It offers the small-car virtues of nimble handling, easy parking, and lively yet efficient performance. Versa delivers an EPA-estimated 31 mpg on the highway with the automatic, 33 mpg with the manual transmission. 

The Versa is slightly bigger than the lower priced Toyota Yaris and the more expensive Honda Fit. All three are subcompacts designed with tall rooflines for increased interior comfort and visibility. The Versa is the smallest car you'll find in Nissan showrooms: smaller and less expensive than the compact Nissan Sentra, but offering greater interior space and more versatility. 

The Versa has received the highest possible ratings in government and insurance industry crash tests, though keep in mind that's among small cars (five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and a 'good' rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). Versa safety features include dual-stage frontal air bags, front-seat side-impact air bags for chest protection, and roof-mounted curtain air bags for head protection. 

Versa went on sale as a five-door hatchback in July 2006, with a four-door sedan following in January 2007. Combined, the sedan and hatch sold more 59,000 units in less than one model year. For 2009, Nissan has simplified the model lineup by reducing the total number of body, trim, and transmission combinations from nine to six. The Sport Package is restricted to the hatchback. 

Fuel economy for the Nissan Versa depends on the powertrain. Versa SL with CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) is EPA-estimated at 27/33 mpg City/Highway. Versa S gets 26/31 mpg with six-speed manual, 24/32 with four-speed automatic. The base sedan with 1.6-liter engine gets 26/34 mpg with five-speed manual, 26/33 with automatic. 

Bottom line, the Nissan Versa is a big small car with comfort, performance and versatility. It's roomy and offers good fuel economy.