Just bought my new 2015 Versa SV 3 weeks ago (it has Conticontactpro tires), and I love the car except for the ride. Hoping to get some answers here.
I have 450 miles on it now, so it's still in the break in period. Something I did not notice when I test drove the car (and I test drove it at several different dealerships, including the car I bought), was that I feel every single road imperfection. This started with about 80 miles on the car(a few days of driving). Not sure if I was so distracted by the test driving and new car, that I just didn't notice until I was so comfortable with the car otherwise.
I was driving a 1999 Toyota Corolla for the last 15 years, which was a very smooth driving car- I did not feel the road at all.
I live in Los Angeles, where there are very few roads that are smooth.
I took my Versa to a dealer to check it out at about 200 miles. The mechanic said the suspension, etc all fine, and tires and pressure good. He test drove car (although no idea where), and said drives like other similar cars.
The service advisor said the Versas come with several different tires- my test drives may have been on different tires He also said the CVT can contribute to the feeling of all the road imperfections.
Does the ride smooth out a little with time ? If the tires are part of the problem , does the ride get a little smoother as they age ?
Hopefully, I will get more used to it too. I see online that most small cars nowadays have a bumpier ride then I'm used to.
Any tips or thoughts are appreciated !

It is a common complaint. I have a 2014 Note that I bought on September 9,and if the road is bumpy it lets you know it. My previous car was an 07 Kia Rio 5, and so I am used to that. In fact the Versa rides better. But the Corolla has always been tuned for a cushy ride, so the difference is more noticeable to you by contrast perhaps.

But I do like the fact that even though it can be bumpy, it doesn't translate into cabin noise (at least for me), though some road surfaces can produce an annoying thrum. And the car always feels confidently glued to the road no matter what surface. On a smoother road surface, it's actually quite pleasant. Entry level car, entry level ride quality.

I'm not sure there's all that much you can do about it with the low-rolling resistance tires they come with. Some other's may have suggestions about tires that might improve things a bit, but personally, I don't relish the idea of dropping wads of cash on tires while I experiment with the ride quality I bought the car because it was relatively cheap -- like me.

Thanks for your input . I have the sedan- but I presume similar in ride to the Note.I don't hear the road , thank goodness . And yes, the contrast in how bumpy/ harsh the ride feels from my previous car is huge.
Hopefully others will offer their experience on getting used to it, or other tires that might help. I'm still hoping that as these Conticontactpros wear, they become a little more comfortable. I really don't want to spend money on new tires for a new car.

JESCHWARTZ wrote:I live in Los Angeles, where there are very few roads that are smooth.

What part of LA are you in? I grew up in Riverside, moved to Texas, came back to SoCal, lived near the corner of Motor and Venice, then to Thousand Oaks before coming back to Texas. Worked in Century City for 3 years, right at the corner of Santa Monica and Avenue of the Stars.

I actually live in West LA, so not far at all from where you lived and worked. So you know the conditions of the roads and the 405 freeway- there are no smooth roads . I'm curious what tires came on your car. Maybe they give a better ride then these. They couldn't be worse. I never thought to look at the tires on the Versa's I test drove, but they must have been something other then the ones on mine. I just drove the same exact route I did on one of my longer test drives, and the ride is noticeably different.
I'm goiong to get a second opinion at the dealer where I bought it- but I suspect they'll tell me the car is fine.
I'll see how long I can tough it out before trying different tires.

I have the same tires as you, Conticontact pro so no help there. The wheelbases of the two are the same,but the Note is actually shorter overall,but that can't matter. Hope you get some satisfaction.

Check your tire pressure. Keep it at factory spec for a smoother ride. When you do change tires, go up 1 size. I used 195/65/15 ContiContact Pro on my 09 H/B. I liked the tire and the size change made a world of difference.

I noticed that tires make a huge difference in ride quality on a Note. My original 185/65-15 Bridgestone Ecopias rode nice and soft, nothing to complain about except for mediocre traction and braking. I upgraded to 16inch wheels so I also changed the tires to 195/55-16 Kumho PA31s. Much, much better overall over the Ecopias in all aspects (except for FE). I have since gone to winter tires (195/50-15 Michelin X12) which pretty much destroyed the previously nice ride of my Note. Can't wait for the winter to be over so I can get my smooth ride back.

Thanks everyone. I did take it back to the dealership where I bought it,for second opinion about 2 weeks after the1st place.Got a great service advisor who took me on a test drive in my car, and he explained exactly why the car is fine. Yes, he agrees very different from what I was used to- it's a combination of the stiffer suspension and higher speed rated tires.
He did take out a few pounds of air from the tires .
Anyway, between the little bit of air he took out,and my getting used to the car- I'm now at 1,000 miles and the ride is much better. All depends on the road I'm on.
He also said that all the parts of the car, including suspension will soften somewhat with miles on the car, by around 12,000 miles I should notice a smoother ride .Although never will be the same as the Corolla.
I'm loving the car, and someday when I need tires, I'll keep in mind what you've said !