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Hatchbacks Nissan Versa Nissan Versa
1196 messages, Last post on Nov 11, 2009 at 8:58 PM
You are in the Nissan Versa Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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You try explaining stability control to a soccer mom! Please let me know how you would do it. I sell cars and most people just stare at you blankly when you talk about yaw control or skid control or using brakes and cutting engine power to return the vehicle to its intended path. Mark
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Replying to: mschmal (Mar 13, 2008 12:09 pm) At least, in theory, the above-mentioned scenario could happen.
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Replying to: jacksan1 (Mar 13, 2008 12:19 pm) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3m24bjkfg0
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Replying to: jaxs1 (Mar 13, 2008 12:19 pm) |
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Two weeks ago I had a 2007 Dodge Caliber 1.8 5 speed (SE with aircon) and a 2006 Chevy Impala LS. 14,000 miles on the Impala and 22,000 on the Caliber. Anyway as much as I liked having the Impala (my wife gave it to me after she got an Odyssey) it seemed awfully big. And although the 26 mpg I was getting on the Impala on my work commute seemed incredible, given it is an automatic with a V6 (I only got 24 mpg in my prior PT Cruisers on the same commute), I really wanted something smaller. So I used Edmunds to research and price, and started out by driving the Versa, then the Yaris LB, then the Fit. The First Nissan dealership had some bargain priced 6 speeds, but after all the "luxury" on the Impala I didn't want to give up some of the power options, so I test drove the Yaris with the power package, then finally the Fit. I liked the Yaris best - it's fun to toss around - but it isn't very practical - miniscule trunk, only two doors - and no side curtain airbags. So although the Fit has the most dated body work, I decided to go with it. Honda obviously invested a lot of money to "win" the 5 start front and side front crash stars, the IIHS ratings, and I was hoping the gas mileage would match my former Yaris (a 2007 I had for 4,000 or so miles). Well I got the base 5 speed and it is a blast to drive, very much a sports car, everything my CRX from the '80s should have been - with incredible storage options. Only one fly in the ointment - it handles like a sports car, and almost feels "overresponsive" on the freeway. It's rock stable - if I release the steering wheel (with hands cupped around it ready to clamp down) it just tracks straight for the longest time before starting to drift. BUT if you blink an eye and move the steering wheel just a little, the car obediently starts to move in the direction you almost imperceptibly moved the steering wheel. Maybe not the best car for a 400 mile drive to L.A. Then I remembered the Versa and thought about the Caliber. Once more into the fray! Since I had a new car already, I was under no compulsion to get another one, BUT if the price was right on the new car and the trade...and the Versas all come with BOTH side curtain airbags (front and rear) and side torso airbags (front) a BIG plus these days. To make a long story short, I now have my "large" car - a Versa. How hilarious. But it "feels" like a big car on the freeway. The only way in which it differs from the other modern, much improved econo-cars, is in having a 6 speed manual transmission with relative close ratios. 6th gear knocks down the rpm significantly compared to the Fit, but by no means is it loafing in the 2's. It is in the 3's at freeway speed, but butting up against 3.5 instead of against 4 as on the Fit, at interstate speeds. It also seems "just at tad" quieter than the Fit. I think the Versa will be my new "long drive, longer ownership" car (2 years, 30k, use for my solo journeys to L.A.). The Fit will probably go in for trade on the new Fit in '09 (the new Fit sounds GREAT, but I didn't want to wait and figured I would want to have 6-9 months of Fit production before playing "new model roulette"). The Versa isn't expected to get as good mileage as the Fit - that's what the micro-cars are good for - it it should do a little better than the Caliber. I'm pretty jazzed. I want to take the Versa down to L.A. asap to see how it handles a longer drive. BTW, although this was the base model, it was refreshing to get a tach and power mirrors - the mirrors are a biggie. I don't care for power door locks or windows (I never even roll down my window, preferring to open the door a crack for the parking ticket spitter) but manual mirrors are a REAL drag. I like to tweak the mirror adjustment, and with manual mirrors, the right side is too darn hard. The interior on the Fit seems just a little slicker than the Versa, but I think it isn't a matter of build quality so much as it is a "young" design mandate (Fit) vs. French family (Versa/Tiida). I'll report back on mileage. I am hoping for 32 mpg. BTW the engine is so eager to rev, I wonder if some users with bad mileage results might not just be "enjoying" their Versas too much. And yes, I agree with the reviewer who opined that the ride is similar to the cushy ride on the old Renault 10!
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Replying to: micweb (Mar 15, 2008 7:16 pm) 
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| Scion xA, right, micweb? Toss us a few xA comparo's to the Fit and Versa every so often, OK? That's true, this board will be a more interesting one now that micweb owns both a Versa and a Fit! | |
| and of course I'll share my thoughts and impressions! | |
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it's cool to chat with you again, we're a couple of oldtimers here on Edmunds. I now drive a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS and love it to the full. I contemplated changing my nickname to iluvmylancergts there for a minute or two! But I like Nissan's Versa and Scion's xA, too, hence my interest in this thread and what's goin' on with those rigs.
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Replying to: iluvmysephia1 (Mar 16, 2008 9:49 pm) |
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