Fit vs. Versa

[PSA]

Current Fit owners.....obviously you chose the Fit but did you also look into and/or test drive the Nissan Versa? How did it compare? What were your impressions of one vs. the other?

[kenchan]

i didnt like the look of the versa so didnt take it out for a test drive.
i couldnt see myself driving one.

one of the main points of why i even chose a Fit was because it's a Honda.

[PSA]

Originally Posted by kenchan

i didnt like the look of the versa so didnt take it out for a test drive.
i couldnt see myself driving one.

one of the main points of why i even chose a Fit was because it's a Honda.

You know, the part of choosing a car because it is a Honda is alright with me. We own an Accord, a Pilot, and my father in law has a Civic Hybrid. With each of our Honda's we just felt like the car was a great product and going to last for a LONG TIME as we drove them away from the lot. Part of the reason we are also an APPLE family as well. =)

[jjgori]

Test drove the Versa, Scion XD, the new 09 Vibe. Of the 3 I thought that the Vibe was the best but the Fit was a notch above in many aspects. The good points about the Versa was that the ride quality was a quite nice....it felt more like a "bigger" car but we just could not get over how unattractive it was to look at. Couldn't really find anything aweful about it though. It's a nice car if you can live with the looks. The features are decent and the mileage is average for it's class (about 28 in mixed driving and about 32 on the hwy). The driving experience in the Fit is quite different- it's more nimble and feels like a small car but the flexibility of the seats and the superior mileage make it a lot more attractive than the Versa...plus it's a Honda!!

[kenchan]

well, i was originally in the market for a 08 R32... but with only DSG
i knew i'd get tired of it quickly. GTI's in MT were kinda cool too, but
i hopped on over to my Honda dealer a block away just for kicks and
holycrap, 2 days or so later i came home with a FitSport 5MT.

im super glad i did too. i luv this car. i have other cars too but the
FitS is an awesome little car and a blast to motor in. you cant go
wrong. ive had honda's all my life and honda proved to me again
that their car is fun.

[kenchan]

oh yah, check out the newbs forum where you'll find my newb intro
thread. you can see how it all started. it's updated often.

[PSA]

Originally Posted by kenchan

well, i was originally in the market for a 08 R32... but with only DSG
i knew i'd get tired of it quickly. GTI's in MT were kinda cool too, but
i hopped on over to my Honda dealer a block away just for kicks and
holycrap, 2 days or so later i came home with a FitSport 5MT.

im super glad i did too. i luv this car. i have other cars too but the
FitS is an awesome little car and a blast to motor in. you cant go
wrong. ive had honda's all my life and honda proved to me again
that their car is fun.

I always find it interesting when I read how someone is coming from or was in the market for a pretty different car in terms of class, performance, and price point. I have read reviews on other sites from people leaving their Mercedes and BMW's behind in pursuit of a Honda Fit. I think that says a lot for the FIT. I owned 2 BMW's before my 2006 Accord SE and was always worried how I was going to feel about that. To be honest it felt great since my main goal was to maximize my hard earned cash and Honda's I feel simply provide that solution. It is all about VALUE and the Fit knocks that one out of the park. Cannot wait for the 2009 Fits to arrive.

[vtec just kicked in yo]

Originally Posted by PSA

Current Fit owners.....obviously you chose the Fit but did you also look into and/or test drive the Nissan Versa? How did it compare? What were your impressions of one vs. the other?

Versa looks good on paper but I don't trust it.

We are talking about a French designed car built by a 2nd tier Japanese car company in a 3rd world country.

I'll pass.

Nissan builds some excellent stuff, don't get me wrong, but I don't trust their reliability, especially on a $14k car. Toyota or Honda are the only ones I trust to build a $14k car that is worth a crap.

The test drive is what really convinced me on the Fit. It met all my requirements and on top of it, it was a silly amount of fun to drive.

I think the Versa would be fine for someone who doesn't care as much about nippy handling and wants a bit more comfort and highway cruising serenity and is only going to keep the car for 2-3 years.

I wouldn't want a 4 year old Versa outside of warranty though. That's when you really begin to see the difference between a Honda and a Nissan and I plan on keeping my Fit for at least 5 years, probably longer.

[Firebat666]

the versa just looks like butt... and no standard ABS... wtf?

[fittmann]

Originally Posted by kenchan

i didnt like the look of the versa so didnt take it out for a test drive.
i couldnt see myself driving one.

one of the main points of why i even chose a Fit was because it's a Honda.

Ditto!
'07 VBP Sport 5MT w/minor appearance & comfort mods!!

[zukered]

I looked at the Fit first, but test-drove both auto and manual Versas before the Fit.

On paper the Versa was better--had more interior features and creature comforts, cheaper by about $2000 in Canada...

The driving and handling didn't grab me though--it was not memorable at all. The exterior look to me resembles a PT Cruiser, too (ugh!). Finally, the rear seats didn't fold flat to the floor.

The Fit's interior is inferior in several ways--seats aren't as comfortable, no dead pedal or armrest... in the end though the Fit was the right mix of fun (re: driving) and practical (easier to haul bikes and larger objects), and the Honda name promises reliability, and that's a promise I hope will be kept.

[Cat]

I test drove the Fit first in March 2007 and then test drove the Versa. While it is a nice car, I just did not like the handling and steering. It just did not handle as nice as the Fit and there seemed to be no feel for the road in the suspension. I got on the web and found that a lot of people who owned them spent time returning to their dealerships with problems. One guy only had 500 miles on his Versa and it was in and out of the garage. My Fit is now a year old and the only visit to the shop were for the wire recall and the first oil change.

Cat

[FITrunner]

Test drove the Versa myself. For me it ended up being the interior. I seemed to like the look of the Fit better. Yeah its subjective and based on personal taste, but thats how I finally decided.

[Super Mario]

I considered the Versa mainly because of the price. The Versa S is the base model and is cheaper than the Fit Sport, but it ended up realizing that it's ugly and that the Fit had more to offer, so I got a Fit.

The older Nissans looked good, but with the exception of the GTR, all of their cars nowadays are pretty bulky and not very aesthetically pleasing. Last car was a 2002 Civic and I'm glad I stuck with a Honda. I get compliments on the Fit everywhere I go.

[NJ-Fit]

Honda > Nissan. Thats all i needed.

[feddup]

It's been a while since I researched the Versa so I hope I remember the data correctly.

Honda outclasses Nissan on dependability in general, period.

Nissan recently purchased Fiat. Fiat's dependability record is dismal!

This is the first year of Versa production which is usually not good for dependability.

The Versa is supposedly being produced in a Fiat plant in France which, as far as dependability, very bad.

Anyway good luck to the Versa buyers. Make sure and keep your warranty in force. Sell it before it runs out.

[jacksan1]

Nissan recently purchased Fiat.

First time I've heard this. Where did you get the news? I think you are mixing Fiat and Renault up.

This is the first year of Versa production which is usually not good for dependability.

The Tiida, which later became the Versa in North America, has been around since 2004. The NA Versa is in the second year of production.

The Versa is supposedly being produced in a Fiat plant in France which, as far as dependability, very bad.

The Versa is assembled at the Nissan facility in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

[tkinsel5]

i can comment at length but will try to keep it short!

my dream car for years was the 350z. in short, i bought a lemon and am currently embattled with nissan over the buyback. don't ask, you don't want to know, etc...

in the last 6 months i was able to drive 3 different nissans as my z was in the shop. the new altima was the best, although i liked the old one better. the murano felt like driving a beachball, oversuspended and aloof-and my chick has an fx35 which drives great and has been flawless to own.

i drove the versa for 3 days once. horrifying. no steering or brake feel, acceleration was a laugh (even though it has more hp the the fit i suppose it's quite heavier). we would actually get onto the freeway laughing-i haven't felt a car that sluggish in ages. plus it's hell ugly, feels all kinda cheap on the inside, etc.

when i first test drove the fit i knew i could live happily w/ it for ages. my first new car was the classic 91 civic that was in my family for 12 yrs. i have had 2 honda bikes through the years- currently running a 72 (yes, 72!) cb350 twin. so obviously sold on honda engineering.

i've had my 08 sport a/t fit for only 2 weeks now- the only other car i was considering was the mazda3 hatch. but i must admit i like toy cars and am very happy with my choice. yes, the fit sits too high, does catch a crosswind and could use a touch more power. but these things can be easily solved. in short, the versa can't compare.

now i just gotta get that lump of a z outta my driveway!