2007 Nissan Versa Review | Buyer Guide
Nissan’s Versa Offers Lots of Room in a Small Package
With gas prices approaching all-time highs, a lot of Americans have been looking for smaller, fuel-efficient cars. Japanese automakers have been quick to respond with subcompact cars, like the Honda Fit and the Toyota Yaris. Nissan has also come up with a small car, called the Versa, which is the subject of this review.
The Versa’s claim to fame is that it has a more spacious interior than its competitors. The cabin length stretches over six feet from front to back. You wouldn’t guess that looking at the car from the outside. The seats up front are roomy. Nissan claims that they are almost as large as those in the midsize Maxima. But the backseat is what surprised me. It’s big enough for a couple of six-footers, and there’s more than adequate head and legroom. Furthermore, the rear doors are wide enough to provide easy access.
Also impressive is the high quality appearance of the interior. The beige décor in my test car showed it off to good advantage. The dash and the steering wheel looked like they came out of a much more expensive car. Nissan uses an extensive amount of soft-touch plastic, which conveys a high-quality feel. The light-colored velour seats in my base model Versa were attractive too, but I wondered if they might soil easily.
The Versa comes in two body styles—a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. The hatchback looks funkier with its triangular rear-corner posts, but it’s more functional. It will not only hold more of your worldly possessions (50.7 cu-ft with the rear seatback folded down) it will also swallow up large storage boxes that would never fit in the sedan.
Nissan offers the Versa in two trim levels—S and SL. The base model S is equipped modestly, but is not bare bones. It comes with air conditioning, AM/FM radio with CD, tilt steering wheel and a full complement of six airbags. A six-speed manual transmission is standard—a four speed automatic is a $800 option. Base price is $13,065.
For $2000 more, the SL adds power locks and windows, speed control, an alarm system, alloy wheels, an upgraded stereo with an in-dash CD changer and MP3. A six-speed manual gearbox is also standard in the SL, but the optional automatic is a more flexible and fuel-efficient CVT—continuously variable transmission.
A 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine that cranks out 122 hp powers both models. This is a buzzy little motor that’s always letting you know how hard it’s working for you. However it doesn’t have a lot of low-end power. If you are pulling out to pass someone, or you’re climbing a steep hill, you’d better have the engine cooking at 3000 rpm, or higher. Below that, there’s no pulling power. My “S” model test car came with the six-speed manual transmission, and when I kept the revs up, it was fun to drive. However, I suspect the optional four-speed automatic, would have been sluggish.
The Versa delivers a comfortable, compliant ride. Around town, it soaked up bumps well—on the freeway, it was smooth as well. The only drawback in the comfort department would be the constant buzzing of the engine. However, that’s to be expected in a small-engine car. The Versa felt nimble, and was easy to maneuver into parking spaces. However, it’s handling is not particularly sharp. It will run wide when pressed hard in a turn.
Yet, potential buyers for this type of car are more likely to be interested in fuel economy. The Versa’s gas mileage, at 30 mpg in the city, and 34 on the highway, is respectable, but it’s not as good as that of its competitors from Honda and Toyota.
Snapshot Review
Roomy Interior
Good Fit and Finish
Buzzy Engine
Average Gas Mileage
Specifications
Base Price $13,055
Engine 1.8-ltr, DOHC, 4-cyl
Horsepower 122
Transmission 6-sp manual
Brakes disc/drum
Gas Mileage 30-34 mpg
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