Rental Review: Versa Sedan

"Brian, The Life of" (familycar)
09/30/2013 at 12:31 • Filed to: Terrible cars

So I flew up to the Bay Area to visit my mom who is recovering from a hip replacement surgery. I did the Priceline crapshoot deal since I was going solo and ended up with a Nissan Versa as a rental to take me from SFO to the Oakland hills were my sister lives.

If you were expecting a thoughtfully detailed review of every aspect of this car, I am sorry to disappoint. I only drove it from the airport to my sister's house and back while I was up there. Her house is way up in the hills at the end of a rat maze of twisty roads. I don't care what you do, the CVT makes all driving feel like you are flogging this thing. It is always working to stay high in the torque curve any time you have more the 25% of your boot into it. If it was slow and zippy, that'd be one thing but it's as wallowy in turns as it is slow to accelerate.

Rating: Penalty box on wheels

DISCUSSION (14)

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 12:34

I'm glad to see you embrace the hate. Feels good, no?

Party-vi > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 12:46

God damn our license plate are ugly.

/Marylander

Grindintosecond > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 12:52

I agree with you. I got a ride in one for a few times one week and it was unremarkable. But.....but...the trunk can hold ALOT and for a budget family that just needs a car that holds allkids in back and junk in trunk, well....it does what it was designed to be. That. could call it a purely street utility car. SUC.....

Victorious Secret > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 12:53

The Nissan Versa: Because you hate yourself.

Victorious Secret > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 12:53

The Nissan Versa: Because you hate yourself.

POD > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 13:03

" Rating: Penalty box on wheels "

Awesome quote.

You go to the box, you know, 2 minute by yourself, you feel shame.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 13:51

I drove a rental versa when my monte carlo's subframe decided it was time to leave the rest of the car behind. I had the same thoughts you did. 4k rpm on a highway is NOT a good reason for a CVT. Also the button layout and legroom were atrocious. I was defeated by a hill and I almost spun out twice on moist pavement because of how laughably bad the ABS was with the crapshoot tires.

You rated it too highly. Mine was "Better than having a 5-iron shoved up your ass while on fire but worse than syphilis"

Dusty Ventures > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 14:58

I had a rental Versa hatch last October. Terrible interior, uncomfortable seats, dreary acceleration, woeful handling, and comically bad fuel economy for a car it's size. Did a 400 mile trip of 98% highway (at 70 mph, no traffic jams) and didnt break 30 mpg. Frankly, the only excuses for buying a Versa over a Fiesta are: 1) you're buying it for your teenage child to help show them the appeal of public transportation, 2) you wanted to send someone a warning and decided a blood-spattered death threat wasn't strong enough so you sent them a Versa, or 3) you're a recovering lobotomy patient.

Rating: "Welcome to the starship Enterprise, here's your red shirt"

Dusty Ventures > Dusty Ventures
09/30/2013 at 15:27

Shared as a warning to potential future rental Versa victims

CalzoneGolem > Dusty Ventures
09/30/2013 at 15:28

If you're in the US and you want the cheapest new car possible this is what you end up with.

dogisbadob > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 15:29

Too bad. The previous generation was much better and has awesome visibility.

Also, the Versa name is so bland. Tiida is much cooler.

dogisbadob > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 15:30

Too bad. The previous generation was much better and has awesome visibility.

Also, the Versa name is so bland. Tiida is much cooler.

Telumektar > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 15:53

Here in Uruguay they were sold as the Tiida, in both sedan (which looks like shit, IMO) and in Cockroach shape, I mean hatchback.

They are everywhere as they are the cheapest in their league while still being quite big for a hatchback/family car. They are sold with the autotragic (which some chose) and the six-speed manual, though.

I don't like it at all but I can see its appeal to some families that would like a transport but not taking the bus.

Tekamul > Brian, The Life of
09/30/2013 at 16:05

I work with someone who purchased a Versa.

He bought it used in June of last year. It was only 1 year old, had a hair above 8k miles on it. He's been driving it over a year, just rolled 9k miles. He only drives to work and back, maybe 4 miles round trip. His longest drive to date is 20 miles.

He is their core demographic, I believe. Didn't want to pay much money, didn't want to have to fix it, not in it long enough to notice it blows.