A couple cargo questions

[campersand]

Hi everyone, I'm trying to decide between a Fit and a Versa and your help would be much appreciated. One big factor is cargo space. I know the cargo volume of the Versa is larger than the Fit's, but my questions are:

1) Does the front passenger seat fold down at all to allow really long objects to be carried in the Versa? If not, does anyone know what the longest thing you could carry is?

2) Is the unevenness of the cargo space when the back seats are folded down annoying to anyone? It seems like it would drive me crazy, since I haul big heavy things around and don't want to have to deal with getting them over a second lip once into the car, then figure out how to support them so they're not teetering while I drive.

That said, I really like the drive and feel and look of the Versa. I'm also a little concerned about mileage but what I've read here, it seems to be pretty close to the Fit. Thanks in advance!

[rwanttaja]

Hi everyone, I'm trying to decide between a Fit and a Versa and your help would be much appreciated. One big factor is cargo space. I know the cargo volume of the Versa is larger than the Fit's, but my questions are:

1) Does the front passenger seat fold down at all to allow really long objects to be carried in the Versa? If not, does anyone know what the longest thing you could carry is?

The front pax seat doesn't fold. Maximum distance from the rear door sill to the back of the front passenger seat is about 67" with the right front seat rolled all the way forward. The seat inclines backward a tad, so the actual distance available is a bit less.

With the seat in a "normal" position, the same measurement was about 10" shorter. Depending upon the height, I'd guess the max object I could carry would be about 5 feet long.

2) Is the unevenness of the cargo space when the back seats are folded down annoying to anyone? It seems like it would drive me crazy, since I haul big heavy things around and don't want to have to deal with getting them over a second lip once into the car, then figure out how to support them so they're not teetering while I drive.

I've only carried one largish item so far, and yes, the step was a bit annoying. This is definitely one area where the Fit is better than the Versa. Otherwise, it's "Ya pays your money..." The Honda dealer wanted $4000 more for a Fit, and to me, the smoother cargo floor didn't make that much difference (when I also own an SUV and a pickup).

One of the other Forum members posted about an ingenious little device sold for the Tiida, the Asian version of the Versa. See:

zerothread/192376

This solves the "Step" problem, and gives the owner a tidy lcompartmented "under floor" storage space. It does cut down on the total vertical space available in the trunk, but it can be quickly removed if necessary.

Ron Wanttaja

[cistems]

The front passenger seat does fold down to allow extra storage, not quite like the fit but close enough to allow transporting 2x4s and 2x12s 8 feet in length. You slide the front seat all the way forward, take off the headrest and fold it back just like in the fit's "relax mode" or whatever its called. The fact that the rear seats don't fold flat makes it a little awkward but nonetheless useful. Honda has done a good job in marketing this but just cause Nissan hasn't doesn't mean it can't be done. I also test drove the Fit after the Versa and it just reinforced my decision to purchase the Versa.

[Ever Victorious]

I carried a pair of boxed-up rack server power strips (their boxes were 5 feet x 24" x 18" each)

Without folding the front seat. They fit fine, and because of their length vs how short the "step" was, there was no problem transporting them whatsoever.

[campersand]

Thanks for the responses so far. Any idea what the height of the cargo space (from the back of the folded down seats to the ceiling) is?

[Batti]

Just measured it for you - 24.5" at the door, rising to 29" in the center. This is from the folded seat to the roof.

Hope this helps! The Fit does have a much cooler seat folding design, but they aren't as comfortable. To me, that was the Fit's only real advantage over the Versa. I'm very happy with my SL.

[campersand]

Thanks, you guys rock. I test drove the Versa and the Fit back to back today and that sealed the deal for me. I'm getting a Versa!

One more question, though. The SL in the US gets the 6-cd changer w/aux jack, right? I know it says it does on the website but I'm in Canada right now and here, you don't get any audio upgrade between the S and the SL. Weird.

[Ever Victorious]

Yes, the SL in the US gets the 6-disc mp3 changer w/aux jack.

[philmcneal]

Thanks, you guys rock. I test drove the Versa and the Fit back to back today and that sealed the deal for me. I'm getting a Versa!

One more question, though. The SL in the US gets the 6-cd changer w/aux jack, right? I know it says it does on the website but I'm in Canada right now and here, you don't get any audio upgrade between the S and the SL. Weird.

you must get the technology package with the SL to get the aux input... yeah that really blew the deal for me too since i know all fit models in canada comes with an aux port... and so does the yaris.... only the nissan is optional on the SL models boo!

[campersand]

you must get the technology package with the SL to get the aux input... yeah that really blew the deal for me too since i know all fit models in canada comes with an aux port... and so does the yaris.... only the nissan is optional on the SL models boo!

Glad I'm buying in the States. Funny though, here only the Fit Sport model comes with the aux jack, not the base. I was confused when I saw my friend's Canadian Fit with an aux jack but no paddle shifters or cruise control.

[BenDupre]

Big enough to eat two 34 gallon garbage cans. Not having a flat load floor clearly pays off in floor-to-ceiling height. Although TALL mode in the fit might be even higher. Here's a pic.

Ben

[campersand]

That's pretty cool that it can fit those cans, thanks for the pic.

I don't think the seats not folding flat has anything to do with improving cargo space, though. If the back seat bottoms pulled forward like the Fit or like my girlfriend's Focus, the seats could lay a lot lower when folded and we'd have even more interior height for cargo. It really surprises me that Nissan didn't bother to do something like that, it seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to engineer.

[Ever Victorious]

It's not just the "hey, let's put a hinge here" factor. The Fit's seat cushion is less than half the thickness of the Versa. Also, the Versa's rear seatbacks are quite long. I don't recall there being enough room from front to back to do a folding system like how most cars get fold-flat seats.

The Versa is designed for people hauling. The Fit is designed for stuff hauling. I haven't actually been able to sit in a Fit (because they're all sold before they hit the lots), but from looking at one close up, I would not wish their rear seat on my worst enemy.

[campersand]

True, the Versa's seats are much thicker and more comfortable than the Fit's and I figure that has something to do with it. But I'm sure they could've figured out some way to have a flatter cargo area. The Yaris has a cool thing (I haven't seen this in person but it looks pretty cool on the website) where the bottom of the seat automatically lowers itself when you fold the seatbacks down.

[ruthfish]

great picture, BenDupre!

[philmcneal]

how big of a tv you think you can snug in there? like a 32 inch or something hehe. Would be hard to get the TV over the LUMP before sliding it in?

[BenDupre]

I have only carried a 20in TV but I'm sure it could eat a 32in. I hauled a new lawnmower (in the box) home from Lowe's the other day, that's only a little shorter than a 32in TV.

Ben

[OKVersa]

It was 9:30 at night or I would have taken a picture, but coming home the other night we hauled:

6 boxes of laminate flooringone bundle of oak flooring - assorted lengths as it was seconds (one 4 ft board)a new bisto set (in the box - a table and four stools, unassembled)a new butcher block cart (in the box unassembled)a $150 trip to Sam'sa $50 trip to Wal MartOdds and ends in various sacks purchased at other places

Which left hubby and I in the front seats.

The people at the furniture store were being quite hateful about us buying the bistro set. I almost refused it because the dock guys were swearing that it wouldn't fit. Hubby was laughing or I would have lost it. He kept saying, "Hey, just try. " We'd already bought the floring which worked out well. They shrugged and said, "it's your car, but you have to sign the loading paper." So hubby signed it, and they lifted it in and yes...it made it! To be honest, had it been one inch wider...we would have had to take it out of the box.

The only thing I noticed was that I could feel the load when I used the brakes, but it would have been the same in the Jimmy we used to drive.

In my dream Versa, the back seats would come out like they did in my Ford Aerostar, but I am VERY pleased about how much we hauled home!

Just think how much we saved by driving the Versa instead of our F-150 pickup!

[Althalus]

Well, I know the reason the rear seats for one don't fold all the way down is because the gastank is right below the rear seats.

And the Aux jack is Standard on the SL model.