Car and Driver review of S sedan

[07Vsdn]

http://www.caranddriver.com/sh....html

pretty positive review, some very interesting facts and opinions...

consider their review of the interior:

"That’s about it for the luxury car comparisons, though. If any part of the Versa says “budget,” it’s the interior. Hard plastics are omnipresent, the seat fabric looks like it belongs in a $15,000 car, and we’re not sure what the headliner is made of, but it ain’t suede. And the non-telescoping steering wheel is positioned too far forward and requires a bit of a reach. Much of that is forgivable, though, considering that even with the power accessories package, ABS, and cruise control, the Versa is still well under $15K."

so, the seat fabric in this "well under $15k" car "looks like it belongs in a $15,000 car"...

that SHOULD be a compliment as you are getting more for your money but i THINK it is meant as a jab...

and for braking:

"Braking, at 195 feet from 70-to-0, is well behind the competition, as is pedal feel. The pedal does exactly nothing until your foot is all the way to the floor, at which point it grabs unexpectedly abruptly."

while the braking is nothing to write home about i doubt 195 feet is the same for our car and it certainly doesn't brake "unexpectedly" or "abruptly".

and handling:

"Even so, we managed 0.78 g on the skidpad, 0.01 better than the Versa hatchback tested in our comparo and only 0.01 g below the Honda Fit from the same test."

for all the reviewers that go on and on about how great handling the fit is; these numbers don't back it up.

i guess the argument is not the WHAT of the numbers but in the HOW they go about achieving those numbers. which makes handling so hard to quantify. the #'s may say one thing but the "seat of the pants" measurement may be totally different.

-Edit-

Ok, just took a drive to the store. The brakes are a little grabby, but they grab right away, not at the floor. A little hard to modulate...

Modified by 07Vsdn at 11:22 AM 9/28/2007
Modified by 07Vsdn at 11:22 AM 9/28/2007

[matt_a]

From what I've seen, Car and Driver is in the minority when it comes to their opinion of the interior. Just about every other automotive review I've read on the Versa has nothing but praise for the interior. They all say that it seems like it belongs in a much more expensive car. Especially when you compare it to the interiors of similarly priced cars.

[kc5f]

They were, however, reviewing the S, not the SL. When I was waiting for my SL to be delivered, my dealer had me look at an S. I was shocked when I opened the door and hadn't even sat down by how much the initial sensation of quality just wasn't there as it had been on the SL, even though at first I couldn't identify just what seemed so different.

[matt_a]

That's true. We have an SL also. I know it has different seat fabric, a leather wrapped steering wheel, and padded areas that are hard on the S model, but I never thought it was that much different.

[Bubs daddy]

One of the main reasons I went with the SL was that the interior materials, fabric, and plastic were significantly better. A much higher grade and quality.

I can see why the magazine would say what they said. Because when I compared the S and SL, it wasn't even close.

[Nismo V]

Car and Driver.. opinion is subjective when it come to what should or should not be expected in a $12k-17k ride.. it's a given that Nissan has upped the stakes in the B Segment at what could be bought in the price range. Regardless to how Car and Driver feel about the s and sl, it's the price your willing to pay and needs that will detemine which interior is best for you. The Versa is a great deal in any trim level.

Maybe Car and Driver should get off jocks of cars that are priced at least $7k-$10k more then a V... That said , a versa is easily the best buy for the money, best car under $15k.. we already own the Fit (magic seat and all) and Yaris (bumpy ride and low quality interior)

I guess you can tell i'm no fan of Car and Driver Mag..

Not buying Car and Driver saves me $4 and change each month as well as saving trees priceless

[Jerky_san]

I find it very odd that all these reviews say its hard to stop the car.. Personally I think it stops great.. You can sometimes feel the weight a little bit but I mean its nothing to like cry about or anything..

[Rockhound]

I've been reading C&D since I was a little kid, and I've had a subscription now for probably 5 years now, and it's a love-hate type thing. Mainly I read it for entertainment - to actually hold a magazine instead of staring at my computer monitor - there are far too many informative websites today to use one car mag for major purchase decisions anyway.

That said, I've been a tad disappointed with Car & Driver's take on the Versa. They're a finicky bunch, for sure, which is fine, they're entitled to their opinions. The hatch got a better review, I feel, placing second to the Fit, which seems to be their car of choice in this segment. The Fit supposedly offers a bit more 'sportiness' in its driving character - a somewhat subjective descriptor, but their opinion nonetheless.

It would be hard to stay grounded when you're constantly testing supercars and such - hopping in a Versa after driving the Superleggera would be an odd transition, and it's probably hard to switch into the mentality of an individual for whom the Versa might be the 'sportiest' car they've had the pleasure to drive/own. Maybe it's because I'm a Nissan fan at heart, but it seems as if those guys nit pick Nissans more than the other usual suspects.

[BBISHOPPCM]

It seems all journalists prefer the Fit simply because it says "Honda" on it, and, as we all know, everything Honda builds is pure gold... right? Well, that's what they want you to believe. I don't hate Honda, I just feel they don't build anything new, unique, or spectacular. Sure, they're reliable, but not any more reliable than Nissan products. I've seen the Fit, and it seriously looks like something only a 16 year old could love, with its tiny wheels and Fast n' Furious-induced styling.

[BillyBeaneBall]

I've said it before and I'll repeat myself in abbreviated form now. I test drove a Fit, Yaris, Matrix, whatever the Scion Hatch is called, a Vibe, and an Aveo. *For the money* I felt the Versa was head and shoulders over the pricier Fit. The Matrix was already more expensive and bigger and the Yaris felt cheap. Same for the Aveo. I had absolutely NO IDEA what I wanted other than I wanted a hatchback. After thorough research I will say it again...the Versa was *by far* the best buy. Does it have some drawbacks? Yes it does, but so does every car. Fact is, unless you design and build a car to your own exact specifications they all will have something you don't like.

But FOR THE MONEY the Versa is the best buy in it's class.

Not to mention I got to do a crash test in a Versa firsthand and taking a side impact to the passenger quarterpanel at 55+mph with 3 passengers (including my 79 year old Grandma in the passenger seat) alll 3 of us were impressed by it's safety. Remember we all walked away from that accident!!!!

Take THAT C&D Magazine!!!!!! You didn;t test THAT, did you!!!

[srellim234]

Interesting, too, is the versatility of the Versa. If you look at the group here, it's pretty amazing the range of people who like the car in everyday usage. We have young people who are modifying and customizing the car for looks and performance and we have older families who are not doing anything fancy and just using the car for everyday family life. Yet almost all are happy with the Versa.

That's a pretty good testimonial and review in itself and you don't need a magazine to either support it or try to invalidate how good the car is.

[jacksan1]

Sure, they (Honda: insertion mine)'re reliable, but not any more reliable than Nissan products.

Is there data to back up the second part of your sentence?