Motor Trend - USA (2020-01)

COTY I Contenders

Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine/Transmission 1.6L DOHC 16-valve I-4/Cont variable auto Curb Weight

(F/R Dist) 2,680 lb (61/39%) Wheelbase 103.1 in Length x Width x Height 177.0 x 68.5 x 57.7 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy 105/84 kW-hr/100 miles

CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.55 lb/mile

SPECS 2020 Nissan Versa SR

Base Price/As Tested $19,135/$19,645

Power (SAE net) 122 hp @ 6,300 rpm

Torque (SAE net) 114 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

Accel, 0-60 mph 9.7 sec

Quarter Mile 17.4 sec @ 81.0 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph 124 ft

Lateral Acceleration 0.84 g (avg)

MT Figure Eight 28.3 sec @ 0.58 g (avg)

EPA City/Hwy/Comb 32/40/35 mpg

N

ot too many economy cars

offer the styling and value

the 2020 Nissan Versa does.

With handsome looks and interior

finishes, the Versa is a good

option for those looking for cheap

wheels with style.

Building a car that looks good,

comes with modern tech, and has

a low price isn’t an easy task. But

Nissan managed to improve the

previous Versa in every way while

still delivering terrific value.

Inside, our Versa SR came

equipped with orange stitching, a

Inside, occupants will like

the stylish cabin. Second-row

passengers might suffer from

limited headroom due to the

Versa’s descending roofline.

And although legroom for the

rear is still decent, rear passen-

gers somehow lost 6 inches of

it compared with the previous

generation.

Miguel Cortina

enough punch. Unlike its Kicks

sibling, which feels quicker, the

Versa has trouble gaining speed.

But despite the negative

comments about its drivetrain,

judges appreciated the tuning of

the suspension, which absorbed

most of the bumps and ruts

of choppy roads. And that’s

compared with other Car of the

Year entrants from luxury brands.

7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple

CarPlay and Android Auto capa-

bility, and three USB ports.

The Versa SR model we tested

had a price tag of $19,645 and

came equipped with safety

features such as automatic

emergency braking, reverse-gear

automatic braking, and lane

departure warning.

But the Versa continues to

suffer from engine noise and still

feels underpowered. With 122

hp and 114 lb-ft of torque, the

Versa’s tinny engine doesn’t have

PRO Good starter car • Good looks • Nice interior finishes

CON Underpowered engine • Noisy interior • Poor back-seat headroom

Nissan Versa

Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door hatchback Engine/Transmission DC permanent-magnet electric motor/1-speed automatic Curb

Weight (F/R Dist) SV 3,825 lb (57/43%) SL 3,846 lb (57/43%) Wheelbase 106.3 in Length x Width x Height 176.4 x 70.5 x 61.4 in Energy Consumption, City/

Hwy 30/36 kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.00 lb/mile (at vehicle)

SPECS 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus SV 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus SL

Base Price/As Tested $39,405/$42,580 $43,445/$44, 315

Power (SAE net) 214 hp 214 hp

Torque (SAE net) 250 lb-ft @ 800 rpm 250 lb-ft @ 800 rpm

Accel, 0-60 mph 6.4 sec 6.5 sec

Quarter Mile 15.1 sec @ 93.3 mph 15.1 sec @ 93.3 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph 120 ft 123 ft

Lateral Acceleration 0.77 g (avg) 0.76 g (avg)

MT Figure Eight 28.1 sec @ 0.61 g (avg) 28.2 sec @ 0.60 g (avg)

EPA City/Hwy/Comb 114/94/104 mpg-e 114/94/104 mpg-e

Kudos to Nissan for boosting

energy density by 25 percent so

the 62-kW-hr pack basically fits

where the 40-kW-hr pack went.

But range anxiety is a numbers

game, and the low, low 200-mile

range doesn’t cut it.

The Leaf also disappointed

in terms of driving dynamics

compared to the Tesla (and even

the Kia). Yes, blending regen-

erative and friction braking is

hard, but even after Nissan’s nine

years of practice, Rechtin noted,

“The transition from the e-pedal

W

ould you pay $1,245

more for a Nissan Leaf

S Plus than a standard-

range Tesla Model 3? Would

a $520 savings get you into a

mid-level 215-mile $42,580 Leaf

SV Plus over a 240-mile Model 3

Standard Range Plus?

We’re a hard-no to both,

especially since the Leaf’s fast-

charging options are limited to

funky CHAdeMO plugs.

With Tesla dealers in only

25 states (and 25 countries),

the Nissan Leaf is the world’s

top-selling electric car. So why

doesn’t it boast world-beating

driving dynamics, range, and

packaging?

Package-wise both compa-

nies locate the battery under the

floor, and both started out with

low rear hip-points that forced

our knees into the air and ruined

thigh support. With one midcycle

refresh, Tesla has largely fixed

that. After a redesign and a

freshening, Nissan hasn’t, and

its interior struggles mightily to

justify a $40,000 price tag.

to normal friction braking is not

smooth at all.”

Ogbac described the Leaf’s

handling as “sloppy” and its

steering as “dead”—words that

don’t appear in the Tesla’s

logbook. The Leaf understeers

and squeals its tires everywhere,

while the Tesla quietly hustles like

a pole-dancing Cardi B.

In the end, Rechtin summed

the Leaf up thusly: “This purpose-

built electric car falls miles short

of the Tesla—literally and figura-

tively.” Frank Markus

PRO Laudable cargo capacity • Cushy ride • Nationwide availability

CON Middling range • Indefensibly lofty price • Trails Model 3 everywhere

Nissan Leaf

82 MOTORTREND.COM JANUARY 2020