Test Drive: 2014 Nissan Versa Note SL

By Kevin Harrison

The compact car segment is probably the most popular car segment in Canada. And it’s my least favourite segment. Not because I don’t see value in compact hatchbacks –they make tonnes of good sense, but because it’s one of the least interesting segments in the automotive market.

With the exception of the Fit which revolutionized cargo capacity within a small car and the Fiesta which revolutionized tech within a small car, the other players within the segment are just plain boring.

They have boring engines, boring styling, boring handling, and boring interiors. There’s little to no innovation, there’s little to no progression in terms of safety or fuel efficiency and more importantly there’s no soul.

So when a car company comes out with a new generation I get excited for about 15 seconds and then move on.

I was expecting this to happen with the new Nissan Versa but there were a few things that caught my eye.

Firstly, I was rather expecting the new Versa hatchback to look largely like the sedan version. It isn’t. Its styling is almost completely independent from its booted brother. And that’s very much a good thing. The hatchback has a much cleaner front end design with a grille that expands into the headlights matched with a more slanted hood and windscreen. The rear offers a decent amount of style out back as well. It’s not until you view the side profile when you realize there’s a tad bit of awkwardness with the rather high roof line and rather small alloy wheels, which are only available on the top tiered SL trim.

Secondly, for some unexplained reason Nissan has attached the word ‘Note’ to its hatchback offering. Presumably this is to even further differentiate the hatchback from the sedan, which is fine, I’m just not sure why or how the word ‘note’ depicts ‘hatchback’. The word note makes me think of a small a notice or a musical note. Not a car.

Thirdly, the interior is completely different from the sedan as well. It incorporates a bit more from Nissan’s corporate styling handbook. But like the Versa sedan, the big story inside is interior room. It’s quite cavernous. I’m pretty sure you can fit any player from the Toronto Raptors in there with little fuss. And the rear set leg room is even more impressive. By Nissan’s own admission, the Versa Note’s rear legroom bests its bigger and more expensive offerings such as the Sentra, Altima and even the Maxima. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Back in the day, people bought large cars such as the Altima because they needed space. Now they can get even more space for way less.

This had me thinking a crazy thought. One so crazy that you’ll think I’ve started dating Amanda Bynes and she’s rubbed off on me ( full disclosure: I am not and will not ever date Amanda Bynes).

My crazy thought was: what if the Nissan Versa could do taxi duties?

Bear with me on this. Not only is it very spacious but it has a few other things going for it as well.

There’s the on-paper fuel consumption numbers which look good. Then again with a 1.6 litre 4 cylinder engine, it better be good on gas. Officially the Versa Note is rated at 7.5 L/100 kms city and 5.8 L/100 kms highway. I returned 8.5 L/100 kms in real world driving which, I admit, isn’t the greatest considering the engine and size of the car however most taxi drivers would give one of their lungs for 8.5 L/100 kms fuel consumption from their Town Cars and Crown Victorias.

Then there’s the overall quietness of the cabin. It’s not a luxurious feeling by any means but it is noticeably quiet, especially considering the CVT transmission, which is traditionally quite load and droany.

I thought I had found something that would help the Nissan stand out like Honda and Ford do in the segment. But there are a few problems.

Firstly, there’s the engine. It produces 109 horsepower and 107 pound foot torque. So it’s not powerful by any means, but that’s not even my issue with it because the Fit posts similar numbers and it a blast to drive –it’s quite peppy. However this engine gets completely neutered by its transmission. The CVT, while quiet, only has one goal in mind: fuel efficiency. That means, even with your foot to the floor, you won’t be making any headway whatsoever. Last time I checked, taxi drivers drive a tad aggressively and I’m not generalizing when I say that. By the very nature of their business, time is of the essence. The quicker you get your passenger to their destination, the quicker you can pick up another fair. Nissan loves to send their press cars equipped with CVT’s but you definitely want the 6-speed manual in this case because you’ll be able to get more out of that engine while still returning decent fuel efficiency.

Secondly, while the cabin is quiet, it’s not exactly luxurious. Passengers expect a level of refinement and/or luxury on their journey. Even though the top model SL is decently equipped it still feels rather meager. The seats aren’t the most comfortable I’ve ever sat in and the materials aren’t exactly Lexus-quality.

Thirdly, there’s the cargo room. While it’s perfectly adequate, it’s still not at the same level as the Town Car is. On top of that, the Fit is still king for cargo despite being bested by the Versa Note for interior space.

And then there’s the overall driving experience. It’s been a long time since I’ve experienced a car that has such little steering feedback to the driver. In fact, the steering is so numb that I found myself overcorrecting more than half the time. And then there’s the brakes. They feel mushy and unresponsive. And handling? It’s not even worth mentioning the lack of.

You thought I was crazy for taking the taxi angle, but really, I was just looking for some sort of excitement in the segment or for the Versa Note to stand out. But it doesn’t, unfortunately. However, if you are the type shopping around in this segment, chances are ‘excitement’ is not on top of your list anyway in which case the Versa Note is still worth a look as it has plenty of other things going for it. However if you’re looking for any sort of excitement, you’ll have to go to the American car dealer across the street. Because while the rest of the segment is content to remain as dull as can be, one automaker has finally stepped up to the plate with:

The Ford Fiesta ST.

Price As Tested: $20,720

Pros: