2020 Nissan Versa

The subcompact segment has some stiff competition, Nissan Versa competes with Kia Rio, Honda Fit, and Chevrolet Sonic. Nissan offers more utility than other subcompacts at a lower price. If you are looking for high utility, decent fuel economy and are in for a budget car, then Versa should be on your list.

Nissan Versa Note is offered in three trim levels: S, SV, and SR. All the trims come standard with a four-cylinder engine paired with an FWD drivetrain. And unlike its sedan counterpart, the Versa Note comes standard with a CVT. The base trim is equipped with only the bare minimum features. It gets a 7-inch touchscreen and Bluetooth connectivity as standard. If you are looking to buy a new car with a warranty while spending the really less. The base S trim fits the bill. The mid-spec SV trim brings in cloth upholstery, power windows and cruise control for an additional expense of $1000.

Trims	S	SV	SR
MSRP (FWD)	$15,650	$16,550	$18,360
Features	1.6-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine	Integrated Key with remote keyless entry	16" x 6.0" 5-split spoke aluminum-alloy wheels
	Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System	Upgraded cloth seat trim	Sport side sills
	7" touch-screen display	Upgraded Fine Vision electroluminescent gauges with trip computer and outside temperature display	Fog lights
	Bluetooth streaming audio	Power windows with driver’s one-touch auto-down feature	Rear roof spoiler
	Air conditioning	-	Nissan Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition
	RearView Monitor	Cruise control	-
	Air conditioning	Rear window defroster	-

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The SV comes equipped with keyless entry, a height-adjustable driver's seat with an armrest, NissanConnect with mobile apps and a 7-in color display, Divide-N-Hide storage, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with auxiliary audio controls, and Siri Eyes Free. Although SR has a lot more to offer, SV offers great versatility for a minimal price.

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 The base S trim is short on features, and the best it has to offer is the standard 4 speaker sound system with Bluetooth. So, if you want value for your money, upgrade to SV trim as it has a lot more to offer than the base trim.

“With a meager 109-horsepower four-cylinder engine, a nontraditional continuously variable transmission (CVT) and uninspiring handling, the Versa Note offers little in terms of performance. This is strictly a point A to point B car with minimal entertainment in between.”-Edmunds

The Versa Note hatchback is powered by a 1.6-liter inline-four engine. The small motor is rated for 109 horsepower and 107 lb-ft of torque. Gear shifting duties are done by a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The engine is underpowered, it struggles to move almost 2500 lbs. of hatchback. So it will take some time before you reach decent speeds.

Models	Nissan Versa Note	Kia Rio Hatchback	Honda Fit	Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback	Hyundai Veloster
MSRP	$15,650	$16,400	$16,190	$19,420	$19,500
Engine	1.6l I4	1.6L I4	1.5L I4	1.4L Turbocharged I4	2.0L I4
Transmission	CVT	6-speed automatic	CVT	6-speed automatic	6-speed automatic
Horsepower	109 @ 6,000	130@6300	130@6600	138@4900	147@6200
Torque	107 @ 4,400	119@4850	114@4600	148@1850	132@4500

The Versa Note hatchback can be used as a city commuter. Nissan Versa’s power output is the lowest in the segment. You would be better off with selecting something a little more powerful. Honda and Kia offer 130 hp output while Chevy Sonic is equipped with a turbocharged engine. Hyundai Veloster comes with the biggest (2.0-liter) engine in this comparison.

Acceleration

Nissan Versa Note is not going to win you any races. The zero to sixty mph is run in 9.9 seconds and the quarter mile is passed in 17.6 seconds. It takes painfully long to achieve decent speeds. The CVT drones while doing higher speeds. There isn’t much to say about the Nissan Versa.

2020 Versa Note can of tackle city driving but it is a different story when it comes to highway driving. You need to plan your overtaking maneuvers well. You will also need to floor the gas pedal and overwork the little engine, a lot more than any other subcompact.

Models	Nissan Versa Note	Kia Rio Hatchback	Honda Fit	Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback	Hyundai Veloster
0-60 MPH	9.9 seconds*	8.5 seconds	8.2 seconds	8.2 seconds*	8.2 seconds
Quarter mile	17.6 seconds*	16.7 seconds	16.4 seconds	-	16.4 seconds
Engine	1.6L I4	1.6L I4	1.5L I4	1.4L I4	2.0L I4
Emission (Tons/yr. of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	-	5.5	4.9	-	-

Most of the cars in this comparison achieve their zero to sixty mph run in the sub-8-second window. Honda Fit, Chevy Sonic, and Hyundai Veloster tie for the first place with their 8.2-second naught to sixty run. Nissan Versa Note almost takes 10-seconds to achieve a similar feat.

*Data from 2018 has been used

Ride and Handling

The Nissan Versa doesn’t score high on the fun factor. The Versa doesn’t respond well to any enthusiastic input from the driver. Although the steering wheel has been weighed nicely, the tall body means a lot of body roll when you corner. The Versa has been equipped with skinnier tires in favor of fuel efficiency which take away all the fun you can have.

The driving experience is best described as serene. There’s no engine noise, or for that matter, the whine associated with electric motors that you might have experienced with earlier electrics. You might hear some far-off wind and tire noise, but that’s about it. Unlike the first generation to bear the name, the 2020 Leaf feels more substantial.

Braking

The Versa also follows the industry trend of using discs brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. Versa Note hatchback covers 188 feet before coming to a halt from a 70 mph. The Honda Fit has the best in comparison stopping power, Honda Fit takes 179 feet to stop from a similar speed.

Model	Nissan Versa Note	Kia Rio Hatchback	Honda Fit	Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback	Hyundai Veloster
Brake Front (in.)	10	11	10.3	-	11
Brake Rear (in.)	8	8	7.9	-	10.3
Curb Weight (lbs.)	2,474	2714	2568	2819	2899
70-0 MPH (ft.)	188*	182	179	168*	-

Versa’s small engine lacks power and to compensate for this shortage it is pushed to the limits on a regular basis. 2020 Versa Note offers a combined fuel economy of 34 miles to the gallon. If we consider the competition, Versa Note hatchback’s fuel economy could have been better than the Fit if the engine wasn’t overworked so often.

Model	Nissan Versa Note	Kia Rio Hatchback	Honda Fit	Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback	Hyundai Veloster
MPG (city)	31	28	33	26	27
MPG (highway)	39	37	40	34	34
MPG (combined)	34	32	36	29	30

“No Versa has an especially dressy interior. Hard plastic surfaces dominate its dashboard and doors. The carpet has a distinctly budget feel and even the cloth upholstery on all trims doesn’t impress.”-TheCarConnection

Seating and Comfort

The Versa isn’t about the luxury, Versa doesn’t try to hide its low price tag. The hard plastic trim is all around. The upholstery is thin and Versa’s cheapness is evident. The droning sound of the CVT can unpleasant while traveling long distances. Versa is equipped with a softly tuned suspension that soaks all the bumps and road undulations, pretty well. 

Models	Nissan Versa Note	Kia Rio Hatchback	Honda Fit	Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback	Hyundai Veloster
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5	5
Front Headroom	41.2	40.8	38.9	39.5	38.7
Shoulder room	51.7	54.1	54.8	53.4	56.0
Legroom	41.3	42.1	41.4	41.8	42.6
Rear HEadroom	37.6	38.0	38.0	37.5	38.1
Shoulder room	51.9	53.3	52.6	53.0	54.3
Headroom	38.3	33.5	39.3	34.6	34.1

In spite of its smaller dimensions, the Versa hatchback has loads of interior space on offer. The front headroom (40.8-inches) is easily one of the best in the segment. Even the rear seats have decent space, at 38.3-inches rear headroom is better than most of the competitors in the segment.

Interior Features

The Nissan Versa offers a modest list of interior features. Some of these features are mentioned below:

• 7" touch-screen display
• 4-way manual driver's seat
• 60/40 Split fold-down rear seats
• Cloth seat trim
• Silver accents on dash and vent rings

Infotainment

Versa Note is offered with a 7-inch touchscreen display and a four-speaker audio system. The infotainment system is an example of a bare-bones setup with aux input and Bluetooth phone connectivity. The response time is better than most of the popular smartphones.

The interface is intuitive to use and comes loaded with the following tech :

• Bluetooth phone and audio streaming
• Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
• Satellite radio
• Four USB ports (two front, two rear)
• A six-speaker audio system

Cargo Capacity

Nissan does well when you need to store items in the trunk. The hatchback offers 18.8 cu-ft. of trunk space. The 60/40 split-folding rear seats can be folded to increase the cargo volume even further. The Versa doesn’t have many cubby spaces for storing items inside the cabin.

Model	Nissan Versa Note	Kia Rio Hatchback	Honda Fit	Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback	Hyundai Veloster
Cargo Volume (cu-ft.)	18.8	17.4	16.6	19.0	19.9

“We’ve already put forward the argument that hatchbacks can be more aesthetically pleasing than their sedan siblings. It could quite easily ring true in this case. Short overhangs, sculpted doors and a large rear spoiler above the rear window (on the SR model) convey a fun character. From a purely practical point of view, the tall doors mean easy entry and exit. The wide-opening rear doors, meanwhile, prove their worth when fitting a child seat, and when buckling in or extracting your bundle of Cheerios-covered joy.”-KelleyBlueBook

Dimensions and Weight

The Versa Note shares its underpinnings with the Nissan Versa sedan but it doesn’t share in the dated design of the sedan. The Versa Note is one of the more attractive options in the subcompact segment. Compared to the Versa sedan, the Versa hatchback has a sleeker front fascia and updated headlights. At 163.7 inches, the Versa hatchback is one of the longest cars in the subcompact class. It also has a wheelbase of 102.4 inches which results in a generous passenger volume.

Model	Nissan Versa Note	Kia Rio Hatchback	Honda Fit	Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback	Hyundai Veloster
Curb weight (lbs.)	2,474	2714	2568	2896	2899
Length(in)	163.7	160.0	161.4	159.8	166.9
Width(in)	66.7	67.9	67.0	68.3	70.9
Height(in)	60.5	57.1	60.0	59.7	55.1
Ground clearance (in)	-	5.5	4.4	-	-
Wheelbase (in)	102.4	101.6	99.6	99.4	104.3
Track width (in) F/R	58.3/ 58.5	59.8/60.0	58.3/58.0	59.4/ 59.4	61.0/ 61.5

Exterior Features

• Active grille shutters
• Intelligent auto headlights
• Led headlights with signature
• Led fog lights
• External ground lighting
• Heated outside mirrors with led turn signal indicators
• Power sliding glass moonroof
• Acoustic laminated glass

The 2020 Nissan Versa hatch is offered with safety features like stability control, rearview camera, and six airbags. It misses out on active driving aids like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitors as a standard feature. Some of these features have been mentioned below.

• Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with Traction Control System (TCS)
• LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children)
• Zone Body construction with front and rear crumple zones
• Hood buckling creases and safety stops
• Energy-absorbing steering column
• Pipe-style steel side-door guard beams

 

Versa Note vs Kia Rio

Kia Rio is powered by a 130 hp inline-four engine. The prices for the 2020 Kia Rio start at $16,400. Kia Rio is a well-known nameplate in the subcompact segment. The space for front passengers is good but the rear seats might feel cramped for three passengers. For a budget car, the Rio checks most of the correct boxes. It has well laid out cabin and more appealing interior trim. It handles better than the Nissan Versa.

Versa Note vs Honda Fit

Honda Fit is powered by a 1.5-liter engine which produces 130 horsepower. The pricing for the base trim of the Honda Pilot starts at $16,190. Honda Fit scores high on utility. Honda offers better passenger room and cargo space. It is also offered with Honda’s suite of safety features – Honda Sensing at the higher trim levels. The Fit offers better fuel economy, utilitarian magic seats, and considerably better resale value. Honda Fit also offers a better interior trim than the Versa Note.

Versa Note vs Chevrolet Sonic

The Chevrolet Sonic is equipped with a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine that produces 138 horsepower. Chevy Sonic is easier to drive because of its turbocharged engine. This makes the Sonic a more fun to drive car in a segment where most cars have normally aspirated engines. Chevy Sonic can be had with a six-speed manual or automatic at all trim levels. If you are looking for a fun driving experience then the Chevy Sonic should be high on the list.

 

Nissan Versa Note is powered by a 109 hp inline-four engine. The Versa hatchback is available in three trim levels. The prices for the 2020 Nissan Versa hatchback start at $15,650. Versa is only available with a CVT transmission. The space for front passengers is good but the rear seats also offer decent room for three passengers. The Versa is better suited for city driving but it struggles on the highway.

For a budget car, the Versa checks most of the essential boxes. It has well laid out cabin, generous cargo space and a very competitive price but if you are looking to keep your car for a long time and use it for a personal basis then your money would be better spent elsewhere.