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