No More Nissan Versa Note After 2019

Nissan Canada has confirmed that one of its compact hatchbacks will be going away after model year 2019. If you're thinking that it's going to be the lowest-priced new car in Canada, then you'd be mistaken. It's the bigger one.

Dropping the Versa Note might come as a surprise, but these days it's a sign of the times. Canadian sales of the car fell 18 percent in 2018, and are down 35 percent so far this year compared with last year. US sales dropped even further in 2018, seeing a 29 percent slide from 2017 to 2018. And if a vehicle disappears in the US, it's not likely to stick around here for long. The Canada-only Micra possibly the exception that proves the rule.

If you're looking for a compact hatch from Nissan, they'll be happy to direct you toward the all-new Kicks crossover. It managed to hit around 2/3rds of Versa Note sales in 2018, despite only going on sale in July. So far this year, the Kicks has sold more than double the Versa Note making it the brand's fourth-best-selling model.

Nissan Canada also has the Micra for buyers wanting a small hatch, the Sentra for those not ready to cross over just yet, and the electric Leaf for a greener small car choice.