Versa 08 vs.Sentra 08

[krissj2001]

Which one is better Versa 08 or Sentra 08 ????Any suggestions???I do not have any experience with Nissan cars of all.

[randyshemin@comcast.]

We considered both, as we have an 01 Sentra SE which has been a great car.

We chose the Versa because of price, anticipated fuel economy, and the rear seat legroom is much better than the Sentra. I'm 6'3" and can sit in the back very comfortably with the front seat in it's most rearward position. So far (2 weeks) we really like the Versa SL, and are very impressed by how quiet it is and how good the ride is. The interior in the Versa is light years better than my 01 Sentra too.

Plus, the Sentra SER we were considering was about $21-22K list, the Versa Sport with CVT $18k list.

[BBISHOPPCM]

Personally, I dislike the Sentra's exterior styling (but I do like the interior). The Versa has stone-chip proof rocker panel covers, where the Sentra does not (which really matters to me). The Versa has more interior space, better fuel economy (with a slightly smaller engine). If I were looking for an economical four-door sedan, I would rather spend the extra money on an Altima 2.5l. I just don't see how the Sentra and Versa can live in harmony... I honestly believe it was Nissan's idea to see which cars sell the most, and drop the loser. Keeping in mind, they might take the new Cube (based on the B platform), stateside... which would mean Nissan would now have THREE subcompacts on the market.

[frankoV]

Of course, this is the Versa forum!

1. Was warned away from a Sentra by someone who drives one -- not enought leg room.2. Sat in a Sentra -- agreed fully. More leg room for driver and for rear passengers.3. Price.

[biggie]

Basically 2 choices to go with to me. Versa is better in about every possible category unless you HAVE to have the power, then the SER or SpecV would be your choice. But then you are giving up room and money.

[Rockhound]

Although I've been extremely disappointed with the direction Nissan has taken the Sentra since the B13 days...the latest version has grown on me in some respects.

That said, I'm just not sure how I could buy another compact/subcompact sedan ever again. The Versa hatch is supremely useful - as is the vast interior space.

The larger 4-cyl might be a draw to some, and for those who are anti-hatch, I like the lines of the Sentra sedan better than the Versa sedan. You can also equip the Sentra with leather, although at that point, the MSRP on the 2.0SL is pushing $21k with the audio and sunroof packages.

The Versa really is a bargain, considering the available amenities and space. Of course I'm partial to it, and think that it is the far more practical choice between the two. That doesn't mean the Sentra is a bad choice, however.

[Ever Victorious]

If you know a Katzkins-authorized dealer, you can get leather for your V for under a grand. COVersaSL was the first to show us that.

The Versa is less expensive at all trim lines and all equipment packages. It has more passenger space, slightly better fuel economy, and (IMO) the better interior, at least on the SL model.

The Sentra has more power, but it also has more weight to offset the power, so their performance is going to be nearly identical.

So there are only a couple things you can get on a Sentra that you can't get on a Versa:

1) Trip Computer with outside temperature readout2) Infinitely variable climate control fan3) hide-n-divide trunk

Not a single one of those features are even close to a dealbreaker for me, so if I walked onto a lot today and I didn't have a car, the Sentra wouldn't even register on my radar. I'd likely end up with a Versa SL... or if I had money to kill and didn't have to drive for a living, possibly an Altima with a manual transmission.

[Rockhound]

If you know a Katzkins-authorized dealer, you can get leather for your V for under a grand. COVersaSL was the first to show us that.

While I'm not hung up on the lack of leather in the Versa (and my wife is especially happy it wasn't an option, since I would have checked that box) there's something to be said for factory-equipped leather. COVersa's custom interior looks great, don't get me wrong, but in most cases, I'd rather have a factory leather interior, given that it is of good quality.

I see this as Nissan's attempt to make a "near-luxury" version of the Sentra to further separate it from the Versa, although it's puzzling why navigation isn't also an option given that other cars in this segment (like the Lancer) offer nav now. Similarly, the Civic recently added leather as an option. Heck, you can even get leatherette on an Aveo. While not a big deal to me, I'm sure it's a selling point to someone out there.

[KimberKenobi]

Unless you're also polling the Sentra forum... you're asking a biased audience. I think the Sentra is lacking in appearance... that says a lot coming from the driver of a mini-van-shaped bubble with bulbous protrusions on the sides...

Then again, I like big butts...

[Ever Victorious]

Then again, I like big butts...

Did you just channel the living spirit of Sir Mixalot there?

[corpsecorps]

Hey a Versa is Ugly, but they are Way better looking than a Sentra!

This is Kinda Silly Krissj!

What the hell are your Criteria?  Looks MileagePerformanceCostGreen-nessSafetyCommunity respectabilityChick magnetismEase of Ricing

What is important to you, that is how you Pick a car!

[krissj2001]

costsafetyfuel efficiencyfront/rear legroomfront/rear shoulder room

[BBISHOPPCM]

What immediately attracted me to the Versa was the body style... clean lines, a roofline that gradually curves downward, complementing the body creases, attractive nose without any garish appendages, plastic rocker panels (they won't dent or chip), Murano-like styling front and rear, attractive interior (SL)... I'm not a huge fan of the steeply-raked body styles that have become popular lately (think "Saturn," "Pontiac," "Toyota Yaris," etc.) The Sentra's shoulder line breaks after the "A" pillar, then rakes upward, which looks awkward. Not to mention those taillights... what the hell were they thinking? even the nose is ugly... Roofline? ah, they might have well just slapped a sheet of drywall on the A,B,and C pillars and called it a day.

[corpsecorps]

cost - VERSA COSTS LESSsafety - BOTH VERY GOOD IN ALL ASPECTSfuel efficiency -VERSA by a littlefront/rear legroom & shoulder room - VERSA IS BIGGER INSIDE (US Gov calls it a midsize)

DONE!

[Rockhound]

What the hell are your Criteria?

- Ease of Ricing

That's pretty much my only criterion.

[Ever Victorious]

That's pretty much my only criterion.

So that means that you're looking for a 2-for-1 sale on fart cannons for both the V and the E? hehehe

[Rockhound]

So that means that you're looking for a 2-for-1 sale on fart cannons for both the V and the E? hehehe

You got any leads? ... I mean, er, of course not!

[KimberKenobi]

Did you just channel the living spirit of Sir Mixalot there?

You other brother's can't deny...

So that means that you're looking for a 2-for-1 sale on fart cannons for both the V and the E? hehehe

You got any leads? ... I mean, er, of course not!

ROFL!!!

[Showcase]

Im probably the only sentra owner thats gonna reply to this thread. Why Sentras are BETTER than Versas (in my mind). When I was in the market for a new nissan the first car that poped into my head was a versa. I went to the local dealer to look at them first hand. I walk up to the versa, and right then I almost walked out. No offence guys, but too me its the ugliest nissan car that nissan made in the last 8 or so years. (dont hate me!). I almost drove down to the honda dealer to look at the civic. Untill i noticed the new Sentra!!!. I didnt even know that it came out untill then!! Car looks 100 times better than a versa! The interior beats the versa in every way! seats are wayyyy more comfortalbe. Im 6'3", and there is plenty of leg room, even in the back seats. the dash and consol is sooooo nice. There are 2 engines available. 2.0 140hp, 2.5 177hp, and 2.5 200hp. beats the versas 1.8! when u look at a versa, it screams econobox!. but the sentra (though it still is) you dont get that first impression. The price diff isnt that much either, top of the line versa is about the same as a midlevel sentra.

[KimberKenobi]

... There are 2 engines available. 2.0 140hp, 2.5 177hp, and 2.5 200hp...

wait... isn't that 3???

[frankoV]

wait... isn't that 3???

picky picky

4 grand difference for a trip computer, leather seats, an inch of leg room up front (3 inches less in back, and a bit more shoulder room, and worse in-town mileage . . . well, to each his own.

Despite C&D saying that no subcompact has got the looks right, I (obviously) prefer the V.

[corpsecorps]

I went to the local dealer to look at them first hand. I walk up to the versa, and right then I almost walked out. No offence guys, but too me its the ugliest nissan car that nissan made in the last 8 or so years. (dont hate me!).

Wow, My World is almost Opposite!I went to see the new Sentra, I thought it was the Ugliest thing I Had seen since the last Sentra with the Down syndrome looks. I did walk out of the building to leave and saw the Versa Sedan sitting in the lot. I thought it was Funny looking but Not Ugly. Needless to say, once I test drove it, did some research and found out what i could get it for - BANG it is my new car.

[Ever Victorious]

wait... isn't that 3???

Maybe that's why he thinks the Sentra looks better.

Or someone forgot to tell him that Altezza-style tail lights are sooooo 2001.

And it's funny how he says that a fully loaded Versa is the same price as a mid-level Sentra. Forgetting the fact that said fully loaded Versa actually has more equipment than the Sentra he's comparing it so, and that only a fully loaded Sentra (at, again nearly $4k more) has more equipment than a fully loaded Versa.

And by the time you get that high up in price, you can buy a nearly base Altima, which actually IS better looking than the Sentra (as if that's an accomplishment), has most of the same equipment, and then puts you back in almost the same interior and/or legroom class as the Versa. But minus about 6 MPG overall.

Edit 1: sorry mr. Sentra owner, but if you ignore your over-Americanized view of body styling (because it's clear that things like a Pontiac G6 would make you blow your load), and actually crunch the NUMBERS, the Versa spanks the B16 Sentra so handily that it makes people (and not just me, really) wonder why Nissan even bothers to PRODUCE the Sentra anymore.

You're the rare case where someone who looked at a Versa decided to buy the Sentra. For every person like you, there are about 5 or 6 who look at the Sentra, and said WTF? Why wouldn't I buy a Versa instead?

Edit 2: More statistics for you, from my wanderings around the city as a mobile technician. I see 20 C11x Versas for every B16 Sentra I see.

For every 10 Versas I see, 3 are rentals. I have, since the introduction of the B16 Sentra, seen only a grand total of 10 of them. 9 have been rentals, and the only NON rental I saw was an SE-R Spec V. Does that tell you something ELSE about the Sentra? As in.. the only people willing to buy them are rental companies.

[Rockhound]

Yikes, things are starting to get personal in here!

I've observed a similar disparity in sightings as EV mentions...everyday I see more Versas, and yet I rarely see a B16. I think this could easily be interpreted as most folks going into the Nissan dealer looking for a certain price range, and simply finding the Versa as the best bang for their buck.

I understand that the Versa was introduced to the US to replace the slot the Sentra used to occupy before it gained so much girth over previous generations. Similar models like the Echo/Yaris and Fit serve the same purpose. It is ironic, though, that the Versa would have so much interior space - it kind of makes keeping the Sentra seem pointless.