My test car came equipped with a leather-wrapped steering wheel with buttons for the audio and Bluetooth hands-free phone systems, easy-to-clean cloth seats in a fun geometric pattern, keyless entry and power doors and locks. But what I liked the most was how grippy and zippy the Versa is. My six-speed manual ran through short-ratio gears that kept the torque coming. I like to see some power from these little runabouts. And the Versa’s chassis is firm enough to stay planted on winding canyon highways but not so unforgiving that it made my passengers carsick. There may not be much snob appeal in getting about town in a subcompact, but nowadays, “reverse snob appeal” seems to be the buzzword.
Tip: Save $2,000 with the S version (sans cruise control and premium sound).
