Automotive Dealer - 2012 Nissan Versa Sedan performance and prices ; The revised CVTCS (continuously variable timing control system) has a broader range than conventional continuously variable transmissions, and is considered more flexible than seven-speed automatics. The Vehicle Dynamic Control system is standard (thanks to 2012 federal regulations), making this the cheapest car in the U.S. with stability and traction control. The new platform yields the roomiest sedan cabin in the subcompact class, with more rear legroom than an E-Class Mercedes. Mechanical upgrades include a less complex build with 20 percent fewer components, resulting in a 150-pound weight reduction. The 1.6-liter four gets dual-fuel injectors that spray fuel more accurately than single injectors yet cost less.Tech Tidbit: The new global "V" platform allows the same wheelbase length as the outgoing car but pushes the engine forward, yielding the most interior room in the class (90 cubic feet) and the largest trunk (14.8 cubic feet).
Driving Character: Vanilla, but solid and confident. That might sound damning, but Versa delivers precisely the pleasant character a mass-appeal car should. The electric steering is light but not numb, and when pushed, the car understeers—but predictably. This is no sport sedan—it isn't vaguely sporty. But there are cars in this segment that are even duller and less dynamic than the Versa. The Nissan can't come close to the verve of cars like the Ford Fiesta, but its cabin is so huge by comparison that it's more like a competitor to Ford's Focus—with a $6000 price cut.
Favorite Detail: The airy cabin lacks high-grade material, but there's zero doubt it's comfortable. The fact that even the base model gets a height-adjustable driver's seat is important. There's no fanciness to the new Versa, but for the money, Nissan delivers value.
Driver's Grievance: If you spend $15,560 as opposed to the base $10,990, you can step up to a loaded Versa that includes navigation. But this system stinks: If you zoom out slightly, you can no longer see the names of roads. Zoom in far enough to see road naming and you're so tightly drilled down that you can't possibly navigate. The Versa's nav feature is as an actual turn-by-turn tool, but GPS should allow you to freelance or change plans midstream without having to enter a new destination. The better ones offer more detail at a decent zoom-out.
The Bottom Line: Nissan says that the buyer of this car is shopping on price first, and also that younger buyers are perhaps a bit more pragmatic these days than their parents were. Blame the recession perhaps, but Nissan's VP of product planning, Larry Dominique, says that while 40-something men were looking primarily at horsepower when they were younger, today's first-new-car buyer will look at fuel economy and space. The Versa will also fit the needs of an older buyer, he says—and that bigger cars are necessary for an American population whose waistlines are expanding.
All that said, Nissan thinks the most popular version will be the $14,560 SV CVT edition, which is more on par with Hyundai's Accent when it comes to the price, and the Accent is a much more engaging car with a higher quality interior. Though Nissan owns 30 percent of this segment, it may be gambling that a lower base price will attract buyers. Also, the new Versa is missing Nissan's trump card—the hatchback. The hatch version of the Versa outsells Nissan's sedan two to one, but because Nissan has to follow the lead of its global production, we won't see an update to the five-door Versa hatch before 2013.
On-Sale Date: August
Price: $10,990
Competitors: Hyundai Accent, Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Chevrolet Sonic, Toyota Yaris
Powertrain: 1.6-liter I4, 109 hp, 107 lb-ft; CVTC automatic, five-speed manual, front wheel drive
EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 30/38; 27/36
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