Unlike a lot of economy cars whose tiny engines are inherently buzzy, there's little noise intrusion into the Versa's quiet cabin. It's a really pleasant little car to drive about town, absorbing rough pavement and potholes rather nicely and fitting itself easily into tight parking spots. The electric-assisted power steering isn't sporty, but makes parking lot manoeuvres a breeze.
Fuel economy is mid-pack; while not as good as the Elantra, or smaller Yaris and Fit, it's a fairly respectable 7.2 L/100 km city and 5.7 highway.
Although the Versa has an impressive entry price of around $13,000, that's for a stripped-down sedan. The hatchback, oddly, has the larger engine and a base price of about $14,500.
My fairly loaded Versa Hatchback SL with a CVT transmission pushed that price to just over $20,000. For that sum, you can get a mid-range Mazda3 or Honda Civic. But losing the navigation package saves $1,100, the CVT $1,300, the A/C and entry package $1,400, ABS and traction control another $800 and, inexplicably, the Daytona Blue metallic paint is worth $135.
While it may not be particularly exciting, the Versa is certainly versatile (hence the name) and as easy to slip into as a favourite pair of jeans.
Fuel economy is mid-pack; while not as good as the Elantra, or smaller Yaris and Fit, it's a fairly respectable 7.2 L/100 km city and 5.7 highway.
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| My fairly loaded Versa Hatchback SL with a CVT transmission pushed that price to just over $20,000. (Photo: Nissan) |
Although the Versa has an impressive entry price of around $13,000, that's for a stripped-down sedan. The hatchback, oddly, has the larger engine and a base price of about $14,500.
My fairly loaded Versa Hatchback SL with a CVT transmission pushed that price to just over $20,000. For that sum, you can get a mid-range Mazda3 or Honda Civic. But losing the navigation package saves $1,100, the CVT $1,300, the A/C and entry package $1,400, ABS and traction control another $800 and, inexplicably, the Daytona Blue metallic paint is worth $135.
While it may not be particularly exciting, the Versa is certainly versatile (hence the name) and as easy to slip into as a favourite pair of jeans.
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