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2008 Nissan Versa
Date Published: 5/03/08

2008 Nissan Versa
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MSRP:
$12,880 - 15,980

Invoice:
$12,529 - 15,414

Class:
Compact Car

CG Award: (What's This?)
2008 Nissan Versa
Expert Rating Summary
Category S hatchback, manual Rating (See All
Ratings)
Compact Car Average Rating
Acceleration 4 4.9
Fuel Economy 8 6.4
Ride Quality 5 5.1
Steering/Handling/Braking 6 5.8
Quietness 4 4.4
Controls 6 5.7
Details 6 5.2
Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front) 6 5.6
Room/Comfort (rear) 6 4
Cargo Room 7 5
Value within Class 9 6.1
Total Score: 67 58.2
Ratings: Maximum 10 points per category
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2008 Nissan Versa Review
The 2008 Nissan Versa is largely unchanged, but a Sport Package is now offered on the SL sedan. Versa is offered as a 4-door sedan or 4-door hatchback in S or up-level SL trim. These compact cars slot beneath Nissan's Sentra in size and price. The only engine is a 122-hp 1.8-liter 4-cylinder. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard. Also available are a conventional 4-speed automatic and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Available safety features include ABS, front side airbags, and curtain side airbags. S models include air conditioning and a tilt steering wheel. Optional on S and standard on SL are cruise control, remote entry, and power locks/windows. A wireless cell phone link and keyless locking and starting are optional on SL.
Competition
Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Compact Cars comprise popularly priced sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons with wheelbases 99.4 inches or longer.

Our Best Buys include the Honda Civic, Nissan Versa, and Scion xB. Our Recommended picks are the Hyundai Elantra and Mazda 3.

New or significantly redesigned models include the Ford Focus, Mitsubishi Lancer, Saturn Astra, Scion xB, and Subaru Impreza.

News
Versa is just out, and so should stand pat for a while. But a sporty 2-dr hatchback seems a good bet for 2008 or '09. Likely patterned on the 2005 Sport Concept show model, it would answer Toyota's Scion tC and other low-priced, youth-oriented compacts.

Another strong prospect is a small boxy wagon, possibly Versa-based, to rival the popular Scion xB. It's said to be coming for 2009 with a mandatory CVT and a 1.5-liter 4-cyl engine. The name would likely be Cube, taking advantage of the like-named Japan-market Nissan model that's achieved near cult status at home and is not unknown in the U.S.
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