I’ve been reading your comments and emails, “What with this cowboy out in the desert standing next to all these fancy and sophisticated cars us what”? Well that’s what we call a Juxtaposition. Juxtaposition….that’s right, cowboy knows some big words. Google it.
Fact is this Red State cowboy is no more juxtaposed to this 2014 Nissan Versa Note as it seems to the wide open spaces of the desert here. After all this is supposed to be a city car, going from green light to red light and sqwerking into tight parking spaces.
The reality check is that this little mileage maker can stretch its legs out here in the desert and its long highways almost as good as Buick Electra. Yeah ya might have to Google that as well. The big difference is it can sip the fuel. So, there’s that.
The Nissan Versa Note is the five-door hatch version of Nissan’s Versa Sedan. And at first blush it’s a much better looking car all around than the sedan. It has unique sheet metal with a much more upscale and handsome face with sharp headlamps and a large angular grille.
The side view has nice creases which form a character line reaching back to a well planted rear three-quarter view. The Versa Note looks more expensive than the sedan and it is, starting at $13,995 it commands a $2000 premium.
The interior is near the same as the sedan with a well designed dash and cockpit. I love its simplicity and lack of overdone technology for the sake of technology. The instrument cluster is down to business and easy to use as is the center stack.
Our Versa Note was a fully loaded SV so it had the tech package which includes the top-line audio and navigation system as well as Nissan’s around-view monitor. A first in this class of car, this is much more than a back-camera. I like that it has heated seats too.
I like the fact that the materials grade and build quality in here are much higher than expected in this price range. The seats are comfortable, the controls feel of quality, and you just get the sense this cabin will wear very well over time. I like that even in this fully loaded example this thing isn’t burdened with a dash full of techno-crap that forces me to touch-screen menu my way through a commute.
Even though the Versa Note is small, the interior feels exceptionally spacious up front as well as in the back seat. There is no shortage of legroom or head room, and I have no problem wearing my hat. The view over the dash is tall and commanding too, not leaving you with the feeling you are exposed.
One area where the interior differs from the sedan is its rear cargo hold which has a unique divide and hide floor. It allows for a hidden storage area under the standard floor, or you can fold it away. Remarkable is that even though the cargo hold is so deep, it still has a spare tire.
On the road the Versa Note displays a surprising level of refinement and road manners. The smallest car Nissan offers in the States, it has a solid and quiet ride that isn’t near as choppy and noisy as some competitors in its class.
Handling is surprisingly sporty. The Versa Note is actually fun to drive, rewarding your steering inputs with a ready and willing attitude. It feels like a confident friend windy roads, which of course will pay dividends darting around in town as well.
This thing just has a feel of quality from behind the wheel. The steering and suspension are well isolated from road imperfections and response is almost sporting. It feels far more expensive than it is. In fact, I’ve driven some luxury sedans costing three times as much lately that should have felt this good.
Under the hood is a miserly 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine with 109 horsepower. The engine is refined and smooth as four-cylinders can be. It has enough power when you need it, but is really meant to offer up fuel economy as its performance highlight.
In our tester it was mated to Nissan’s beloved constantly variable transmission or CVT. This combination is rated at 31 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined. Our own testing netted about 35 mpg which is on the money to the window sticker’s promises. Given our long stretches of non-citified spirited driving across the desert here, that’s a feat.
My only grumble with Versa Note is that this CVT isn’t one of the best. It speaks to all the stereotypes of the rubber band effect, especially taking off from a stop. Its tuning meant to save fuel is always stepping in to clamp off power, and the engine drones on like a leaf-blower when you accelerate hard. It had me looking for the Sport button more than once, but there isn’t one.
Keep in mind however, I’m just not a fan of these transmissions. The sales numbers tell me that most buyers of the Versa Note aren’t gonna care. The base model Versa Note, is available with a traditional 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, but neither offer up the top fuel economy numbers of the CVT.
Overall I’m impressed with this car. Compared to many of its peers like the Honda Fit, Mazda 2, Ford Fiesta and Toyota Yaris it has an upscale persona and a quality feel in your hands that some of them don’t. And the best part is, even if you go for the base model, that sense of quality and craftsmanship is still there.
This cowboy admits I’m a bit smitten with the Versa Note this week. It really comes off well and the sales figures show my impressions are no juxtaposition. So this week we give it 4 out of 5 stars, held back only due to its less than enjoyable CVT.
For a more in-depth review and photo galleries see our review on GasMiler.com
