Those with long memories may recall that I wrote an earlier review on a Versa sedan. Rental car review. Nissan Versa. Looong

The Note is the hatchback version, and all the hatchback haters are not going to like what I have to say. I rented this vehicle while on vacation on Maui. Specs are basically the same as the sedan.

Specs:

5-door hatchback
1.6 litre four cylinder 109 bhp@6000 rpm, torque 107 ft/lbs @4400 rpm.
CVT automatic transmission
Weight about 2500 lbs

Things that are different:

Performance:
I suspect Nissan have massaged the transmission and engine management recently as the Note drove less like an old school CVT than the sedan. It still revs hard if you need to go, but it did less mooing during regular driving.

I am still baffled how Nissan make a 1.6 motor that sounds and feels so unrefined. Honda used to make smooth engines in that size, Ford 1600 Kent motors with pushrods from the late 70s are smoother, and my Dad's 2.0 Ford SOHC was WAY smoother. Maybe it has something to do with emissions gear or the drive to reduce friction.

Ride and handling:
The Note seems to have slightly firmer shocks than the sedan. This made the ride less roly-poly. It also handled MUCH better, as I found on the Road to Hana, all 52 narrow miles and 600 turns of it. The car had a real "planted at each corner" feel. Looking at the picture, you can see why.

Steering was also more direct and directional stability was FAR better than the sedan. Actually, I've noticed that hatch and wagon versions of sedans are often more stable in the wind than the vanilla 4-door.

Interior:
Same gripes as the sedan although I think the seats are a tad wider in the Note. The hatchback body does pick up more road noise, especially as none of the rentals come with the luggage compartment cover.

Other:
Gas mileage was very good, and I think Nissan have refreshed the headlamp design, as the pattern was much improved over the sedan I had Feb 2014. A/C worked just fine fighting off the Maui sun and humidity.

Conclusion:
Big improvement on the sedan version, but I'd only own one as a town car or because I could not afford to run anything else.

Attached Images

VersaNote.jpg (161.9 KB, 25 views)

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I've rented a few of the tiny cars from Ford, Nissan, Hyundai, and Toyota. The Yaris wasn't too bad and the Accent was OK for a really cheap car but the other two were pretty lame and I actually wouldn't recommend any of them. The next size up car, like a Sentra, Corrola, Altima, etc. is a much more refined, powerful, and sophisticated car with almost as good of gas mileage. Even if you have to get a larger car that's a little older it will be safer and better than driving a bottom of the line econo box

That is a horrid little speck of a car.

Driving that road to Hana it was the perfect size, trust me. Guy from work went to Maui a week after me and had rented an Escalade for his party of five. He said the trip to Hana left him a nervous wreck because of the size of the thing.

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Actually, I suspect that is the exact agenda as to why small cars in the US are so unrefined compared to those on the Euro market. The manufacturers want the US consumer to buy the bigger car that brings more profit per unit.

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I drove the "Road to Hana" in Maui about 10 years ago in a Chevy Cavalier convertible. That road coming back was so rough I bet those cheezy little rental cars were literally falling apart after about 40,000 miles. I feel sorry for the people that later bought them on the used car market.

We recently leased a Ford Escape SE, and it is so good that it makes me want to get another one-just to have-even though I don't need it!

Well, the surface looked pretty good from Lahaina to Hana around the North side of the island. So good, I'd wager it wasn't more than 2-3 years old.

If you did the Southern part I'm not surprised you found it rough. They told us it was a breach of the rental agreement to go there.

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Aloha,

20 years ago, the Wife drove a rented T-Bird to Hana in 2 1/2 hours.

We were behind a 10,000 # truck who was leaning on his air horn Most of the way. Oncoming traffic dove to the side of the road.

The Wife enjoys driving "spiritedly".

Had lunch at the hotel, went sight seeing.

I drove back.

Made it back to the hotel well after dark

She also drove the same T-Bird UP Haleakala at 3 am for the Sun rise.

I drove down following SLOW driving Asian tourists who never heard of pulling over to let cars lining up behind to pass.