The Frugal 2010 Nissan Versa 1.6-liter Engine

Nissan's Versa subcompact has no changes to either of its four-cylinder engines for 2010

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The Versa offers a choice of 1.6-liter and 1.8-liter all-aluminum, 16-valve, DOHC inline fours. Both engines are part of the HR/MR family, which Nissan says was designed for low-end torque, rather than maximum horsepower. Both engines have variable valve timing on the intake valves, and both have chain-driven camshafts, rather than rubber timing belts.

The 1.6 Base and 1.6 models use the 1.6-liter HR16DE engine, which is undersquare, with a bore of 78.0 mm and a stroke of 83.0 mm. With a compression ratio of 9.8:1, it produces 107 horsepower and 111 lb-ft of torque, which compares well with the 106-horsepower Toyota Yaris and the 110-horsepower Hyundai Accent, but lags behind the Honda Fit's 117-horsepower 1.5-liter engine.

The S and SL models use the 1.8-liter MR18DE, which is oversquare, with a bore of 84.0 mm and a stroke of 81.1 mm. It has a compression ratio of 9.9:1, producing 122 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque. It is less powerful than the 1.8-liter engines in the Toyota Matrix and Scion xD, which make 132 and 128 horsepower, respectively.

Both Versa engines produce adequate but unexceptional performance. Although Nissan claims that their acoustically equal-length intake runners reduce unpleasant engine noise, both engines are loud and buzzy when worked hard; they are reasonably quiet at cruising speeds.

Fuel economy is good, but far from class leading with either engine. The 1.6-liter's EPA combined ratings (29 mpg with manual transmission, 28 mpg with automatic) are significantly less than the Toyota Yaris (32 mpg manual, 31 mpg automatic) or Hyundai Accent (30 mpg). The 1.8-liter, meanwhile, only beats the Toyota Matrix and Scion xD when equipped with the optional CVT automatic, which gives it a combined rating of 30 mpg.

by: RW Tanner

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