Versa in the Market

Extreme bargains are scarce these days, and Nissan deserves credit for keeping the Versa wallet-friendly. But the new Accent, Fit and Fiesta are cars you actually want to own — brand emissaries that leave a good enough impression for first-time buyers to stay in the family when it's time to buy the next car. If the new Versa is anyone's first Nissan, it imparts a brand that's big on value and practicality but short on drivability and perceived quality — far from Nissan's reality, but the Versa's flavor all the same.

Among entry-level cars, value is crucial. But, increasingly, so is overall appeal. Nissan hit a bulls-eye with one of those. I just wish it had hit the board at all with the other.

    See also:

    Exterior design
    First revealed as the Qazana show car - unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show - Juke was created at the London-based Nissan Design Europe and refined at Nissan's Design Centre (NDC) in Japan. Qas ...

    Cruise control operations
    The cruise control allows driving at a speed between 25 - 89 MPH (40 - 144 km/h) without keeping your foot on the accelerator pedal. To turn on the cruise control, push the ON·OFF switch on. T ...

    Security systems
    Security systems Your vehicle has two types of security systems: - Vehicle security system. - NISSAN Vehicle Immobilizer System. ...