Hyundai Accent or Nissan Versa Note: Which One Is Best?
Because most consumers ignore them nowadays, new subcompact cars have become a rare thing. However, people who need a second vehicle for their family, or are looking for a small affordable student car will easily find one in the used vehicle market.
The Toyota Yaris and the Honda Fit are two great options, but are there other good candidates? We must say that these two Japanese maintain a very good resale value, but are more expensive to buy. A Hyundai Accent or a Nissan Versa Note could do the trick, but which one is the best?
Hyundai Accent
If you’re interested in the Accent, know that the last generation was launched for 2018, with the model being abandoned in 2020. Longer, wider, and slightly more spacious than the previous generation, it can be found as a sedan or as a hatchback, which is far more convenient.
The 1.6-litre engine hiding under the hood produces 130 horsepower and 119 ft-lb of torque, and is generally paired with a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. Its average consumption is just over 7 L/100 km. Hyundai was even able to lower this figure by adding a CVT to the 2020 Accent.
This Accent features a surprising level of refinement, a spacious cabin, decent comfort and improved road handling, but some people have been criticizing its noisy accelerations, its inefficient driving modes and its unattractive base trim. As for reliability, it isn’t bad at all.
Nissan Versa Note
The defunct Micra's “big” sister is one of the most spacious subcompacts on the market. Its retirement at the end of 2019 came two years after a series of aesthetic touch-ups and improvements to its continuously variable automatic transmission.
Also remember that the Versa Note was subject to important issues earlier in the decade. Things have settled down after 2017, but still, beware of the models that came before that. Its 1.6-litre engine only generates 109 horsepower and 107 ft-lb of torque, which makes acceleration and overtaking laborious. The five-speed manual transmission brings more enjoyment behind the wheel, but it increases the fuel consumption from 7 to 7.7 L/100 km on average.
Among the Versa Note’s strengths, let’s mention its versatile trunk with adjustable floor, its smooth ride and its camera system that offers a 360-degree view around the vehicle. On the other hand, it lacks responsiveness, and its imprecise steering doesn’t help.
Verdict
Since the design is a matter of personal taste, the rational buyer should go for a Hyundai Accent because of its superior power, more generous cargo volume, and better reliability. And of course, a mechanical inspection is crucial before making the purchase.
