The Versa was direct competition to the Fit in my mind a couple months ago. I liked a lot about it, including the options (the Smartkey would have been cool!). I'd want the CVT to get better fuel economy, but they didn't have the MSRP listed.

A few things about the Fit won me over, though. Verified and reputable reports about the excellent handling. I love a well handling car!

The Fit is made in Japan. The Versa is hecho en Mexico

The Fit is faster (0-60 is about a second faster, IIRC)

The Fit has the Magic Seats

The Fit looks more sporty

I would like to hear how the Versa handles and performs anyway!

 

I think cargo space #'s is overrated. I think it's more important of how usable and flexible that space is.

Anyway i've seen quite of the Versa and to me the exterior looks ok, interior is nice. Aside the underwhelming reviews, the one that i don't like the most about it is the drivers side door, no room for your left leg to move around. The door handle overlaps the side of the seat almost.

 

I jumped ship. I test drove All the vehicles, from Vibe, Scion to the Fit. The Fit was my first choice until the I got in a Versa.

It drives like a dream. Cornering, acceleration etc. all as good as the Fit during my driving. The seats are way more comfortable. My husband is tall (6'5") and he has no problems in the front and the back is amazing. The cargo area is not a great as the Fit but it does the job, no problem. Mileage is a little less than the Fit but you get more horse power and a longer wheel base. This makes for a smoother ride and should be better handling in the snow. Important where I am.

And best of all, I did not have to wait or pay and inflated price. I got the Onxy Blue Basic model with power options and six speed. 13755.00

I am more than happy.

Jill

 

You get more horsepower... at a cost of 300-400 lbs or so.

In other words, it's heavier than the *Civic* with a 140 hp engine, which explains some of the lower fuel economy numbers

 

Yes, the mileage is not as good, but for me it is oranges and apples. I am not looking for a computer car in the city where I am in and out of the car. I am from Vancouver, Canada but now live in the mountains of Wy. I give up a bit of mileage for a bit more comfort(seats are way better) because we drive alot more distances. For example my Nissan dealership is 1.5 hours from us and that is the closest there is. I also have severe winter conditions to deal with( 5 feet of snow on the ground). The bit of extra weight and longer wheel base will get me up and down our hill without going to a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

 

hmmm...... that's puzzling. I've pushed the Fit's handling and i can tell you that the Fit handles great. Forget that the mags comparo leans favorably with the Fit's handling, I might have to go test drive the Versa to see the difference.

 

The Fit does handle great, so does the Versa. Not saying the Versa is better but it is good. I don't think there is enough of a difference between the two to make a difference to the average driver.

All I am saying is that the Versa is a good option for someone looking at Fit. It was a better opton for me. I do think if I was back living in the city and I could have easily got one, It might have been my first choice.

 

I sat in a Versa but didn't drive one - I didn't need to. For me the seats were way to high up, even at their lowest position. I found myself looking thru the top of the windshield. Kind of claustrophobic for me. Plus wayy less usable space with the seats folded down. Other than those 2 things, it seemed like a pretty nice car, but it just didn't feel right with me behind the wheel. I had a similar feel problem with the Matrix/Vibe. Loved the feel behind the Mazda3.....

 

I drove the 6-speed Nissan Versa and I really liked it a lot apart from the shifter - it is the worst shifter/gears I have ever driven. Every time you shift, it is like metal on metal - clunky, notchy and really noisy - I was appalled that Nissan would roll out such a nice car in every way and have a shifter like this. It was a deal breaker for me. My wife even drove it and she was like "What the hell?"

 

I almost bought the Versa but the Fit I wanted fell in my lap. I love everything about this car!


Cargo - Fit
Speed Fit
Gas Fit
Look Tie (although the Versa passes for a more normal looking car)
Build Fit
Comfort ? (I'm pretty comfortable in my fit)
Roomines Versa
Seat Cusion Versa

 

My brother bought a Versa (with the automatic CVT) because he had no Honda dealer close to his house, but he really wanted a Fit, after seeing and testing mine.

I've driven his Versa and it is smooth, comfortable and quick -- but those seats are a real pain since they don't fold flat -- other than that, I'd say Nissan did a great job, but I expect they might make a change in a few years with respect to the rear seats -- they would have had an ideal competitor to the Fit if they coould have had Honda's Magic Seats in the back. Loading up two sets of golf clubs with the carts on them will make this need clear to anybody who tries.;)

My brother says he should have bought the Fit (primarily because of the rear seats), but he also had some complaint about the A/C turning on by itself when trying to keep the front window clear in the cold fall air -- my Fit does not do this, but apparently Nissan says their system is designed to do this when it will help clear the window for safety/visibilty -- at least that what he was told.

Later,
Bill

 

Bill,

Actually, the Fit does turn on the A/C when you use the front window modes. If the A/C was on, the light on the A/C button remains lit. If the A/C was off, the light does not come on, but the compressor still runs.

Joe

 

Really?

Is this a good thing? Does it not rob some fuel economy? Do other cars do this too? Guess I should do a little more reading in my owner's manual.

On the Versa, the A/C light will come on to let you know that it's running -- at least it does on my brother's Versa. He also has another oddity -- the car was sold in Canada, but the speedometer's odometer is in Miles, not Kilometers!

I suppose they put this car on the market faster than we realize?!

Later,
Bill

 

Lots of other cars do this. My Mazda3s used to do this also - if you put it on any area with the windshield, the A/C would come on and it would not tell you either. It did clear the windshield much more efficiently but it did affect mpg negatively.

 

That's a first year of production snaffu and Transport Canada has issued a recall on it:

2007 Nissan Versa;Vehicles affected: 954
In certain vehicles equipped with a continually variable transmission (CVT), the odometer and trip record counter are calibrated in miles, rather than kilometres. Dealers will reprogram the odometer. Where such programming is not feasible or practical, the odometer will be replaced with one recording in kilometres.


(From http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/060920-4.htm)


Guess he can go back to the dealer to get the odometer recalibrated. Another reason not to buy a car in it's first year of production. :rolleyes:

 

The Fit is just as much a first year production model as the Versa, since the Versa has been around a few years in other markets as the Tiida.

 

Guess he can go back to the dealer to get the odometer recalibrated. Another reason not to buy a car in it's first year of production.

Yeah, he got his recall letter and was not thrilled to learn that they have to remove the dashboard to change out the Speedometer/odometer -- or he can just leave it in miles if he prefers, but this can be a problem when it comes time to trade/sell the car down the road....possibly.

Later,
Bill

 

I disagree - the Fit has been around at least four years and is an older, more proven design. Building the car in a factory that has produced the car for years also helps.

That said, I haven't bought a Fit yet, either! :)

 

You may be right about the Jazz having been around slightly longer than the Tiida, but the Fit is still technically a first year production model just like the Versa. My point is that neither of these cars are first years in the sense of being a completely new, untested design.

 

There is a crucial difference between the Fit and Versa in the U.S. (North America), however. The NA Fit comes from the Suzuka Plant in Japan that has continuously built the Fit for the past five years. The Versa is being built at Nissan's Aguascalientes facility, and to that facility this is the very first year building this model.

I used to work in the quality department of the manufacturing division of a certain Japanese automaker (which shall remain anonymous). It is one thing to have design or spec defects. Both Fit and Versa have worked such bugs out because they have both been around (Fit for five years, and Tiida for two). But it is another thing to have something else called the manufacturing bug that can only be worked out as the production line makes adjustments, and that usually means time and experience.

In this sense, the current Fit line has had all the time and experience in the world because it's been building the Fit since June 2001 (actually May 2001 because they had to build an initial inventory). The Tiida was released in Japan in September 2004. But the Aguascalientes facility only got going with the Versa early spring this year. I would not be surprised at all if the Versa line there is still working out the manufacturing bugs because it takes time to make that kind of adjustment, whereas the Tiida line in Japan does not have that kind of issue.