Used 2019 Nissan Versa Note

The 2019 Nissan Versa Note is the hatchback version of the Versa subcompact sedan. It’s long been the accepted wisdom that Americans prefer sedans to hatchbacks, while other parts of the world favor the latter over the former. Admittedly, having a lockable trunklid keeps valuables safely out of sight and out of reach. But how often do we leave valuables in the car compared with how often we need cargo/passenger versatility? And although this next point is purely subjective, hatchbacks tend to look less awkward than their sedan counterparts. The Versa Note is no sports machine, but it is relatively spacious, cheap to buy and economical to run. It could work well for first-time buyers, small families and commuters looking to keep expenses low.

Yes, the 2019 Versa Note is short on thrills, but at least it’s easy to drive, with light steering, excellent outward vision and compact dimensions making easy work of parking. The engine sounds a bit grainy at high revs, and there’s no real joy other than fuel economy to be had from the continually variable transmission (CVT). Ride quality is on the soft side, which is fine for rough surfaces on straight roads, but the car leans over through the curves, while the steering lacks any kind of feel for what the front wheels are doing. It soon becomes apparent, though, that they will not like to be pushed at all, breaking into understeer and letting the nose run wide at a point when most other cars are still gripping the cornering line, leaving the driver with no other option but to ease off the throttle.

A shortage of thrills is matched by an absence of frills. It’s pretty basic in here, as the hand-cranked windows illustrate. The plastics are a reminder that the 2019 Versa Note’s retail price is comparatively low. There’s only one interior color: Charcoal. However, everything is put together well. Finding the ideal driving position is easy, there’s 40.8 inches of front headroom and an adult-friendly 37 inches of rear legroom. Plus the aforementioned cargo area, which expands to 38.3 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded down. This is one of the most spacious cabins in the subcompact-hatchback class.

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.

LARGE CARGO CAPACITY
For a subcompact hatch that’s just 163 inches long, the 2019 Versa Note enjoys 18.8 cubic feet of luggage space behind its rear seats. That’s better than some midsize-crossover SUVs, let alone direct competition like the Honda Fit (16.6), Chevrolet Sonic (14.9) or Ford Fiesta (10.1).

EASY FILL TIRE ALERT
Many of us have scrambled around looking for the correct tire-pressure information. With the 2019 Versa Note, we just attach the air line to the valve and this highly convenient feature (optional in SV trim, standard in the SR) first flashes the hazard lights to indicate it’s working, then beeps the horn once there’s sufficient inflation.

You know things are bleak when you look at the list of standard equipment and the manufacturer mentions something that really ought to go without saying, like a speedometer. As well as the aforementioned wind-up windows, the extremely sparse S model has 15-inch steel wheels — but no power locks, driver’s-seat height adjustment, cruise control, or even a remote trunk release. And whereas most cars have brake discs at both ends, the Versa Note puts drums at the back. But it does have air conditioning, Bluetooth, a 4-speaker audio system, and active grille shutters for optimum aerodynamic/fuel efficiency. Luckily, the 2019 Versa Note is cheap enough to consider going up to the next SV level, which has a few more amenities and is eligible for some options.

The SV provides power windows/locks and cruise control. As mentioned in the “What’s New” section, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto joins this trim, which is also eligible for the SV Special Edition package that includes 15-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry/ignition, fog lights and the Easy Fill Tire Alert feature. The range-topping SR trim level has that package’s contents as standard, but goes with 16-inch alloy wheels. The cloth interior is also enlivened by an orange stripe on each seat. Other options include premium paint, frameless self-dimming rearview mirror with universal garage-door opener, and a Rockford Fosgate audio system upgrade.

This might sound odd, but there’s a downside to achieving 39 mpg on the highway. Such impressive fuel economy is the result of unimpressive muscle: 109 horsepower from a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine bolted to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) tuned for frugality rather than fun. Let’s not bother with zero-to-60-mph times or top speeds; let’s just say the front-drive-only 2019 Versa Note eventually becomes quick enough to keep up with the general freeway flow, which isn’t really an issue during the rush hours anyway.

1.6-liter inline-4
109 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
107 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 31/39 mpg