2009 Nissan Versa

March 2009. The unusually styled 2009 Nissan Versa comes as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback with external dimensions comparable to subcompacts, but with 94 cubic feet of total interior and cargo space, that puts it into Environmental Protection Agency's midsize class. Reviews say that the Nissan Versa feels spacious, especially in the rear seats -- a welcome attribute of an economy car. Even the sedan has a roomy trunk, but the Nissan hatchback is praised for its additional utility and convenience of its large rear door. Introduced as a 2007 model, the Nissan Versa is based on a Renault design. (The two automakers make up the Renault-Nissan Alliance).

For 2009, Nissan introduced a price leader, the Versa 1.6 Base sedan (*est. $9,990), which was the lowest-priced car in America for a short time until Hyundai undercut it with the Accent GS Base (*est. $9,970) three-door hatchback. Like the base Hyundai, the under-$10,000 Nissan Versa 1.6 is a bare-bones model without air conditioning, power windows, power locks or even a stereo. Even the mirrors are manually adjusted. Forward thrust comes from a 1.6-liter, 107-horsepower four-cylinder engine matched with a five-speed manual gearbox. Other models -- the Nissan Versa 1.8 S and 1.8 SL -- are better equipped and come with a 122-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that's mated to a six-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic in all Nissan Versa models except the SL hatchback, which has a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The most fuel-efficient model is the hatchback with CVT, rated at 27 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. Test drivers report real-life mileage with the CVT ranging from 24 to 28 mpg.

Standard safety equipment on all Nissan Versa models includes six airbags and front-seat active head restraints, but ABS is a $250 option. Reviewers like the Versa's comfortable cabin and smooth, quiet highway ride, although the engine can be "buzzy" during acceleration. While the Nissan Versa gets many good reviews, several say that a better choice for a slightly higher price is the 2009 Honda Fit (*est. $14,750 to $16,260). The 2009 Scion xD (*est. $14,650) is another good alternative that offers more interesting styling and more entertaining driving, reviews say, although it and the Fit are both somewhat smaller than the Nissan Versa.