2020 Nissan Versa unveiled, to be the next-gen Almera

KUALA LUMPUR: Nissan, one of the major Japanese automobile manufacturers has pulled the covers off its newest sedan. Prior to its appearance at the upcoming New York International Auto Show, the third-generation (N18) Nissan Versa has been unveiled at the Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival. The newest Nissan sedan that is built on the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s Common Modular Family (CMF-B) platform is expected to lay the foundation for the next-generation Almera. Nissan also calls it the “V platform” and the likes of fifth-generation Micra (March in some markets) already feature it.

Other similarities between the new sedan and Micra is the boomerang-shaped headlamps flanking the Nissan’s trademark V-motion grille. Other notable elements on the front fascia are the rectangular fog lamps residing on either end of the bumper. Looking from the sides, the kick-up C-pillars provide the roof with a floating appearance. While the Versa is reminiscent of the Micra, the character lines on the sedan are not as bold as they are on the hatch and the Versa is more of an elegant and decent looking vehicle.

Moving to the rear end of the sedan, we see boomerang treat in the taillamps as well. The new taillights differ a lot from the current-generation Versa/Almera and bring an air of freshness to the sedan. Hop inside the 2020 Nissan Versa and you are greeted with a completely revamped interior. The dashboard, which Nissan calls the “Gliding Wing”, is a setup similar to what we have already seen on the likes of Maxima, Altima, and the crossover Kicks. The touchscreen infotainment system features both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. While the air-conditioning vents reside above the infotainment system, the climate controls are positioned under the same.

The steering wheel on the 2020 Nissan Versa is also similar to the unit found on Leaf and Kicks. The instrument console on the sedan is a half-analog-half-digital unit. The sedan also gets up to date features like Nissan Safety Shield 360, keyless entry and engine start, automatic climate control, and heated front seats. Coming to the mechanical bits of the new Versa, we find a 1.6-litre four-pot petrol-fed mill that produces 124 PS of maximum power and a peak torque of 154 Nm. A five-speed manual and an Xtronic CVT are the transmission options available. Safety features list comprises of Automatic Braking, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist, Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Intelligent Cruise Control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Intelligent Driver Alertness. Are you interested in crossovers? Tentative pricing for the 2019 Nissan X-Trail was recently out, find out here.