Topic: Preview: 2012 Nisan Versa sedan

[Blueprint]

The new Tiida 5-door hatch was shown in Shangai; it had the Juke's turbo four paired with a 6-speed manual.  Now, That's-a-whatta-like!!

This sedan, the Chinese market Sunny, is ugly beyond possible, and close-ups of the interior reveal that either Rubbermaid or Little Tikes were the targets for design.  This awful-looking car will only survive thanks to fleet sales.  It even has the current Versa sedan growing on me.

[ArticSteve]

Agreed, Nissan can't get compact cars right in my opinion.

You've never driven any them so how you ya know.  Same to everyone else. 

The Versa SEDAN has not actually been targeted for USA/CANADA.  It's the Mexicano/South American special where it does very well despite being a POS.

This new effort sounds on paper at least to be a major improvement mechanically. 

Pricing/incentives rule this segment so we'll wait and see.

[aaronk]

@ the hatch photos, I saw shades the CT200H as well. Small cars often look better as hatchbacks, IMHO. I think the sedan versions are merely accommodations to win some favour amongst traditionally-minded North American buyers who like their trunks.

[aaronk]

Agreed, Nissan can't get compact cars right in my opinion.

You've never driven any them so how you ya know.  Same to everyone else. 

The Versa SEDAN has not actually been targeted for USA/CANADA.  It's the Mexicano/South American special where it does very well despite being a POS.

This new effort sounds on paper at least to be a major improvement mechanically. 

Pricing/incentives rule this segment so we'll wait and see.

I could be wrong, but I think the OP was referring to the appearance. I've driven almost the entire lineup, still not convinced it was a good car but at least the Versa was affordable and practical. I'm guessing those virtues will remain in the new car as well.

[ArticSteve]

I've driven almost the entire lineup, still not convinced it was a good car but at least the Versa was affordable and practical. I'm guessing those virtues will remain in the new car as well.

Why don't you just list the models and power train combinations that you have actually driven.  "Almost" is about as nebulous as "Nissan can't get compact cars right in my opinion".

Make no mistake the present 2011 Versa sedan is a sh*t box.  Don't sell here and dealers don't want them.  It's good to see Nissan making substantial changes/improvements to any of their vehicles including this new Versa sedan.  They should rename it.

The Versa 5door has been a godsend. 

[morrij01]

I generaly like the articles on autos.ca, but this article seemed to me to be sub-par as there are some mistakes in it. First the CVT was never avaible on the Versa sedan, it was only available on the hatchback, so it would be avaible for the first time on the sedan. And as mentionned before the new engine wihtout direct injection is far from state of the art or cutting-edge. Two injectors per cylinder is bettre than one, but why not really distance yourself from the competition and offer first in-class direct injection ? Especialy when your consider that this is where it's going in a near future. Fuel economy is also dissapointing due to the fact that the car lacks direct injection. A new model like that should set a new benchmark as far as fuel economy goes, and it only catches up to what other manifacturers have been able to accomplish already (Fiesta, Yaris). Is doesn't look like the author did very much research before writting this article and he fell short from delivering a quality article.

[Vaughan3145]

The new Tiida 5-door hatch was shown in Shangai; it had the Juke's turbo four paired with a 6-speed manual.  Now, That's-a-whatta-like!!

This sedan, the Chinese market Sunny, is ugly beyond possible, and close-ups of the interior reveal that either Rubbermaid or Little Tikes were the targets for design.  This awful-looking car will only survive thanks to fleet sales.  It even has the current Versa sedan growing on me.

I would love to have that Tilda with the Juke engine!

[kenm]

@ the hatch photos, I saw shades the CT200H as well. Small cars often look better as hatchbacks, IMHO. I think the sedan versions are merely accommodations to win some favour amongst traditionally-minded North American buyers who like their trunks.

Fixed that for you!

[ArticSteve]

Fuel economy is also dissapointing due to the fact that the car lacks direct injection.

Don't count your DI chickens before they hatch.

Notice that Honda and Toyota have not been rushing into the DI parade.  Some DI systems are not going to go the distance due to valve issues.  Moreover, they are very costly to repair.

These Versa Sedans are a MEXICAN and South American market car where things need to be kept simple as possible.

That last thing ya want as a manufacturer is to sell a $12K car to a market were ppl are used to keeping the thing going for 25 years and then in year 7 or 8 find it needs a $4K worth of valves and DI parts.

[Ontariodriver]

The price is pretty low $10,990 + tax of course it's enough to tempt a lot of people. What new car can you buy for that. Well the out going Accent  and Aveo. Pretty much it. I think despite it dated looks. It's not a bad deal. 

This seems kind of big to me. Where does this leave the Sentra?

Seems to have survived along side the Versa. Can't see why not this gen.

[ArticSteve]

The price is pretty low $10,990 + tax of course it's enough to tempt a lot of people. What new car can you buy for that. Well the out going Accent  and Aveo. Pretty much it. I think despite it dated looks. It's not a bad deal.

Is that price with or without doors 

[dirtyjeffer]

And wow! I didn't know they still made 15 inch alloys.

say what you want about 15 inch alloys, but they look better than steelies, weigh less than steelies and ride better than the 17 and 18" models that are becoming more common...also, when it comes time to replace them, it will also be less expensive...as much as i also like the look of big wheels, the 15s on my new ET handle broken/uneven pavement VERY well with no wheel hop and stability is excellent with them (better than the 17s on the Sport model).

[Blueprint]

Agreed, Nissan can't get compact cars right in my opinion.

You've never driven any them so how you ya know.  Same to everyone else. 

I own a 2.0S Sentra manual, have rented a 2.0 base CVT and was loaned a Versa 5-door with the "regular" automatic for a couple days.  While the packaging is fantastic in the Versa (thanks Clio!), it lacks width next to a Sentra and is foot-always-to-the-floor slow with the slushbox.  The de-contended sedan has always looked awkward, but not ugly like the new one.  The current Versa has a bit of Euro-look, while the Sunny goes Geely all the way.

The Renault Megane-based Sentra is the Mercedes of compacts.  It won't run circles around a Mazda3, won't be as frugal as a Corolla, but it is roomy, comfortable and well-mannered on the street.  It's even a bit fun with the 6-speed stick, but the drone-heavy CVT that equips most Sentras is better avoided if you aren't a full-week Sunday driver.

[CatsEye68]

Has nobody noticed the typo both in the post title here and in the article title on the autos.ca main page? Your "s" must be in a sling, boys... :O

[arrage]

I don't really care that the car is inexpensive, others in the segment have better looks for the same money so Nissan could have done better.  Then again, this might explain it:

Speaking with Autoblog following the unveiling of the 2012 Versa, David Reuter, Nissan's Vice President of Corporate Communications, stated "Our competitors have gone for sporty and styling, but that's not what these buyers want. Subcompact buyers want a dependable, roomy car with good fuel economy, and they want the features and specs to feel they spent a lot more on a car than they did."

[dirtyjeffer]

he has a point...while some of the enthusiasts in here demand M3 performance from sub-compacts, the majority of buyers don't...they want affordable, practical, fuel efficient high value cars that fit their needs.

[cruzzer]

Nissan has been doing pretty strange things in recent years. While I like the Altima, Maxima, 370Z and the Xterra; the Juke, Versa (new and old), Sentra and the Cube set standards for being just plain butt ugly. And again, we're seeing the manual transmission available only in the base model. While I know there are a few people out there that actually LIKE a CVT, I know a great many more than cannot fathom buying one. But, I guess it's possible that Nissan knows that there is a market for unattractive cars that do nothing more than get from Point A to Point B.

[Diesel Advocate]

What a Fugly car! It looks like something the Chinese would churn out.