Nissan, hoping for a more stylish and appealing entry in what's becoming a viciously competitive subcompact market, has fully remade the Versa sedan.
The Versa hatchback, which remarkably for the hatch-averse U.S. outsells the sedan about 2-to-1, remains unchanged. But the 2012 sedan — the Versa with a trunk — gets a simplified and lighter platform than the previous sedan, has an overhauled engine with a different transmission, gets a new interior and looks not at all like its predecessor.
The 2012 Versa sedan, arriving at dealers just now, also comes with a $1,000 higher base price. But Nissan emphasizes that the $11,750 (with $760 shipping) starter model now comes standard with air conditioning and a radio — and a 5-mpg gain in fuel economy.
Other trade-offs, contradictions:
•The 2012 Versa's trunk is bigger, but overall interior space is less.
•The gas tank is smaller, so despite the 5-mpg gain, the theoretical maximum cruising range for combined city/highway driving drops to 356 miles from 370.
•New body is slightly shorter and the wheelbase is unchanged from 2011, but the turning circle is slightly bigger.
•Despite Versa's remake, rival subcompacts might appeal more. Honda Fit's much sportier and gets a few tweaks for 2012. Ford's stylish Fiesta is a sporty machine, too. Toyota Yaris also has been redone for 2012, as have the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio.
Enough with the botheration, Nissan says. Specifics notwithstanding, Nissan says, the new Versa sedan has "more space-per-dollar in class, with best-in-class rear legroom, best-in-class trunk space."
Test Drive's short take on a preproduction test car mostly representative of showroom-ready models: Drives good, feels cheap.
That word "cheap" is damning, and used here reluctantly.
A quick spin in the redesigned Accent, which arrived in the driveway during the Versa test, makes it clear there are ways to give an inexpensive car a more up-market feel than is the case with the Versa.
The Nissan doesn't exactly scream bargain basement, but — showing how a little cheap can undermine a lot of not-cheap — Versa sedan's overall feel is eroded by:
•Climate-control knobs that are clumsy and stiff to rotate.
Mark Perry, Nissan product planner, says, "We had 100 journalists through the car and nobody else mentioned that."
It's tempting to say "Shame on them," but that would be gratuitous.
•Outside door handles that issue an offensive, plasticky "clack" when used, and doors that emit a tinny sound when closed, not the satisfying "thump" most people prefer.
•Trunk lid that likewise "clacks" when opened and closed.
But if those sorts of things don't annoy you, the Versa sedan might very well prove to be a satisfying buggy for you.
One reason is the transmission. Nissan, a big user of the belt-drive, continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission (CVT) because it can be tuned for better mpg, has married Versa's CVT to a gear cluster known as a planetary gear set.
You needn't understand the mechanics to appreciate what the new setup delivers. It provides lower, squirt-away gear ratios at low speed so the 109-horsepower, 1.6-liter, four-cylinder is responsive and sort-of fun. Important, because the 122-hp, 1.8-liter engine now is only available in the hatchback.
The CVT/planetary-gear setup also allows the engine to turn slower at highway speed than did its predecessor.
Voila: Better scoot, quieter, better fuel economy.
Also on the good side:
•Styling. It has some. The previous Versa sedan was a utilitarian lump. Of course, reasonable people might disagree on matters of taste.
•Comfort. Seats are sufficiently supportive and accommodating. Rears have generous legroom, though an inch less than the 2011.
•Visibility. Easy to see what's behind and to the sides. Thick rear roof pillars compromise that just a bit, but the car still ranks high in see-out-ability.
Unfortunately, one bad reason is that there's no middle rear head restraint in back to stick up into your view. But neither is there anything to help prevent whiplash for the middle-rear rider.
•Common sense. Things are where you'd expect. Controls do what you want. Four cup holders in the console, plus a phone/iPod slot take care of most needs.
•Responsiveness. Not only is the modest engine livelier than expected, the steering is firm and direct, the brakes — despite a slightly soft pedal feel — grab surely and the chassis is composed and confidence-inspiring in most maneuvers (though it's easy to get the front end slip-sliding by taking a tight corner very fast).
•Trunk. Marvelously large. Some midsize cars can't match this subcompact's 14.8 cubic feet.
Over time, driving appeal overcame the cheap ambiance. And the 30 mpg in suburban thrash-about driving was stunningly high by Test Drive standards. Worth a look.
2012 Nissan Versa sedan details
•What? Overhaul of Nissan's entry-level subcompact sedan; four-door, front-wheel drive.
•When? Going on sale now.
•Where? Made at Aguascalientes, Mexico.
•Why? Versa sedan's been underperforming, outsold heavily by the Versa hatchback in hatch-hostile America, so the sedan needed a spruce-up.
•How much? Starts at $11,750 including $760 shipping. About $17,000 all-in.
•What makes it go? 1.6-liter four-cylinder rated 109 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 107 pounds-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm; five-speed manual transmission (base S model only) or continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission (CVT) coupled to planetary gearset to extend the CVT's range of ratios.
•How big? Bigger than rivals Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris. Versa sedan is 175.4 inches long, 66.7 in. wide, 59.6 in. tall on a 102.4-in. wheelbase. Weighs 2,350 to 2,459 lbs.
Passenger space, 90 cu. ft.; trunk, 14.8 cu. ft. Rated to carry 860 lbs. of people, cargo, accessories.
Turning circle diameter, 34.8 ft.
•How thirsty? CVT is rated 30 miles per gallon in town, 38 on the highway, 33 in combined driving. Manual is rated 27/36/30.
Trip computer in preproduction CVT test car showed 29.8 mpg (3.36 gallons per 100 miles) in frisky suburban driving.
Burns regular, holds 10.8 gallons.
•Overall: Appeal undercut by cheap-feeling knobs, doors.
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