Two weeks ago, a good buddy of mine and I were bored, so we decided to spend the day checking out the competition...Nissan's and Toyota's equivalent to Honda's Fit. Both he and I are about 5'11" tall and my buddy is a big heavy guy (I'm average size). We checked out Nissan's Versa...it was roomy, especially the back seats. The interior styling was pretty flat and cheap looking, and the exterior was plain jane simple. When I sat in the drivers seat, I discovered something peculiar. There was simply no leg room, even when I adjusted the seat to the maximum position! Everytime I moved my foot to hit the brake, my knee would hit the steering wheel. My buddy also experienced the same. The dealer asked if we wanted to test drive it, but since neither of us could fit comfortably in the drivers seat, we passed.

Next, we checked out the Toyota Yaris. The only one they had in stock was the hatchback. I liked the sporty exterior looks, but the interior looked pretty flimsy and cheap. Despite Toyota's advertising about how spacious the Yaris is, we were shocked to find out how small it was in actuality! In someways, my old 1994 Toyota Tercel was much more spacious. My buddy compared it to his old Geo Metro, which was a tiny car for someone of his girth. Again, we both ran into the same problem: even at maximum adjustment, our knees would hit the steering wheel when we stepped on the brake!

At the same lot, we tried the Scion Xc and the Xb. Although I totally hate the Xb's box design (I personally think it's the ugliest car on the road today), it was very roomy (both front and back seats) and very comfortable, with plenty of leg room in the driver's seat. I also liked the interior styling...very cool and hip. I also thought the Xc was cool, but the room was limiting and again, my leg would hit the steering wheel when braking.

After testing a few cars, I realized how perfect my Fit was in comparison! Based on that day, if I had to choose a car to buy aside from the Fit, it might have been the ugly Scion Xb or the Suzuki Aerio SX, which is almost identical to a FIT, but much cheaper in price. :)

 

BTW its called a tC not "Xc".

 

Thanks for the test drive reviews. I drove the Yaris 4 door sedan and it was OK. Fit fine and was roomy enough. Much better (inside and outside) than the Echo I drove the week earlier- a bit more solid. Not much power for going up hills but in urban driving it was OK. Not as noisy as an echo.

Both you and your friend can take a ride in the 2006 or 2007 MINI cooper or Cooper S. I think you will find they have plenty of room for drivers of all sizes and heights. 5 or 6 speed manual or CVT or automatic with paddle shifters.

They aren't as cheap as some others out there. Prices start from about $18000 and rise to $21K for a loaded Cooper and $3000 more for a Cooper S. Fun to drive, decent mpg,not as much space for passengers in the back seat but hatchback design allows for some storage.

 

i loved the mini's, just couldnt get past the price

 

We thought about the Mini as well. But there isn't enough room in the back of one. We have way to much stuff that gets moved around all the time. They are a hell of a lot of fun though. HHhhhmmmmmmm... Maybe we should get one as a second car.

 

"Two weeks ago, a good buddy of mine and I were bored, so we decided to spend the day checking out the competition..." -from bluemeanie

...i think i might do that one day...sounds kinda fun...did any dealers have a problem with you just "checking out the competition" test driving and all that??

 

Actually, we didn't have any problems with the dealers, as me and my buddy came to each dealership in his 3 year old Mazda Protege car, and I pretended to be shopping for a car for my wife (actually, she'll be shopping for a car sometime next year). For some strange reason, most of the salespeople we encountered that day were relatively low key and not high pressure, so getting in and out was easy. I only had one Suzuki dealer who wanted my name and phone number as "proof" to show to his boss that he made the presentation. A day later, he called me and asked me if I still wanted the car. If you decide to check out the competition, you might want to think twice driving your new Fit into their dealership; that might bring some suspicions. Borrow an old clunker and have some fun!

 

I think he meant Xa and Xb :p



Anyway, great reviews on the vehicles. I personally find that the Versa LOOKS really big compared to the Yaris/Fit. As for the yaris, its nice, but its got no trunkspace, and its a little too cute.

 

versa is so damn ugly imo.

 

yea personally i dont like the versa or the yaris. Call me a fanboy, but the FIT is the car for me

 

give me the inside/features of the versa with the exterior/suspension, etc of the Fit and you have a perfect little car

 

That's not just perception. It weighs in at 300lbs more and has a 1.8L engine instead of the 1.5L the others have.

Nissan makes big fat cars.

 

they didnt always though, which is what sucked, they used to make normal cars, now they make big behemoths. Look at the previous generation altima vs the new one. Those were the days

 

Definitely. All companies make their cars fatter over time, but Nissan seems to be gaining weight faster than everyone else.

 

I also went to test drive the Fit and the Yaris. No comparison. When I sat in the Yaris I felt squished and I felt like I was sitting in a cheap car. With the fit you don't get that cheap felling plus so much more room. If you compare the yaris and the fit, with the same options, they cost almost the same $100 give or take, but in general no comparison. Toyota what happened I loved you guys but you turned into American auto makers, making sure you fell like your sitting in a cheap car!

 

Told him I was just widow shopping and did not desire a test drive. Then went to the Nissan dealership and saw the Versa. I really thought it looked a little like the Fit but felt roomery inside, seats were very nice and comfy. I went ahead and test drove the car and I was impressed with the way it handled and drove.The good thing was that for a nice model with A/C, automatic, AM/FM/CD power windows and locks - I could get for a little over $13,000.00. Problem is on the web people seemed to have trouble with the car and getting it serviced. Seemed to be alot of complaints over Nissan products especially the Versa. Went on a Versa forum and they are all happy about their cars and slam the Fit. Now I am confused because I really love the Fit but it is hard to find in my area and the one I test drove sold the very next day. I am just wondering is it worth the extra $4,000.00 to get the Fit or what is wrong with the Versa that makes the Fit a better choice in the long run? I know Honda motors rock and I don't want anything that is going to be a problem. Any impute would be greatly appreciated. Will be using to drive a short commute from home to work only a few miles. Hate long trips so no plans for long distance travels. PS- I really love the Fit but just want to make the right decision. Help!
Cat

 

Of course your going to get nothing but goodness for the Versa on a Versa forum. Usually forums are like that, they love thier own and then slam the competition. Forums are good for some info but in the end which one do YOU like better. There are also some sites to check out to look and see what types of problems have been reported with a particular car and yes the Versa does have its share of problems. One good place to start is the NHTSA here NCAP ratings for 2008 Sport Utility Vehicles The Versa gets the same crash test results as the Fit so your good there. According to the NHTSA there are no ongoing investigations into problems with the Versa. The only investigations at the moment are with the 350Z and the Murano. As far as ongoing complaints logged with the NHTSA the Versa has 12 so far here http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...in/results.cfm

 

Cat,

You might want to look around in other Nissan forums. Particularly, for Altimas, Sentras, and Quest forums. Nissan for the last few years have been going through a rough time in terms of build quality. For a time, my first choice was actually an Altima 2.5S. After some looking around, I found that the assembly plant it's being built in is actually very poor. Altimas were showing Check Engine lights with less than 1k miles on it. There are 2 assembly plants in the US that assemble most of Nissan's cars. One is a good plant, the other bad. The Sentra - if I'm not mistaken - is still being built in Mexico. If I were you, I would check which plant the Versa is being assembled in. Also, check online magazines that report initial quality on new vehicles. I know for sure, the Sentra, Altima, Quest, Titan, FX35, & Murano are scoring poorly in initial quality.

This is not a slam against Versa. Hell, our Fits are not exactly perfect. I know mine isn't. In the end, after my own research, the Fit just kept coming out on top based on my needs. :)

 

Hi Cat,

If you go on any forum, you will get "biased" information. I would think Versa owners hate the Fit, because they want reinforcement that their own purchase of the Versa validates their sound choice. I would say the same on this forum too!

I have had some good and bad experiences with the Fit, but mostly very good. The only things I had problems with (like most Fit owners) was the paint problem with the bumpers and the not so accurate EPA ratings on the mileage. Other than that, I don't regret buying the Fit, especially for the price and what you get for it. Fun to drive, great handling, lots of room for passengers and cargo, stylish sporty looks, an overall 31 mpg and lots of safety features. You'll have a hard time finding another car at that price.

Personally, if I were to buy a new car, I would stay with 3 names: Toyota, Honda and Mazda. All have great ratings in performance, reliability and affordability. Based on what I have read and heard, I wouldn't look elsewhere.

As you have heard, Nissan's aren't exactly known for their reliability. I also believe people who can't afford a Toyota or Honda either buy a Nissan or Hyundai. If you're looking to save a few thousand, then buying a Nissan would be okay. However, I think I would rather buy a Scion than a Nissan if I were to choose.

Here is some things to think about if you before you decide on the Versa: 1) all Versas were built in a plant in Mexico that has been known to have some major quality issues; 2) the Versa was not recommended by any of the major car magazines; and 3) the resale value of any Nissan is substantially less than Honda or Toyota.

IF money is the issue, then you should go with the Versa. However, if you are patient and willing to pay a little more, you will find that the Fit is a great investment that will save you from unnecessary trips to the repair shop, will provide a fun drive for a long time, and will give you a better value when you resell it. Also, Consumer Reports just rated the Fit as one of their top ten cars of the year! Good luck!

 

dont forget resale value! the honda will have the best resale value in the long run.