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2007 Nissan Versa 1.8 SL Road Test

It's refreshing that Nissan has entered a car into the small hatch segment. Asegment which seems to have experienced a rollercoaster ride of popularity over the years, for some reason or another. I'm not one to follow this trend when it spirals downward, however, as I’ve always enjoyed driving hatches - maybe it's just that I like to cheer for the underdog. With the small hatch making a comeback in recent years, with the Yaris, Mini and Fit joining the never-say-die Golf (which just said die and once again became the Rabbit), I certainly hope that the Versa helps the segment grow in popularity to keep the little rippers on the streets for years to come.

When Nissan teased us with the magnificent Sport Concept hatchback back in 2005, it eluded that the Japanese automaker may be thinking about producing a hot hatch for the North American market. I instantly fell in love, and eagerly waited for Nissan to announce that they'd put it into production. Well they did, but not quite like I'd hoped. Instead of something similar to the Sport Concept, the car to occupy Nissan’s

It's got the same proportions and the same general features as the Sport Concept, but the Versa hatch you see here is a very ordinary car. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

economy hatchback position is the new Versa.

When I first saw the Versa, I must admit to being disappointed.When compared to the performance-oriented Sport Concept, the obviously economically driven Versa is a mere shell; whether it was designed with the Sport Concept in mind or not. Even when next to the Fit or Yaris, which are its direct competitors, the Versa looks a little more subdued in my opinion. The front end, while looking different from anything else, has the sense of a work in progress, and oddly doesn't seem to share many design traits with the rest of the Nissan family, other than the forward slope of the rear door windows.

The interior continues the conservative feel of the exterior.I

Take a guess what "Versa" is derived from... (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

did like the colors, as my test car was outfitted with a black interior with gray trim. Black always makes an interior look better for some reason, and it works well with the Versa. The dash is pretty basic and does not incorporate a whole lot of unique styling details. Everything is designed more for practical application rather than for looks, although fit and finish is quite good. All the basic operations are there, however there are a couple of extras that are rarely seen in the economy class car. Power windows and locks are standard, though my test car had the optional Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone System, a 120 watt 6-disc stereo system with six speakers and a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer in the rear hatch area.

I was disappointed with the instrument cluster, which only had a speedometer, tachometer and a fuel gauge. Everything else was a warning light. Even the engine coolant temperature gauge was

Basic, but quality is good. When equipped as this tester did, you can even get handsfree Bluetooth connectivity. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

nothing more than a blue warning light that would light up when the engine was below operating temperature. Once the engine is warmed up the light goes out, and it’s safe to rev out the engine. This is something I found quite frustrating, and something that could be cheaply rectified.

An unfortunate incident occurred while I was taking interior photos of the Versa.To get the dash to light up with all the colors of the instruments, I turned the car on and started jumping in and out of different doors looking for a good angle. Now I’m not sure if I had brushed the key fob or if the doors locked themselves, but the end result was that I was left staring at the car with a dumb look on my face, with all the doors locked and the engine running. Cars have come a long way in preventing this from happening (most new cars won't allow you to lock your keys in the car, let alone while it's still running), but somehow it happened to me. An hour and a half later, roadside assistance had me in possession

Seats are nowhere near as cool or functional as those in Honda's Fit. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

of the keys and back to work.

On another subject, when I first got the Versa I was thrown for a loop when looking for the seat controls. Oddly, they're located on the center console side of the lower cushion, rather than by the door. I found this a little annoying initially, however, I quickly realized that the space between the door and seat had been completely filled in with the door's cubby hole. A little extra storage in a small car never hurts anyone, and with both the Yaris and Fit being the cargo pants of economy cars, Nissan has a standard it needs to meet. No worries as there is no storage space problems in the Versa, because the interior is much larger than the exterior would have you believe. With the back seats folded forward the rear of the car can accommodate 50.4 cubic feet of gear. The only problem is how high the rear seatbacks sit when folded down. Unlike the Fit, where the seats fold flat into the floor, the Versa’s pudgy seat backs are too fat, and therefore sit quite high, robbing away what could be even more impressive storage potential.

The beauty of the Versa, however, is its uncanny ability to

Great on gas, while still providing more power than what the competition offers. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

slice through traffic. It is small,maneuverable and quick. Visibility is great and the big 1.8L four-banger that Nissan chose for the car hurls it forward with surprising quickness. OK, there aren't any noticeable G-forces placed on the body during anything other than hard braking, but the CVT transmission doesn't rob the engine of any power and also creates seamless acceleration, so the usual head snapping during each gear change is disposed of. Laterally, under hard cornering, the Versa stays planted and flat. A nice departure from the usual unified tumble of all occupants and objects to one side of the car, when driving other cars of the same class. I can finally drive fast while girls are in the car without the danger of being verbally abused for speeding. It’s a car I feel absolutely comfortable and confident when working the steering wheel, and with the power potential from the 1.8 the Versa could become a weapon on the race track; a tuners dream.

Even with the 1.8, large for this class, the fuel economy was excellent. With the horsepower wars at their peak in today's market, it seems not even the econo hatchbacks are innocent of trying to pump out eye pleasing three digit power numbers. Nissan should seriously think about offering a 1.6 or even a diesel

A compelling buy if affordable transportation is what you need. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

engine option to an already light chassis. Renault, Nissan's parent company, is busting at the seams with potent 1.6 and diesel power plants that would work extremely well in the Versa.

Back to the CVT transmission, it's one of the best I’ve driven, although I find it very hard to come to grips with the technology in general. I’m used to a tachometer dancing backward and forward every time a gear is selected, knowing by the sound of the revs and the count of the gears how fast I’m actually going. With the CVT the revs just seem to sit at 4, 5, 6 thousand rpms, and spin the engine like I’m cruising down a highway. Only the car is accelerating, and doing so quite admirably. My preferences aside, the CVT allows the Versa to accelerate better than a traditional automatic could, and get much better fuel economy in the process.

The Versa is a car that fulfills all requirements and advantages of an economy car while having the potential to become a great performer. While appearances had me a little disappointed, the Versa’s true strength is its driving dynamics. Like most small economy cars, it will keep purchase and maintenance costs low, while the extra storage and space will make daily travel a little easier for city dwellers. Along with the hatchback in general, I hope to see the Versa live a long and ever improving life.

 

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