Used 2008 Nissan Versa Hatchback Consumer Reviews

Our new 2008 Versa is a wonderful car

The CVT is fun to drive and the car itself handles very well.

Great Car for the Money

Overall, a great car. Nice appearance – both the exterior and interior. The interior has a nice “futuristic” feel to it (not over the top) and is exceptionally spacious (back seat okay for adults). Mixed fuel economy has returned an impressive 30 – 33 mpg (albeit mostly highway). The CVT is wonderful – it offers seamless shifting (I’ll never settle for a conventional automatic again…). Ample acceleration (no sports car however). Great features for an "entry-level". Why buy an SUV, like the Honda CR-V my wife and I traded in, when you can have effectively the same interior space, much better fuel economy, in a less expensive package?

Love my Versa!!

I love my new Versa SL. For a city car, it is perfect. Fuel efficient, small and comfortable x 100. I appreciate that the cloth seats actually look really nice. I am really pleased with my purchase and feel that compared to other cars in its class/price range, I did really well!! I also test drove Fit and Rabbit. The Versa totally felt better than those. btw, had to rate reliablity for the site but i have no idea, will take time. Expect a lot as my previous Nissan experiences were very positive.

Cool Quirky Looking Car

Except for its somewhat unattractive front end styling, it disappears when you get yourself behind the driver's seat. Yup, it's no pocket rocket, but the CVT gets it up to speed sooner than you can tell "Bluetooth" which number you wish to dial. The ride is smooth with good road feedback. Quieter than other more expensive vehicles. I've had my share of Porsches, Corvettes, and everything in between. Nissan has put some serious thought into the making of this vehicle, and what it has to offer. The Versa proves that an inexpensive car doesn't have to be made cheaply. With ridiculous gas prices these days, I'd buy it again.

Fun to drive

Love the gas mileage. Plenty of room interior. Fun car.

Best in class

I drove every econo box before I made a decision - Fit, Spectra, Aveo, xA, Corolla, Civic... none came close in interior comfort. Only those from Toyota and Honda drove as nice. That said, the automatic is a little clunky (I should have gotten the stick or the CV tranny!) Gas mileage is very disappointing, I drive all highway miles and struggle to get 28 mpgs.

Feedback

Have owned my 2008 hatchback for almost 2 months. Drives great and lots of room. I trust Nissan and know they make excellent cars. So far there are 3 undesirable issues. One is that the wheels have very cheap hub caps. One of mine came flying off while I was driving. It's a piece of junk these covers! Also the cup holders are in a horrible location. I had to install a cup tray (from a conversion van) on the dash in the middle. And finally do not buy this car without the power option. A huge mistake. Power locks should be standard but they are not. You will regret it w/o the power package.

Good buy for the money

Having purchased the Versa three weeks ago, I have to say I am impressed. Having to commute 72 mi a day, I am getting 30 miles to the gallon. My vehicle now has 800 miles on it. Having a manual, and owning three prior autos with manual transmission including Toyota Corolla, I have to say that for the price, the Versa is well worth it. The only drawback which I am getting used to is in regards to shifting. There is very little room for error in shifting from second to third as well as from fifth to fourth gear. There is plenty of headroom in the drivers seat as well as plenty of room in the rear. If you're looking for a reduced priced subcompact. I would recommend the Versa over the Corolla.

Nice Car Poor Mileage

I have 13,000 miles on this car. The average MPG is 29.71 for all miles driven. The average for level freeway with cruise control and observing the posted limit is 27.22 MPG. The only reason I get 29.71 MPG is because I drive some hills on my normal commute and I coast whenever possible. I also coast to stops in neutral to maximize fuel economy. My other car a 2000 Saturn SW2 which has a 1.9L DOHC engine gets 34 MPG average since it was new 314000 miles ago. The Versa has been to the dealer 3 times; twice for minor issues and today for a CV boot replacement (clamp missing from original boot). The cruise control has an annoying habit of speeding up and slowing down when going down hill.

Glad I did it.

I recently decided to give up my SUV of 8 years, and try something different. I am glad I did. I drove over 300 mi. to pick up my new Versa and it was worth every minute. It's sporty and classy and just an all around great deal. I am lucky enough to have some nice added features such as the power package, and rear spoiler, and I just tinted the windows yesterday. And it really looks sharp! If you're shopping for an economy car that if veritile, and sporty, this is it!

5th Nissan - this could be the best one!

Own this for 2 months. This car has a great "French" ride similar to an old Renault R-10 I used to own... nice! The 6 speed shifts terrific but the gearing and clutch take a little getting used to. Seats are very comfortable. Controls for major functions are nicely laid out and instrument panel is well lit. This car rides very smooth and quiet for its class, and the price can't be beat for the features. Seating room front & back is MUCH larger than most compact cars. The hatch's 'trunk' is deceivingly large. I love the looks of the car except for the nose... looks like a tiny, Quest van. Gas mileage in mostly stop & go, suburban rush hour traffic is about 28 so far. I really like it :-)

Good Little Car

I did my research before I bought it, and haven't ever regretted the decision. Driving mostly city (Southern California traffic), I can pull almost 34 mpg. The interior is really nice, doesn't look cheap at all. Comfortable to drive, definitely not quick, but it's a good commuter and daily driver. With the back seats folded down there is more than enough room to stow anything you need to - except maybe furniture, unless it's from Ikea :)

Recommended

I don't drive far to work but it's a great car when I drive half way across the country to visit family.

2008 Versa SL

Great car I love the way the inside is designed. There is a lot more visibility than I expected and obviously the fuel economy is great to.

Best for the money

The Yaris was like driving a bubble, the Fit was nice but cost too much, my Versa is bigger has more power and better MPG. The only thing I would change would have been my color selection (2) which did not not make my head turn.

Excellent car, fair price

I gave up my Suzuki Grand Vitara for this Versa SL Hatchback and it is impossible to be more happy. I cut my gas expenses a lot (you save more using cruise control), it has plenty of room, actually the back space is bigger than the SUV, my kids are more comfortable now, there are plenty room for legs. I feel pretty safe driving it, very stable on highways, very comfortable to ride (65 miles commute daily) with the back sit folded I have plenty of space to load almost everything, so I don't miss my SUV, without folding them you can fit 2 medium suitcases perfectly. Excellent car and very fair price

A Nice First Car

This was the first car I test-drove after getting my license and so far, I do not regret my decision. I wanted a no-frills, simple car, and the Versa was that plus a bit more. I was also looking for something to carry around people comfortably, and the Versa does just the trick; I even find myself wanting to sit in the back seat to indulge in all the room. The interior layout and controls are nice, everything I need while driving is within easy reach. Performance-wise, the Versa meets my needs. I have to keep reminding myself it's not a sports car, but with some consideration on my part, it does what I need it to do. Street and highway driving are a breeze. Fuel economy is decent.

7 month - 2nd review and all is well

This is an added review to the one I wrote on 12/10/07. I mostly use my Versa as a daily commuter in stop & go suburban rush hour traffic and get about 28 mpg. I just took it on its first 200 mile trip up and down the Berkshire Mountains of Ma on a major highway and was more than pleased to see that I got 36 mpg with cruise set @ 72 mph with the 6M. The ride was comfortable and quiet although the narrow, tall stature of this car causes crosswinds to play with it a little bit. Nothing terrible though. I still miss not having a center console. The only annoyance I had was the low pressure tire sensors misbehaving in the extreme cold. No problems though. Still love it!

Great car but the RPM's run high

I just purchased a 2008 Versa hatchback, so far love it! Averaging 33 mpg, not bad condsidering I drive 50 miles to work, and hit 32 lights along the way. I'm a little concerned about the RPMs running high, in 6 sp, 62 mph I'm running at 3000 RPMs. Other than that great car!!

Versa works for me

I test drove the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa numerous times before making up my mind. I chose the Versa and I am extremely happy that I did. It feels substantial, looks good and the CVT, Intelli key and Blue tooth hands free are awesome. The trunk is small but the ride is smooth and quiet. The engine tends to "lug" a bit when cruising around 30 mph but smooths out quickly when gas is applied. The engine sound is "buzzy" during quick accelerations but quiets right down. MPG so far is 26.44 but that is strictly around town driving (hardly ever over 50). Overall so far, I love it. I added a very light weight trailer so the small trunk isn't an issue plus I can now haul larger stuff to the dump

Great Little City Car

Traded my old MB station wagon in for this great little car. Used to get 17 mpg on premium, now 30 mpg on regular. Peppy and roomy for city and expressway usage. Well built with no creaks and everything seems to fit well. Easy to get in and out of.

Versa Info

At 6'4" & 240 lbs, I actually fit in the Versa. The seat is a bit short for my long legs & not quite wide enough to accomodate my wide hips. My wife is 6' & the seats fit her fine. You can haul 2 six footers in the back without them feeling cramped. The Versa handles fine but the suspension is a bit choppy on rough roads. The Versa feels underbraked but I've been driving 1 ton & 3/4 ton trucks for 25 years so I am used to strong brakes. My first tank of fuel in all city driving yielded 27 mpg. At 2,000+ miles I am up to 29 mpg in the city. On a recent trip with a 700 lb payload & running 75 mph, I averaged 31.5 mpg. Versa's my first compact car & I would buy another. Lots of room for a compact!!

great

no problems after 16 years of onwing it would buy it

Works for small, city commutes

My Versa

This car is just OK, but not comfortable at all. Very small trunk, can't fit a small suitcase. Very hard to take anything out of the trunk. Heating does not work well.

Lots of car for the money

We've had our Versa for about 7 months and we LOVE it.We looked at all the others, and it was no contest.Classier and more substantial looking than the Fit or Yaris, almost identical in dimensions and capacities to the Vibe/Matrix but costing thousands less, the Versa is great bang for the buck. The fact that it drives and feels nothing like an economy car is icing on the cake.The interior is amazingly roomy and comfortable for a small car and a lot quieter than I expected, almost a Mausoleum compared to my old Neon. Incredible room in the back seat and more than enough cargo space. The Versa's space efficiency is truly amazing.

Capitan de los mosquitos

Owning a versa is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Its power has me baffled, it packs a mean Punch especially on the expressway when you drop out of overdrive. Its overall appearance is sexy, it makes me want to drop it into second at about sixty miles an hour with full open butterfly. The first gear ratio is what I like best it is long and strong. Its take of speed can be deceiving unless you help it out with the neutralizer, ( it is very simple, step on the gas with a quick stab, keep the gas pedal on the floor, within two seconds shift car into neutral for a fraction of a second and back into drive. This allows revolution to accumulate thus creating a sharp and sudden pull