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New 1.6 Liter base Nissan Versa model

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1.6 Liter with 107hp for $10 000.

So now, the ugliest car on the market is also the cheapest one.

Would you really get this over a used car?

Conversation 27 comments

  1. No, I wouldn’t.

    First off, it is a Nissan.

    Second, it isn’t going to have ANY content and most importantly it isn’t going to have AC.

    I’d take a used vehicle over this any day of the week.

  2. some people prefer the peace of mind that comes with owning a vehicle that has never been driven before (there is no need to worry about engine life, maintenance records, carfaxes, and the like).

    if nissan equips it well, i might consider it. nowadays it seems pretty standard that cars sold in america have air conditioning and a radio. i could do without a crappy factory radio if i could get standard abs brakes, but that’s just me.

    whatever happened to the koreans in this class? i thought the rio or aveo were the cheapest new cars

    maybe manufacturers will start offering different engines for the same car as in europe where some cars are available with petrol and diesel engines of varying sizes

  3. It would have to be cheap because thats the only way they can sell them, apart from giving them away.

  4. Well, my Nissan runs and runs and never gives me a bit of trouble. Almost 8 years now. This would be good basic transportation. It probably gets good gas mileage, and with a manual and no A/C or gadgets to suck power from the motor, I bet it gets up and goes when you need it to.

    One of the most fun cars I’ve ever driven was my sister’s Ford Festiva. No A/C, manual steering, 5-speed, just basic transportation. And it was a blast to drive – like a go-kart.

  5. yes, first of all, it’s a Nissan, and only a Nissan is a Nissan. The best is the Best. That’s it

  6. Too bad some of your readers are negative just for the purpose of being negative.
    Nissan has always made great cars and many have a more sporting characteristic than other Japanese brands.
    I must disagree with you that it’s the “ugliest car on the market”. Apparently, you haven’t looked at all of them closely. And had you driven one and see then useful space and features it provides, you might see that you are wrong about the value it provides. And no, I do not sell NIssans. I buy them!

  7. Cheap yes but still miles ahead of anything GM has right now. It won’t win a beauty contest but it will be more reliable than anything American.

  8. nissan has been playing a smart financial plan lately. unlike tanking gm, ford, and chrysler, nissan has quietly been churning out stylish (if safe) designs, good fuel efficiency, and doesn’t receive great criticism like honda dna toyota. true, nissans might lack the ultimate refinement or build quality of the number one japanese manufacturers, but they are playing a smart game indeed. the altima is one oft eh ten bestselling vehicles in the country.

    how about bringing the altima hybrid to all 50 states?

  9. “yes, first of all, it’s a Nissan, and only a Nissan is a Nissan. The best is the Best. That’s it”

    Remind me who tops reliability studies? (CLUE: Not Nissan)

    Remind me who almost went bankrupt 15 years ago? (CLUE: It WAS Nissan)

    They can keep their vehicles.

  10. Makes the Aveo (which used to be the least expensive car available) look way overpriced. GM jacked up the price on the base model so it’s now about $12,000 and has as little content as this stripper Versa. No wonder Aveo sales went in the dumper. Another GM blunder.

  11. I would not say it is the ugliest on the market by any means. Have you missed the SMART CAR? Apparently you don’t research much. Yes, that is a stripped down version and a sedan. But their price point is for a STRIPPED DOWN VERSION! Some people want or need a new car for reliability and don’t want to get in huge debt.

    I have a Versa Hatchback and love it to death. I’ve always been a Truck/SUV guy but needed something with better fuel economy. I didn’t even look at the V’s on the lot until the sales guy told me to sit in the back of one. HOLY CRAP there is a lot of space. And the options you are able to get on it compared to others in it’s class is amazing. Kicks the Honda Fit right out of the way.

    I’m on my second Nissan with 0 problems. Can’t say that for Ford, Chevy, or Mitsubishi

  12. The Chevrolet Aveo and the Hyundai Accent both are available for $10, 000 cash price here in Canada, how is this cheaper than both of them in the U.S.?

  13. Its hard to say. But no air conditioning could be a challenge.
    Air conditioning is what people expect in a new car these days regardless of price.

  14. Ugliest car on the market? Try the “new” Ford Focus or Sebring. But in any case, yes I would take ANYTHING new by Nissan Honda or Toyota over any of the big two/three or VW. Any day of the week.

  15. It is amazing to me that you piss on the Versa. You should drive one or at least sit in one. I too have a hatch, and although it’s not a beauty queen, it is a very efficient package with a nod to French styling. I wish they went a little farther on the design scale towards Renault, but the ugliest car!!?? vince, have you looked at the Yaris sedan or some of the small Koreans. And even though I know the Fit is a Honda (sacred)it’s kind of goofy to my eyes.

  17. Did you know that the Versa, called the Tilda elsewhere in the world, is a large luxury model in Japan? That is why you can get more equipment then on a Fit or Yaris.

    That is also why the Versa has much more rear seat leg room than a Sentra or Altima. I am 6’2″ and I can fit comfortably in the front or back. The interior has padded cloth surfaces instead of hard plastic like the Fit and Yaris. The car rides much quieter at highway speeds as well.

    Yes, I did compare the three top Japanese small cars and what I found was that the Versa is not a small car inside, it is closer to a Maxima and seems to have more rear seat legroom.
    It is very refined looking and the interior and exterior fit and finish is excellent, better than the competition.

    Once I learned that the Versa sedan is a luxury model in Japan, it all made sense. Yes, there are better looking cars but this ugly duckling is really a swan in disguise.

    Now I have put my name on the first 2009 1600 cc Versa to come to my local dealer. I live in NH and don’t need A/C and I have found that cars without it are lighter up front and so handle and steer better and also get better mileage. The manual transmission is more fun and rewarding to use and is also lighter as well. I will add custom wheels and tires and an Alpine stereo system, something I have a lot of experience with. In the end, I will have a nice little car to take my grandchildren places in

    The fact that Nissan has found a way to make it the lowest priced car in America is evidence of their intelligent management and a true gift to car buyers in this country.

    Don’t let free falling oil prices fool you, OPEC has cut production and the price of gas will soon be back to $4.00 a gallon and $5.00 is the next step. Kudos to Nissan for doing something meaningfull to help.

    The Japanese are good at that, helping those of us who are trying to be responsible consumers. The US car companies meanwhile, are still wallowing in the outcome of their greedy attempt to take advantage of the ignorance of the average consumer and unfortunately continue to lose market share. You reap what you sow.

  18. If you factor in the great Nissan finance deals(Everyone with money wants to save us with 0), you won’t be able to find a used car deal like this.

    Did you know that the Versa, called the Tilda elsewhere in the world, is a large luxury model in Japan? That is why you can get more equipment then on a Fit or Yaris.

    That is also why the Versa has much more rear seat leg room than the competition and even many larger cars including the Sentra and Altima. I am 6’2″ and I can fit comfortably in the front or back. The interior has padded cloth surfaces instead of hard plastic like the Fit and Yaris and most small cars. The car rides much quieter at highway speeds as well.

    Yes, I did compare the three top Japanese small cars along with a few others from America and Korea and what I found was that the Versa is not a small car inside, it is closer to a Maxima and seems to have more rear seat legroom. It is very refined looking and the interior and exterior fit and finish is excellent, better than the competition.

    Once I learned that the Versa sedan is a luxury model in Japan called the Tilda, it all made sense. Yes, there are better looking cars but this ugly duckling is really a swan.

    The fact that Nissan has found a way to make it the lowest priced car in America is evidence of their intelligent management and a true gift to car buyers in this country.

    Don’t let free falling oil prices fool you, OPEC has cut production and the price of gas will soon be back to $4.00 a gallon and $5.00 is the next step. Kudos to Nissan for doing something meaningfull to help.

    The Japanese are good at that, helping those of us who are trying to be responsible consumers. The US car companies meanwhile, are still wallowing in the outcome of their greedy attempt to take advantage of the ignorance of the average consumer and unfortunately continue to lose market share. You reap what you sow.

  19. anonymous said:
    “It is amazing to me that you piss on the Versa. You should drive one or at least sit in one. I too have a hatch, and although it’s not a beauty queen, it is a very efficient package with a nod to French styling. I wish they went a little farther on the design scale towards Renault, but the ugliest car!!?? vince, have you looked at the Yaris sedan or some of the small Koreans. And even though I know the Fit is a Honda (sacred)it’s kind of goofy to my eyes.”

    Ford Forest said:
    “Did you know that the Versa, called the Tilda elsewhere in the world, is a large luxury model in Japan? That is why you can get more equipment then on a Fit or Yaris.

    That is also why the Versa has much more rear seat leg room than a Sentra or Altima. I am 6’2″ and I can fit comfortably in the front or back. The interior has padded cloth surfaces instead of hard plastic like the Fit and Yaris. The car rides much quieter at highway speeds as well.

    Yes, I did compare the three top Japanese small cars and what I found was that the Versa is not a small car inside, it is closer to a Maxima and seems to have more rear seat legroom.
    It is very refined looking and the interior and exterior fit and finish is excellent, better than the competition.”

    First off, the reason why I piss on the Versa because it IS junk. I went on a test drive with my best friend and his girlfriend (who was going to buy the car) in Fairfax, VA. Driving down 66 the HOOD opened on the highway! It broke the windshield, damaged the hood and roof. This was a brand new car and the hood was latched. The interior fit and finish was terrible, I have no idea what you are talking about and the rest of the plastics in that car were garbage.
    After someone from Nissan came to pick us up we went next door to the Honda dealership and bought a Fit. It was a much better car overall, and drove better to boot. There is a reason why all the major automotive publications LOVE the Fit and don’t like the Versa.

    Second for Ford Forest: I travel to Japan once every three months for two weeks at a time for business. The Tilda is NOT a luxury vehicle by any means in Japan. I don’t know who you heard that crap from but they are dead wrong. But enjoy pretending you own a Japanese large luxury vehicle.

  20. The tiida/Versa is a slow selling car here in australia. The dealers have to buy old stock in bulk so they can get rid of them.
    They have to advertise that it is the new generation Pulsar/sentra to try and explain to people what the hell it is.

  21. yikes…have you considered anger management? I think Ford Forest meant “premium” not luxury. And he is correct if you bother to read various web sites other than vince’s (which is a fine one I might add).

    So you think your hood flipping story is the typical Versa experience and because of that they’re all crap? C’mon pal…isn’t possible that in her utter excitement at being behind the wheel of such a nice car, your sweetheart could have pulled the wrong switch during the test drive?

    And if you bother to read the Fit vs Versa comparison on Autoweek (yes the Fit won)and consider the positive attributes cited, you may understand why an “adult” may prefer to live with the Versa over the Fit.

  22. “yikes…have you considered anger management? I think Ford Forest meant “premium” not luxury. And he is correct if you bother to read various web sites other than vince’s (which is a fine one I might add).

    So you think your hood flipping story is the typical Versa experience and because of that they’re all crap? C’mon pal…isn’t possible that in her utter excitement at being behind the wheel of such a nice car, your sweetheart could have pulled the wrong switch during the test drive?

    And if you bother to read the Fit vs Versa comparison on Autoweek (yes the Fit won)and consider the positive attributes cited, you may understand why an “adult” may prefer to live with the Versa over the Fit.”

    Not angry at all actually, I just wish that people got their facts straight. It is not a premium small call either, just so you know. Have YOU ever been to Japan???

    First off, it was my frieds girlfriend and not mine. Given the location of the hood release it was absolutely impossible that she pulled it, even the sales rep is that people could have been killed by a faulty product that Nissan manufactured. THAT is what I am concerned with.

    Regardless of Autoweeks comments, many other MAJOR automotive publications still choose the Fit. End of story.

  23. OK, so you’re not angry and kudos to you, you’ve been to Japan. Shall we just say that you’re uninformed. Do a google search “Versa premium car in Japan” and see what you come up with. There are at least a half a dozen articles that talk about the Tiida (yes Tiida, not Tilda)as a premium vehicle in other markets, as well as giving it fairly positive review.

    I don’t work for Nissan and I actually like Hondas a lot, although it hard to argue that some of their recent efforts are all that good looking (Accord, Fit, Pilot). Beautiful job on the Civic however, except for the teenager dashboard. And the new Insight looks quite nice also. Is that the end of story? Cheers.

  24. It might be too much downgraded.
    Now it seems to have all the standard features from a car out of the sixties.

  26. This sedan, while being a loss-leader, is available with A/C. So equipped, MSRP is about $12K with ABS and destination included. Based on inventory in my area (Metro NY), any Versa with manual transmission will be a rarity.

    Which brings us the the 1.8S. This model has a 6-speed manual, CD-Stereo, and when equipped with the Power Package and ABS, lists for $14,635. Deduct a $750 rebate and you are at $13,885 ($13,100 w/o power package). And you get the peppier 1.8 litre engine. At this price point, you can also opt for the hatchback.

    As for quality, these are built in Mexico for the US market, and most units are well-made but be sure to check the actual car before taking delivery.

  27. Here we go, contents of the $10,000 Versa:https://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/06/what-does-the-nissan-versa-1-6-offer-for-9-990-not-much/No AC, no radio, crank windows, no ABS, downgraded interior materials, smaller wheels, unpainted trim pieces. So, in order to get AC, you also have to get the automatic, so both of those are over $2000 when all is said and done with, don’t forget you need to add your own radio.This doesn’t sound like a good deal at all. Just get an Accent if you want a good cheap car. Versa loses.

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