2012 & 2013 Nissan Hatchback Reviews & Ratings

Nissan is very well known and respected for their hatchback cars which they have been producing since 1974 with the first 2+2 hatchback version of the well known Nissan Fairlady Z or Nissan Z coupe. Although in 2012 their most popular car is the Nissan Altima sedan, the Nissan Hatchback has always been at the heart of their success, particularly in Europe where smaller Nissan Hatchback cars are all the rage. Over the decades, Nissan has not been without their problems in winning the attenti... (full review continues below)

Nissan is very well known and respected for their hatchback cars which they have been producing since 1974 with the first 2+2 hatchback version of the well known Nissan Fairlady Z or Nissan Z coupe. Although in 2012 their most popular car is the Nissan Altima sedan, the Nissan Hatchback has always been at the heart of their success, particularly in Europe where smaller Nissan Hatchback cars are all the rage. Over the decades, Nissan has not been without their problems in winning the attention and popularity of the American market. Yet, most people appreciate the quality of the workmanship and the functionality that has always been their trademark. It is only in the last 10 years or so that luxury has started to shine through as a quality of Nissan made cars.

The Hatchback market is probably one of the most crowded worldwide with pretty much every manufacturer under the sun producing some kind of hatchback model. This market segment is huge due to the hatchback satisfying a wide variety of consumer needs. Popular models for 2012 include the Ford Fiesta, Fiat 500, Hyundai Veloster, Chevrolet Sonic and two domestic competitors for Nissan - the Toyota Yaris and Mazda 3. The only Nissan in the top 10 lists generated so far is the Nissan Juke.

Oddly from that list, although by design, the Nissan Juke fits the requirements of a Hatchback in that it does not have a separate trunk, however, it is classified by most dealers as an SUV. Of the more traditional Nissan Hatchbacks there are two main models on offer in 2012 - the Nissan Leaf and the Nissan Versa. With the inclusion of SUV Hatchback vehicles this would then include the Nissan Xterra, Pathfinder, Rogue and Armada. However, for the focus of this article we will remain with the more fun loving and traditional view, the Versa and the Leaf. The reason the Nissan Hatchback is so popular is that they are seen as small, fast, relatively cheap, fun and practical all rolled into one.

The Nissan Leaf is the more sophisticated hatchback with a price tag to boot with the SV model starting at $35,000. The leaf is one of the first fully commercial all electric hatchbacks and is no slouch even so. Its top speed is 90mph and the electric engine generates 107 hp and torque of 207 pounds per foot and can travel 100 miles before it needs to be recharged. The SL version starting at $37,000 is exactly the same but includes a quick charge port for faster turnaround time.

The other Nissan Hatchback is the Nissan Versa 1.8 sport hatchback which is the only hatchback version of the Nissan Versa sedan range. With a base price of $15,600 it boasts a 1.8 liter 4 cylinder engine generating 122hp and torque of 127 pounds per foot. It manages a respectable 24 miles per gallon in the city and 32 on the highway with an average range of about 350 miles.