This automaker’s politics with its smaller-sized cars isn’t very common. Nissan decided last year that Sentra’s latest generation would be shared with the sedan’s Eastern sibling, Sylphy, in order to reduce costs. Now this strategy will be repeated with the Japanese minivan Note, which was adapted to North America as their new Versa hatchback. The thing is, this car is so different from the sedan that they should even have different names. This article will show what this new hatch-minivan will start to bring next summer.
Although this car shares platform with the sedan just like Versa’s previous generation (which was called Tiida at some countries), its own versions were clearly two variations of the same car. However, the current phase first received the sedan with much lower price, in fact reduced enough to make it compete at the subcompact level, while the hatchback that shares its name is this article’s car. Versa, in fact, looks much more like March/Micra, to the point of they sharing the very same central console. But since the North-American market would never accept a car that small, their choice was to “force” Versa’s line creation with the new car, which will certainly be sold at other markets as a medium-sized hatchback – or even minivan. Nevertheless, this car’s design can be seen as one more proof that Nissan’s idea isn’t to unify their showroom into one single design language, but some of them. So if the sedan now reminds is bigger siblings Altima and Sentra, Note sticks to being the production version of the Invitation concept car. In other words, it brings a very attractive design, without any excess of elements: the front section, for instance, takes all the attention to both the headlights and the grille, with an integrated design which gives an imponent look but also reminds very much of Honda CR-V.
Nothing of that comes as a complaint, though. Note’s design could be described as an up-to-date version of what has been seen at Nissan’s hatches and minivans since the last decade. These lines are more sophisticated than Tiida’s and Livina’s, with better-looking volumes, abandoning the excessively straight lines and creases, some aerodynamical aids, like the two strong roof creases, and using much more inspired tridimensional shapes, such as the tail lights. Entering it, the V-platform shows its advantages with a very well-planned room. Subcompacts never give priority to fancy design or top-notch material quality, but to room for five and lots of pratical solutions: this car counts on items such as 60/40 divided rear seats, whose space can be rearranged with the trunk’s: besides using the complete area, there’s an extra floorboard to create a separate space for smaller items, or finish composing a flat space when those seats are down. On the other hand, it’s very nice to see that Nissan has invested very much also at Note’s safety. Offered in four trim levels, this car can come with tire pressure monitoring system, braking system with ABS, BAS and EBD, and stability and traction controls – the S version will start from $ 13,990, but there are also S Plus, SV and SV with SL package.
But this car has other concerns, too. In order to take customers from Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai Accent or even Fiat 500, Note received a very good technology package: the multifunctional Intelligent Key opens the doors of a car which can bring keyless entry, electroluminescent dashboard, heated front seats, cruise control, GPS tracking, higher-quality internal illumination and an impressive infotainment system: the 5.8” touchscreen gives access to weather conditions, full navigation system, hands-free text messaging and media streaming over Bluetooth connection, online radio through iPhone internet, rearview monitor with the conventional reverse-gear images displayed at the screen, but also the new Around View Monitor, whose four cameras are set one at each side of the car. They work together to help parking by creating a virtual 360° image of the car, allowing to see the exact space available for each situation. Versa Note will always use a four-cylinder 16-valve 1.6L engine, with 109 hp and 107 lb-ft. It uses front-wheel-drive, double injection, continously variable valve timing and several other technologies to achieve the city and highway mileage of 31 and 40 mpg, respectively – only the entry version brings a five-speed manual transmission, while the others count on the CVT Xtronic gearbox. As usual, this car will be produced in Mexico.
