I put another 100 miles or so on our long-term 2007 Nissan Versa SL yesterday, and it certainly met my needs. Its absorbent suspension soaked up the scored surface of the 101 freeway -- only the gnarliest bits clattered into the cabin. And having an extra overdrive gear (both 5th and 6th are O/D on this 6-speed) keeps the engine fairly calm at 75-80 mph.
Plus, with a front-seat cupholder count of four, including two in the console --
-- and one in each door panel --
I was able to have several drinks going at once, which I liked. For all these reasons, the Versa is an able long-distance cruiser.
However, for my hypothetical $17K, I want a little more, namely feedback. I want some indication other than the seatbelt chime that the car knows I'm in the driver seat and cares to involve me in the driving experience. One could argue that this is too much to ask at this price point, but given the existence of the Honda Fit, the Mazda 3 "i" and any number of interesting used cars, I say it's perfectly reasonable.
Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor @ 10,431 miles
stephen987 says:
07:00 PM, 08/16/07
You mentioned the Fit and the 3i. How about a Civic LX for your $17k?
estreka says:
07:33 PM, 08/16/07
And if you bring in used cars, you could get a Civic Si the that kinda money.
SubyTrojan says:
11:20 PM, 08/16/07
Or a used (and hopefully not abused (yeah right!)) WRX! :o)
wenhead says:
06:18 AM, 08/17/07
Your comment about not being invoveld in the driving experience seemed a little vague.It would be helpful if you could weight some points according to how unsettling they were. How much does the steering suck. Does it feel dandrous. How bad is the shifting, are you missing shifts.Does the car go when you press the gas or does it make you wait. Is there way too much body roll.
Or, is the car just not sporty enough for you.
redliner says:
10:06 AM, 08/17/07
Sorry to go off topic but.....
Is that real stiching on the door panel? I find it kind of odd that a car of this price range has actual stiching. I personaly don't care for it. But, also shows good attention to detail.
eriches says:
11:14 AM, 08/17/07
wenhead: There is nothing dangerous about the Versa's steering, and although I don't revel in shifting its manual gearbox, there's little risk of missing a shift. It is a perfectly functional commuter car.
However, the electric-assisted steering is fairly slow, not especially accurate and nearly devoid of feedback. The suspension allows a considerable amount of body roll when cornering, and the driver feels isolated from the experience -- a good thing on a commute, but a bad thing in any situation where you might want to get a read on tire grip.
The simple answer is indeed that the Nissan Versa is not sporty enough for me. But I'm of the mind that when you make entry-level economy cars engaging to drive, you elevate them from last-resort transportation to genuinely likeable alternatives to larger, less efficient cars. In this regard, the Honda Fit makes greater strides than the Versa.
redliner: That is indeed real stitching, and the vinyl trim surrounding it is actually padded on the armrest portion. It is a nice detail.
hondacura4 says:
03:38 PM, 08/17/07
SubyTrojan, you are correct. Its EXTREMELY difficult to find an unmolested/unabused WRX, Evo or even a 99-00 Civic Si.
bradyholt says:
05:30 AM, 08/18/07
You missed the other way you can "elevate" a small car's desirability: luxury and refinement. To many people, that's much nicer to have than sharp steering, and the Versa seems to do that very well for its class.
eriches says:
02:20 PM, 08/20/07
Actually, Brady, I covered the "luxury" angle of the Versa in this earlier post: http://66.160.188.111/roadtests/.ee9d531, which is why I didn't bring it up again here.
For me, the Nissan's many convenience features aren't enough to offset its overly tepid personality, but you're right, for some consumers, the added comfort might be worth a lot. --Erin