Versa Gives Nissan a Solid Econo-car Punch

Even before gasoline hit $3.00 a gallon here in the good old
USA
, automakers were preparing a new generation of fuel-sipping small cars designed to provide maximum utility at a minimum of cost. Thus was born the 2007 Nissan Versa.

The Versa competes directly with Honda’s Fit and Toyota ’s Yaris, as well as Chevy’s Aveo, Suzuki’s Aerio and Hyundai’s Accent. What you get for $13,055 with the Versa is the largest vehicle of the group and one that is quite competent at moving four adults around town with acceptable comfort and performance, all while delivering something in the neighborhood of 30 mpg.

The Versa’s exterior looks are a bit deceiving, giving the impression of a bigger vehicle than it actually is, thanks mainly to the longish wheelbase, wide window openings and the tall greenhouse. The integration of the taillights with the hatch is rather clever, too.

Power comes from a 122 horsepower 1.8 liter DOHC inline four cylinder mill that can be mated either to a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. A CVT is also available. My optimistically dubbed “Red Alert” stick-shift tester produced consistent 0-60 mph time in the 10 second range.

But straight-line acceleration isn’t intended as the Versa’s main virtue. It does offer unexpectedly peppy performance around town, but where this smallest Nissan offering in the
U.S.
shines is the interior.

There is generous room for four adults in the Versa. Getting into the back seats is a snap thanks to extremely wide door sills. Being a hatchback (a sedan version is coming, too), the Versa is meant to haul stuff, too. With the rear seats folded down, the Versa can swallow up to 50 cubic feet of cargo. There are small SUVs on the market that barely match that figure.

The instrument panel is attractive and has an up-market look to it, as do the materials used throughout the Versa’s interior. In addition, the stick shift’s linkage and shift actions are smooth and light, so driving the Versa in daily traffic is not nearly so taxing as it could be.

My tester was the S model, which is the least expensive, but Nissan allows Versa buyers to opt for packages like the ABS package that also includes electronic brake force distribution. If you need to stay in touch while driving your Versa, the Convenience package includes a Bluetooth hookup.

Put it all together and you get Versa-tility at a very reasonable price.