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New Car Affordability: Nissan Versa Note

April 13, 2015 by admin 9 Comments

Nissan Versa Note

The 2015 Nissan Versa Note, a five-door subcompact hatchback.

Someone at Nissan has a sense of humor. Or perhaps they are a glutton for punishment. Not two weeks went by when a mind-blowing Nissan GT-R was followed by a proletarian Nissan Versa Note, representing the apex and nadir of this Japanese automaker. At least in its North American offerings.

The first model represents stout performance, one of the fastest cars in the world that is priced around $100,000. The second model is comparatively slow as molasses and priced at just 15 percent of the cost of the super car. Truly, you get what you pay for when it comes to any car — in the Nissan Versa Note you get a budget car for people of limited means. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Nissan Versa Note

2015 Nissan Versa Note

The Versa Note is the pricier of the two subcompacts sold by Nissan. The standard Versa sedan is priced from $11,990, while the hatchback retails from $14,180. The Versa sedan has the distinction of being the lowest cost car sold in America. Either model brings new car affordability to the masses.

Nissan is also the segment leader among subcompacts, beating out such competitors as the Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Mazda2 and the Toyota Yaris. The lower-cost sedan is actually a foot longer than the hatchback and is about a half-foot shorter than the average compact model. Further, the “Note” appellation is nothing more than a representation for the five-door hatchback as well as a marketing angle for Nissan.

So, what is so special about the Versa Note? Well, it all comes down to price. For instance, if you have limited funds, but you want something new, then this model or the sedan version will most likely appear on your radar. Sold in S, S Plus SV, SR and SL editions, the Versa Note can provide much of what any buyer wants or at least the individual with no more than $20,000 to spare may need.

Nissan Versa Note

Basic Engine With a CVT

All models come outfitted with a 109-horsepower, four-cylinder engine, but it is the base model that is paired with a five-speed manual transmission. Elsewhere, you get the continuously variable transmission, an option that provides a 10 percent boost in fuel economy to 31 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway.

The engine is not peppy. Instead, it is tuned to optimize fuel economy. It is a trade off that is common to this class. Although the Ford Fiesta’s standard engine makes 120 horsepower, its tops fuel economy comes in at 37 mpg or 3 mpg below the Nissan. However, Ford nearly matches the Versa Note’s price.

Beyond the powertrain, the Versa Note comes with air conditioning, an audio system with an auxiliary input jack, Bluetooth connectivity and front bucket seats. The amenities most people want — keyless entry, power windows and door locks, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a USB connection — begin to show up in the SV edition ($16,330). Furthermore, the S Plus edition ($15,430) brings in an active grille shutter and the CVT.

Make your move to the SR edition ($17,930) and alloy wheels, an audio system with a color display, and sporty synthetic seats make an appearance. Choose the SL edition ($18,660) and you get aluminum-alloy wheels, fog lights, an around view monitor, NissanConnect apps and a navigation system. Even with taxes and the destination charge you would be hard pressed to hit $20,000 although such accessories as an interior illumination package and floor mats would bring you to that critical pricing juncture.

My test model, a Versa Note SR, came with a convenience package ($660) and carpeted floor mats and a cargo mat ($180). That convenience package added the NissanConnect color display with apps, streaming Bluetooth audio, SiriusXM satellite radio, hands-free text messaging and a rear view monitor. Let’s just say if you are in the 20-something age bracket that this model is designed for, it is a package you won’t want to do without these treasured technologies.

Nissan Versa Note


2015 Nissan Versa Note

View manufacturer details and pricing


Nissan Versa Note

Interior Touches and Amenities

Spartan as the Versa Note is, choosing a higher end package does come with some benefits. The test model came in a bright blue with a gray interior and orange accents. Sport seating with orange stitching and striping gives this vehicle added flair. The same speckled pattern on the back of the seats is applied to the door inlays.

The rear seat is a 60/40 design, extending storage compartment as needed. The storage compartment has enough room for your weekend getaway with much more room at the ready as needed.

The instrument panel is composed of a three-circular design with the tachometer and speedometer left and center, respectively. To the right is a digital driver’s information center. The center stack in the test model has the five-inch color display smack in the middle below the vents and above the climate control dials.

At the base of the stack is a smart phone holder followed by two cup holders and the transmission stick. Between the seats is the parking brake, auxiliary port and USB port.

Perhaps the most significant plus for the Versa Note’s interior is its double glove box. The standard box is wide and deep, the top glove box flips up and has sufficient room to hold small items. This model comes with four cup holders and four in-door bottle holders.
Nissan Versa Note

On the Road Again

On the road, the Versa Note moves gradually away from a full stop and steadily picks up speed. That unmistakable noise is the engine straining as the CVT pulls until it sounds like it will snap. You don’t buy this model for speed nor for quietness. Indeed, like other models in this segment, you will hear sufficient wind noise seeping in through the side windows.

The steering adjusts to your speed with Nissan saying that it becomes more nimble as speed increases. I hardly noticed the change, but I will say that the handling is adequate, but uninvolved. This model is clearly a “take me from Point A to Point B and do so without busting my budget.” And it does so with success.

Nissan’s Other Value

Perhaps the biggest challenger to the Versa Note is not the sedan nor its competing models, but the Sentra sedan, a compact model retailing for $16,480. Indeed, for approximately $1,000 more you can get a comparably equipped model that is larger, more comfortable and just as fuel efficient as the Versa Note. Shoppers have noticed too, as sales of the latest generation Sentra surged 42 percent last year for the biggest gain among compact models.

Nissan Versa Note


2015 Nissan Versa Note SR

  • Sticker price from $17,530
  • Price as tested: $19,180
  • Seats 5 occupants
  • 1.6-liter 16-valve in-line four-cylinder gasoline engine
  • 109 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
  • 107 foot-pounds of torque @ 4,400 rpm
  • 3.07 inches bore by 3.29 inches stroke
  • Engine compression ratio: 9:8-to-1
  • Continuously variable transmission
  • Wheelbase: 102.4 inches
  • Length: 163 inches
  • Width: 66.7 inches
  • Height: 60.5 inches
  • Passenger volume: 94.1 cubic feet
  • Storage volume: 18.8/38.3 cubic feet
  • Towing capacity: NR
  • EPA: 31 mpg city, 40 mpg highway
  • Regular grade gasoline
  • Fuel tank: 10.8 gallons
  • Curb weight: From 2,523 pounds
  • IIHS safety rating: Good — moderate overlap front
  • Limited vehicle warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles
  • Powertrain warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles
  • Corrosion warranty: 5 years/unlimited miles
  • Vehicle assembly: Aguascalientes, Mexico

Additional Car Reviews

Masterpiece Theater: 2015 Range Rover HSE

Godzilla Untamed: 2015 Nissan GT-R

On the Road With the Family Toyota Camry

Premium SUV: 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited


Nissan Versa Note photos copyright Auto Trends Magazine.

Filed Under: New Vehicle Reviews Tagged With: 2015 CARS, CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION, hatchback, NISSAN SENTRA, NISSAN VERSA NOTE, NissanConnect, SUBCOMPACT

About admin

Matt Keegan has maintained his love for cars ever since his father taught him kicking tires can be one way to uncover a problem with a vehicle’s suspension system. He since moved on to learn a few things about coefficient of drag, G-forces, toe-heel shifting, and how to work the crazy infotainment system in some random weekly driver. Matt is a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a contributor to various print and online media sources.

Reader Interactions

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  1. Scion iA, iM Enter Toyota Showrooms says:
    March 29, 2017 at 7:30 am

    […] ports, and 16-inch alloy wheels are standard. This model competes with the Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa Note, Volkswagen Golf, Chevrolet Sonic, Kia Rio, and the Hyundai […]

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  2. Delayed: 2015 Honda Fit says:
    April 23, 2017 at 3:08 pm

    […] the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris, Chevrolet Sonic, Mazda2, Mitsubishi Mirage, Volkswagen Golf, and the Nissan Versa. The Versa, including the Versa Note hatchback, is currently the best selling model in the segment, […]

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  3. 8 Steps to Buying a Used Car — Auto Trends Magazine says:
    August 18, 2017 at 5:31 am

    […] want, including a gas-guzzling SUV such as a Ford Expedition. Then again, that low-cost subcompact Nissan Versa Note may be too small of a car to suit your needs. Understand your reason for wanting a certain type of […]

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  4. All-New Kia Rio Delivers Value and Amenities — Auto Trends Magazine says:
    September 18, 2017 at 9:37 am

    […] such as the Toyota Yaris and Yaris IM, Chevrolet Sonic, Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa and Versa Note, and Volkswagen Golf also […]

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  5. Green Machine: 2014 Ford Fiesta SE Hatchback — Auto Trends Magazine says:
    September 18, 2017 at 9:46 am

    […] Chevrolet has the Sonic, Toyota the Yaris, Honda has its Fit, and Nissan has the Versa sedan and Versa hatchback, two very different models. The Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Mazda2, and Mitsubishi Mirage also […]

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  6. New Car Affordability: Toyota Yaris — Auto Trends Magazine says:
    May 8, 2018 at 8:13 am

    […] smallest of all Toyotas has earned a place in a segment that is dominated by the Nissan Versa and Versa Note, Ford Fiesta and the Hyundai Accent, to name a […]

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  7. Highlights of the 2019 New York International Auto Show says:
    April 20, 2019 at 9:40 am

    […] Hyundai is showcasing its all-new Venue crossover, while Nissan has a new Versa sedan. As for the Versa Note, we believe this hatchback won’t be […]

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  8. Toyota Yaris: Small Footprint; Big Value — Auto Trends Magazine says:
    January 1, 2020 at 4:46 pm

    […] Set: Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa, Volkswagen Golf, and Honda […]

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  9. Highlights of the 2020 Nissan Versa — Auto Trends Magazine says:
    March 9, 2020 at 10:13 am

    […] of the big changes for the year is that the previously available Versa Note hatchback is no longer available. Instead, Nissan offers the 2020 Versa as a sedan only in S, SV, and SR […]

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