Barebones Sedan is Peppy, But It Needs a Radio

2009 Nissan Versa 1.6 Sedan

model as tested $12,090

Test Drove 6/04/09–6/11/09
reviewed by Sherrice Gilsbach

Months before the 2009 Nissan Versa’s arrival at my doorstep, I was eagerly anticipating test driving one of the most affordable cars in the market today. I knew it would lack the frills and jaw-dropping, heart-pounding amenities of more expensive sedans. However, I can appreciate simplicity, so I welcomed the Versa into my driveway.

This car is basic. It’s a base model, so there’s no radio, no power windows and no mirrors in the visors. There’s not even a center console for interior storage. At first I was fine with the interior’s simplicity.  I’ve rarely used the center console as my storage crutch, and the crank windows could provide some much needed upper-body exercise. Heck, the lack of a radio just meant I’d be forced to enjoy the peace and quiet for a change.

With several long hauls on my schedule during my Versa test week, I was looking forward to monitoring the sedan’s gas mileage, ride and performance at higher speeds. After trip No. 1, I was just warming up. The Versa is much peppier than I’d expected, and it practically sipped gas. My test car had a five-speed manual transmission. When I was driving at 70-75 mph, the engine was all revved up and begging for another gear.

By trip No. 2, my back was sore and I was annoyed by the lack of National Public Radio or any radio. At one point, I called my husband to ask him if I could listen to his radio via the cell phone. “I can’t take the quiet anymore. Can you just put your phone in the cupholder, so I can listen to your radio? I’m not joking!”

Unfortunately for the Versa, all of that quiet time didn’t offer the perfect canvas for planning my future. Instead it forced me to focus on every squeak, rattle and whine the car made.  I suggest Nissan keeps the Versa’s price low but find a way to incorporate a good sound system to mask the other sounds this car emits. After all, there is more to achieving value status than just a low price.

By the end of the week, I’d used three-quarters of a tank of gas and had driven nearly 400 miles; almost 100 percent of these miles were on the highway. I know that those are good numbers, but I’ve driven much larger vehicles (both were clean diesels) that have each achieved 500 miles on one tank.

The Nissan Versa provides a decent vehicle at a low price. However, a few additions such as a radio and another gear on the manual transmission would push this cutie into the “value” victory lane!

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