High Points

Though it has cheaper rear drum brakes — the norm for this class — the Versa stops confidently, with strong, linear pedal feel. Ride comfort is another plus. The last Versa was a soft car, and I'm glad Nissan didn't change the formula. The suspension picks up some highway rhythms, but for an economy car it isolates major bumps well. On broken pavement the Versa stays connected to the road, despite its low-tech semi-independent rear suspension. In a segment characterized by firm-riding cars such as the Fit Sport and Fiat 500, the Versa's comfort stands out.

At 30/38 mpg city/highway with the automatic, the Versa's highway gas mileage falls just short of the vaunted 40 mpg boasted by the Fiesta, Accent, Rio and Sonic. But EPA combined mileage is 33 mpg, which matches the Fiesta and automatic Accent. (As of this writing, combined EPA figures for the Rio and Sonic are still pending.) The EPA rates the stick-shift Versa S at 30 mpg overall.

    See also:

    Fail-safe
    When the fail-safe operation occurs, the CVT will not be shifted into the selected driving position. If the vehicle is driven under extreme conditions, such as excessive wheel spinning and subs ...

    Rear window and outside mirror (if so equipped) defroster switch
    Type A To defrost the rear window glass and outside mirrors (if so equipped), start the engine and push the rear window defroster switch on. The rear window defroster indicator light on the ...

    Radio
    Place the ignition switch in the ACC or ON position and press the POWER/VOLUME control knob to turn the radio on. If you listen to the radio with the engine not running, the ignition switch sh ...