Tested 5 cars and decided that I like.....

[rueben44]

Ok guys as you know I switch up cars quit a bit however this year I have slowed down considerably. Anyway I decided that since I am being strapped with paying for a new rent house I have to keep my car purchase below 25K. Now I have gone back and forth whether I want to spend more or less of that but my decision came down to four cars that could not be more different.

First was a Kia Rio. Yes I said it a Kia Rio….you ask why? Well because after renting one I was so impressed with the gas mileage and the quite comfortable ride. Also it is a nice looking little economy box. Honestly I like everything about this car and would not have considered one before but after renting it four weekends in a row I was sold on what a nice car it is. Still I wanted a hatch if I was to get a car so small and I don’t like the Rio5 so I passed.

Next was the Yaris. I saw a nice looking one on car domain and since I have to drive all over town I decided it would be cool to have a neat little box like this. So I went to the Toyota dealership and boy that was the first thing that went wrong. I told the guy how I wanted one and he told me, “Well they sell so well we only have them like this because people buy them so fast so this is how you may have to get it.” I told him I know how to shop nationally and will buy what I want how I want it. He changed his tune and said he could make a trade to get what I wanted. So I sit in the car and I am appalled by the pour quality of the interior. Not only the materials but how they fit together. A piece of the dash was sticking out and I could push it back and forth. Then I tell him boy the Hyundai Accent crushes this car on interior fit and finish. Then he says but Toyota’s have great resale. I then tell him that I am buying a car worth 13K in fur years know matter who makes it it will not be worth much so at this price point who cares. Anyway I walk off after the bumpy ride that I hate and scatched this car off the list.

I had tested the Hyundai Accent before and was really impressed with the cheap price and high quality little hatch. But after some time I felt the styling would not hold up over time on the outside so I passed on it.

So the Saab 9-3 still won out….until I passed by the Nissan dealership late yesterday. I tested the Nissan Versa and it was a 13K model. WOW this car was so smooth and with the 6 speed stick it was so peppy that I could not believe it was 122 hp. Also the exaust note was Honda like I was so impressed. So I leave the dealership and go online and price one how I want it. With Bluetooth, keyless start, remote start, power, and upgraded cloth I could walk out of the dealership with tax’s for around 17K. If I put 7,500 down I will only finance 9.5K. Unreal for what you get that I really can not legitimize the 22K Saab purchase because the car is so nice for the price and features. I will make a final choice next month but I think the Nissan Versa will be my new car. Heck I like it more than the Mazda 3 hatch because it is smoother and quieter, has a 6 speed, better fuel economy, Bluetooth and remote start for an entry price of the 3 standard. Anyway I know this is long but I though I would share.

I really want it like this:

[Phoenix]

You made a solid choice. The Versa has great fuel economy and it is the only good looking car in its class IMO. Since you enjoyed driving it I'm interested to try one out myself.

[steverino]

Hmmm, why didn't GM want to merge with Nissan?

The new Altima coupe is pretty nice looking at $20K

[likearock00]

Good deal. Keep us informed with what you finally decide.

[Minnesota Nice]

Seems you're looking in the small car/hatch area.

Have you looked at the Honda Fit at all? A lot of people I know cross-shop the Versa and the Fit, and end up chosing the one they like more.

I've not driven the Fit, but I know a lot of owners and they absolutely love the car.

[cs1992]

Nice, I'd like to know your actual gas mileage. I am consistently getting 32mpg (50/50 c/h) in my '06 Vibe with automatic transmission.

[johnnyangelb]

We test drove all those cars, save the rio, and had the same opinions. We ended up with a Prius however. The Versa was a really great car though.
I was really suprised at how poor the Yaris was. It was PITIFUL! We also had the same experience with the Toyota dealer... they try to make you think their cars are flying off the lot and are hard to get. We ended up driving about an 1 1/2 hours away to a dealer we found on-line... we were VERY happy with their service.

I'm guessing you haven't got it yet. When you do be sure to post some pics.

[BusyBody]

IMO, the Saab is worth the extra money. You are getting a much higher caliber (better in every aspect) car for only 5K more, and a rarer car at that. The Versa just looks odd... I guess its difficult to compare. Good luck with your choice!

[rueben44]

I did not look at the Honda Fit but I did go into the Nissan dealer and say I wanted to test drive one...LOL! Then I corrected my self. I did not consider the fit because I don't like how it looks. I like the Versa's styling from the side and rear angles but not the front so much but I can deal with it.

Also I know all the reason why I should get the Saab but 5K more financed and a note for 4 years or the Versa and a note for 3 max. I will buy GM again when I am ready for my CTS or new Saab 9-3 but I am trying to invest in real-estate and it is expensive.

[Minnesota Nice]

I don't mean to push the Honda, but I don't think you're going to get Corvette-like good looks from a car in this segment. Look at the offerings. None are awful (sans Yaris), but most are very "strange" designs.

You should test drive a Fit, just for the hell of it. At least that way when someone asks, you can say you did, and didn't like it .

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by rueben44

Also I know all the reason why I should get the Saab but 5K more financed and a note for 4 years or the Versa and a note for 3 max. I will buy GM again when I am ready for my CTS or new Saab 9-3 but I am trying to invest in real-estate and it is expensive.

Another example of how GM needs to shore-up their small car offerings. This is a GM fan site and we try and encourage people to consider GM... but I don't know how anyone can suggest an Aveo5 and keep a straight face when you're looking at all-new cars like the Rio and Versa. It's about 2 years past its design refresh due-date, and by most accounts isn't as fuel efficient as you want a 106 hp car to be. Thankfully you'll still consider another GM when it's time to move up to something bigger... but not everyone would. Plus, who knows? Maybe you'll love the Versa and your Nissan experience and decide to stick with them next time. The entry-level class may not bring in much money, but it brings in something even more important: customers. Heck, if Saab had a 9-2x out it might have been doable for you (since you were very close to a 9-3). For the next few years are going to be tough on GM, with only the Cobalt, G5, Aveo sedan and Aveo5 (with their on-paper fuel-efficiency defecits) to lure people in at the bottom. The new Vibe might be okay, but it's shaping up to be not as thorough of a redo as needed.

[guitarlix]

I've driven both the Versa and the Fit. The Versa is a very spacious car on the inside (way more than you think). The materials are first-rate (much better than Altima IMO) and the fit and finish is very good.

However, the driving performance is very poor. I don't like the way the car handles and I also don't like the CVT which makes the car felt underpowered (I find the CVT in the Altima to be excellent so I'm not anti-CVT). When it comes to small cars, I'll only get manual transmission anyway to extract maximum juice from the engine.

The Fit is a better looking car to me on the outside. It has a much smaller engine but it feels a lot more spunky to me (maybe because of the manual gearbox). The big difference is in the handling. The Fit is a more balanced car compared to the Versa and offers superior driving performance.

Coming from the Mazda3, there should be a noticable difference in handling, but if you're personally happy with the way the Versa drives, it's a good buy.

[rueben44]

Yea I guess I will test drive the Honda just for the hell of it but I will admit. I have a bias against Honda's and Toyota's because people act like they are god’s gift and if you don’t buy one then you are out of the loop. That being said I still appreciate them for their many good points.

Also you guys are right GM has nothing in the small car range to buy but the Vibe and I don't like the dash of the current model. Oh well at least the Astra will be out soon and would be my only choice but December is a long time away for me.

[Minnesota Nice]

The Honda dealers are arrogant, and they think their products are infalliable, which they aren't.

If they think the Civic is God's gift to the compact market, tell them to look at any 8th generation Civic forum, and be prepared for the pages of minor to major issues with them.

However, many people on the Civic forum also drive Fits, and they think the Fit is a better assembled car, overall, materials and what not.

[IAMCANADIAN]

The Versa is a nice little car and is perhaps the nicest out of all the competition however the new 08 Saab 9-3 is pretty sweet. It's a much different car than the others though. You have to decide whether you want an affordable, economical hatchback or a near-luxury Swedish sedan.