2020 Nissan Versa: The surprisingly competent economy car

[BLANK_AUDIO] [MUSIC] All right, I know what you all are thinking. Why the hell is she reviewing a Nissan Versa? I mean people just rent those cars, they don't actually buy them. Well my friends, I have a feeling that that is about to change because if you don't have a lot of scratch but you still want a brand new car, the 2020 Nissan Versa might just be the vehicle for you. [MUSIC] So the key here is managing your expectations. The versas not the most powerful or best handling car out there, but in [UNKNOWN] starts in less than $15,000. What do you expect the McLaren but it still excels at a few key points. Number one, I think it looks really good. It's bigger than the outgoing model, but it sits lower so it avoids that kind of dorky derby look that the last model had plus I really like this electric blue metallic. Paint, it looks stellar. [BLANK_AUDIO] Number two is in the interior. [INAUDIBLE] a lot to like here. The seats are really comfy. I've got this swanky flat bottom steering wheel Here. I haven't noticed any problems with fit and finish. And even though the back seat leg room is smaller than last year, there's still penty of room for my 5'9" frame. And lastly we're talking about fuel economy. So I drove the Versa from San Francisco to LA and back. 98% of that was on the highway at 75, 80 miles an hour. And I actually got the EPA estimated fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon and that never happens to me. Under the hood is a 1.6 liter engine with four cylinders of fury knocking at 122 horsepower and 114 pound feet of torque. Now, yeah, those are not big numbers, but It's more than last year so bonus. You can get a five speed manual in the base Versa but I've got an upper trim here so I've got a continuously variable transmission and these are does a really good job with their CBTs. It's not buzzy, and it's not drony, but unfortunately it's also not very responsive. So. [BLANK_AUDIO] So there's a mountain pass that you have to cross when you're going out of Los Angeles. Takes about 45 minutes and I thought I was gonna spend the entire time in this slow lane paddling my legs like Fred Flintstone, but I actually got over to the left-hand lane a few times. So, go me. Apple Car plan Android Auto integration until the mid trim, and adaptive cruise control which is part of the $300 package that's not available on the base model. [SOUND] I've got a few quibbles here and there mostly to do with accurate. Accuracy so when i have the cruise control set to say 55 miles an hour the speedometer reads 57 sometimes on the audio page the artwork that's showing does not match what's actually playing on the radio but my biggest problem is that the verses just isn't that fun to drive i mean low power and fun to drive or not me Mututally exclusive. You can take a Honda Fit out into the canyons and have a blast. I wish that Nissan had thought just a little bit more about driver enjoyment. It doesn't mean that its bad. There's not a lot of body roll, the steering is really precise, it's got a good weight to it and the brakes feel great. It's just that there's no real emotion. Connection. [MUSIC] My top dog tests are here with adaptive cruise control comes in at $19,645 and that includes 895 bucks for destination. So if you're looking for an affordable piece of transportation, it's got great fuel economy and all wrapped up in a really pretty package. The 2020 Nissan Versa is definitely worthy of your attention. [MUSIC]