the Versa. It has been sold in other parts of the world since 2008 but just recently came to North America for the 2014 model year. It takes many design and styling ques from the Honda Fit but it does have its differences. This is supposed to be a car that can do everything, so lets take a look:
Different Styles:
The Versa Note is the 5 door hatchback version of the Versa sedan. I have not tried the sedan yet so I will just be covering the Note here. The Note it is only available as a 5 door hatchback with a 1.6L 4 cylinder engine. It is available with either a 5 speed manual or CVT transmissions.
Styling and Comfort Impressions:
As was already stated, this car is trying to compete against cars like the Honda Fit (similar design as well), the Toyota Matrix and other similar cars. While the overall shape may be similar, the brand's distinctive style is seen. I personally don't really like the look of the Versa Note. The front looks relatively plain, there are no sporty lines that flow along it. The back looks too bubble-ish. The side profile actually looks pretty good, but overall it just looks a little plain from the outside.
On the inside it doesn't get much better. First off, in the base trim you don't even get power windows, locks or air conditioning. While the lack of air conditioning is similar to other base line subcompacts; no power windows or door locks is very archaic. How are you supposed to cool down while driving if you have no air conditioning AND you have to roll down the windows. The materials used look and feel very cheap along the sides and the front. This unfortunately is not much different from the previous generation Honda Fit (it has been redesigned for the 2015 year), its main competitor. At least the seats can be had in a light colour or black with some orange accents, but they are not options, they only come with the different trim levels, which get costly for a car like this.
Lets take a look at the inside:
Lets take a look at the inside:
So, besides the upper trim levels, its pretty boring on the inside design wise. But now for some good news. It is very roomy in there. As long as its not the base line trim ( as it has no useful seat adjustments and steering wheel adjustments) you can find a comfortable driving position. There is plenty of head and legroom in the front and the back as lots of room. Another good point going for the Versa Note is the excellent visibility in all directions. It has large windows all around, even the rear window. One small problem is that the rear seat head restraints are quite large and do block the view out the back. The seats are decently comfortable front and back, not super supportive but as long as you are not trying to race around the city you should be fine.
The trunk space is pretty good considering its size and shape and it has some nifty tricks. An optional extra is Nissan's "Divide and Go" system. The floor is height adjustable by a few inches. This allows for slightly taller items to fit when the seats are up or down, and when it is raised to be flush with the seat backs when folded down, there is a cargo space underneath, allowing you to hide some small objects from sight. Unfortunately without this extra, the loading area when the seats are folded down is not flat.
Driving Impressions:
I was quite surprised to find how nice the Versa Note was to drive. Besides the 1.6L engine being a bit weak I don't have many complaints about it. Like I said, visibility is great. It is smooth and quiet through the city, obviously not being sport tuned. This car should not be driven hard as its tall body design means it leans a good amount in the corners. The engine and CVT transmission are quiet and shift smoothly through the city and when cruising on the highway. The only time when the Note makes much noise or fuss at all is heavy acceleration or passing on the highway. The CVT does a good but somewhat noisy job of getting it up to speed but then once you are cruising there is little sound or vibrations from the engine or CVT, with wind and road noise being at reasonable levels as well. As Nissan was basically the pioneer of the CVT transmission, this should be expected. So overall driving impressions are quite good.
Overall:
I had some impressions of this car before I drove it. And while I think the styling and overall look is sorta lame, the comfort, room, and driving dynamics basically made up for its shortcomings. This is a decently priced, comfy car that has plenty of space. It would be great as someone's only car if they were on a budget and did not care about performance, or looks. That's all I really have to say about the Note as it is a relatively uninteresting car. One thing that people should take "note" of (pun intended) is the price difference between new and used for this car, even at just one year old ( if it was originally purchased at the end of last year). There must be a reason why the price drops so drastically...
Facts / Figures:
Price ( for the mid trim level): $20,000+
FWD
MPG (approx*): 30 city /39 hwy
Cargo room (approx*): 21/38 CuFt trunk
Length: 164"
Width: 67"
Tank size (gal): 10.8
Miles on one tank (using combined MPG figures): 378
Average used price with 60,000KM or less: $14,000+
Average used price with 60,000KM or less: $14,000+
* when I say "approx" I usually am using the numbers given by the actual manufacturer or Consumer Reports, minus 1 to be a bit more realistic.
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Please leave a comment with your thoughts and opinions on any of the reviews.
J.K.
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