Nissan brings the new Versa sedan to the Big Apple.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or in Nissan’s case, the hatchback or the sedan?
The maker has set off a bit of confusion by splitting the launch of its updated subcompact line-up between the Shanghai Motor Show, earlier this week, and a separate Wednesday news conference at the New York Auto Show.
For American motorists, it turns out, the four-door model shown in New York, and badged Nissan Versa, will be the update they’ll be seeing later this year at U.S. dealerships. But that will be followed by a 5-door based on the Nissan Tiida unveiled in China, it turns out.
Nissan sees the upcoming update as a chance for it to redefine how it competes in the small car market – moving away from the classic econobox and into something more stylish, roomy and well-equipped, noted Carlos Tavares, CEO of Nissan Americas, during a Big Apple news conference.
The 2012 Versa should also play well with those focusing on fuel economy, the new model getting a roughly 5 mile per gallon bump, to 30 mpg City, 37 Highway, according to the EPA, and 33 on the Combined scale.
Nissan Americas CEO Carlos Tavares unveils the 2012 Versa sedan.
Credit several factors with the big jump. First and foremost, the new V-platform used for both sedan and hatchback has undergone weight “optimization,” explained Tavares, the 3,000-pound 4-door coming in a significant 150 pounds lighter than the old model.
Meanwhile, Versa migrates to a new 1.6-liter inline-four engine mated to a second-generation Xtronic CVT, which is both lighter and able to cover a broader gear ratio than a more conventional 7-speed automatic, according to CEO Tavares.
The 1.6-liter engine uses a new dual injection system and twin-variable valve timing to enhance its efficiency, improving performance as well as mileage. It produces 109 horsepower and 107 lb-ft of torque.
Sold in 170 different markets, Versa has captured a 20% share of the growing U.S. small car market, and Nissan clearly aims to increase both share and volume as soaring fuel prices push more and more American motorists to downsize.
A more elegant design and a richer content mix could also help overcome the stigma some buyers feel about traditionally stripped-down subcompacts.
The 2012 Nissan Tiida will reappear in the U.S. as the next Nissan Versa hatchback.
The new Nissan Versa could also win fans of those who’d actually like to stay friends with those stuck in the rear seat. At 103 cubic feet, the interior is in a category a segment larger than the Versa’s footprint would suggest – Tavares pointedly noting that its rear seating area is larger than that of the current BMW 5-Series.
The emphasis on the Versa sedan is no surprise considering the realities of the U.S. market, but Nissan will eventually bring over the 5-door version, shown in China as the Tiida. And there are budding indications that as the small car market builds Americans may once again see hatchbacks in a positive light.
(For a look at the Nissan Tiida hatchback, Click Here.)