The 2012 Versa sedan has not yet been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Per federal requirements, an electronic stability system is standard this year.

The stick-shift Versa S starts at a bargain-basement $10,990 — not bad, given air conditioning and a CD stereo with an auxiliary MP3 jack are standard — but the CVT automatic adds a staggering $1,770, and power windows and locks requires the automatic-equipped $14,560 Versa SV. That's still affordable: Equipping most sedan competitors with an automatic transmission and basic power accessories costs $600 to $1,600 more.

Other options include a navigation system, full iPod stereo compatibility, steering-wheel audio controls and Bluetooth phone connectivity. Loaded up, the Versa tops out at $16,260.