If you had a hunch that the new Nissan Note for global markets including Japan and Europe would form the base for a replacement to the North American market Versa hatchback, you may pat yourself on the back.
The Japanese carmaker just announced that the next generation of the sub-compact Versa hatchback, which will arrive within the next year, “will receive a fresh new look that takes design cues from the new Note”.
Nissan added that both the new Note and Versa are based on the company’s global V-platform, but pointed out that “the Versa will embrace features tailored to its markets in North and South America.”
While Nissan won’t divulge any more details until closer to launch, the smart money should go to a slightly modified version of the Note with market-specific powertrain options.
In addition to the announcement on the hatchback model, Nissan said that the 2013 model year version of the Versa sedan, which was launched just last year, has been updated to achieve 40 miles per gallon on the highway.
The Versa series has been a success for Nissan with the current hatchback and sedan models having sold 60,919 units in the States from January through June 2012, beating its nearest competitors including the Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent and Ford Fiesta.
PHOTO GALLERY
