2009 Nissan Versa Sedan 1.8 S

Pros

room, value

Cons

nothing major

Purchased As New

Just brought home a new 1.8S sedan with the 6 sp manual tranny a couple of days ago, so this is written based on only about 200 miles with no comment about reliability. So far, I'm favorably impressed. The room inside is enormous, much more people room than the SUV we traded in and the trunk is a decent size for a small car. It drives pretty well, the engine has enough grunt to make it easy to drive around town or on the highway. Its not fast, but the gear ratios are such that it can move briskly when needed, something that's much easier to achieve with the manual.

Can't stand automatics myself and I'm no fan of CVTs either, but the manuals are harder to find. Couldn't find a manual hatchback within 250 miles so we went for the sedan instead. Some complain about the sedan's styling. I'm not sure why. Sure its a little funky, but not that bad and besides I can't tell when I'm sitting on the inside! Now a Dodge Caliber, that is one visually offensive vehicle - the Versa's slightly clumsy appearance doesn't hold a candle to that paragon of hideosity. What I do appreciate in the Versa is the tall roof line that makes it all so spacious in the cabin. The seating position is relatively high too, so visibility is excellent. The only minor complaint is that the seats are a bit lacking in support, especially in the lower back. Nothing a small cushion can't solve, however.

The value on these things right now is unreal. Nissan's May incentives include 2 grand off Versas and there's no need to pay more than a little over invoice to begin with. It might not be as tight handling as the Fit, but I'll keep the 3 grand difference thanks.