Next Gen 2014 Versa – Far Better Looking and Even More Fuel Efficient

[xcel]

A best-in-class fuel efficiency rating thanks to a direct-injected 1.2L I3!

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - July 16, 2012

The next gen Versa – It’s a good looking sub and fuel efficiency? I can bet it will be even more earth shattering than the 13 Nissan’s Altima 38 mpgUS highway.

Nissan today unveiled a glimpse of their all-new Nissan Note, their global B-Segment platform at a world premiere held in Yokohama.

The Note achieves class-leading fuel efficiency and emission levels, combining advanced engine technology, a lightweight platform and improved aerodynamics.

In Japan, the new hatch includes Nissan's advanced Around View Monitor (AVM) which is included for the first time in a compact car, helping to take the stress out of reversing and parallel parking in tight spaces.

The Note's exterior features an interesting character line called by Nissan’s Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura the 'Squash Line', and an aerodynamic body shape.

The revamped body structure enabled the Note's designers to deliver a Versa like spacious interior that is again beyond expectations for a car in the B-Segment.

Drvietrain – In Japan anyway?

Two new engines will be available including a new supercharged HR12DDR (DIG-S) and the HR12DE from their critically acclaimed “March”.

Combining the compact, lightweight next-generation XTRONIC CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with a Nissan Idle Start/Stop System, the newly-developed supercharged and direct injection 1.2L I3 (Nissan’s DIG-S engine) provides good power although no spec was released. It will also provide its owners with B-Segment class-leading fuel efficiency earning 59 mpgUS on the Japanese JC08 or as a wild guess, 36 to 38 mpgUS combined on our own 08 EPA?

The Japanese-market Note will be manufactured at Nissan Motor Kyushu. Nissan's Sunderland plant in the U.K. will produce models for Europe currently planned for release in 2013. While Nissan has yet to disclose what they will build at their new facility currently being built in Aguascalientes, Mexico, they did say that during Phase 1, it will produce 175,000 B-segment vehicles per year. There is only one B-segment vehicle currently available in Nissan’s US lineup and that is the Versa.

The design overview

[WriConsult]

Nice looking. The Versa has been one of my favorite cars for a while (though its engine is now pretty dated) and I almost bought one last year. This will be a nice update, and will get rid of the goofy-French styling that the hatchback displays from certain angles.

We'll have to wait and see which engine(s) end up here, and whether (like a lot of recent Nissans) it's CVT-only or not. Recent Nissans tend to get far better EPA scores with CVT than MT where both are offered (though of course the real world is much different), so it really looks like they're trying to drive a stake through MT sales.

Too bad, because their CVTs are NOT hypermiler-friendly. Great for your normal drivers, but not so much for those of us who like to take things to a higher level. My experience with a Nissan CVT was that it responded very poorly to being shifted in out of gear, pretty much a deal-killer for hyperefficient driving.

[Harold]

Almost looks like a Fit? Very similar to my eye. H

[herm]

So this replaces the Versa hatchback?

[atlaw4u]

The styling is a little bland for my taste but I would seriously consider it if they bring the 1.2L I3 to the States.

[Right Lane Cruiser]

The front quarter panel and side profile are very similar to my LEAF. I like it!

[Carcus]

Different from Ford's approach, will be interested to see note vs 1.0 ecoboosted Fiesta in a nose to tail compo. Ecoboost 3 cyl 125hp/125 tq vs Nissan's 97/105 (?).

/ I thought I remember reading Ford had limited use "overboost" function, will Nissan do that with the supercharger?

"Optimized boosting system. Because the engine is a small displacement Miller engine, it has relatively less exhaust gas volume and energy, Nissan noted, citing that as the reason why the boosting system does not rely on the exhaust gas energy.

Nissan used an Eaton Roots-type supercharger with twin 4-lobe rotors, with a revolution of 2.4:1 compared to engine revolution. Although the supercharger already has low-rotating friction under a non-boosting condition, Nissan adopted the electromagnetic clutch—driven directly by the ECU—for further friction reduction. For boost pressure control, the engine uses a bypass valve upstream of the throttle valve.

An air-cooled intercooler is downstream of the supercharger; Nissan said that this is important to maintain knock quality using Miller cycle on the boost condition. It alo makes it easy to control the charged air volume along with recirculation under partial boost conditions."

Details on Nissan’s I3 1.2L supercharged direct-injection gasoline engine
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2012...-20120530.html

[Carcus]

Originally Posted by Harold

Almost looks like a Fit? Very similar to my eye. H

Give it a few years. Most every car on the road will look like a Fit.

[RedylC94]

Originally Posted by WriConsult

Recent Nissans tend to get far better EPA scores with CVT than MT where both are offered ...

That's largely because of the ridiculously short gearing in manual Versas. Why did it need to be geared about as low as a Fit, even with a 1.8L engine (vs. the Fit's 1.5L)? To make their CVT look good?

[herm]

Originally Posted by Carcus

Give it a few years. Most every car on the road will look like a Fit.

Little station wagons?.. wonderful!