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Which New Budget Car Better? Fit/Yaris/Versa?
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8600 miles on the lil' scoot so far...lovin' it.
Todd in beerbratistan
I am appreciating my '01 Kia Sportage 4x4 more and more and I'm happy I didn't trade it in for a Rio or Yaris earlier this year. We're at 113,250 miles and running like a champ right now. It sure helped us out during the icy, snowy winter driving season, too.
I just think that after reading that comment from above about the Rio5 revving too high and shifting funkily that that rig would be something I would like and that would be the one for me.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
By the time you put a few options on the Fit or Versa you'll pay as much or more than the TC.
Don't want a coupe.
Yeah, in High School I rolled an old VW Beetle off roading. I was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected. Somehow I landed on my feet and managed to stand there watching my car slide away from me.
You roll, you get ejected, the car or some debris hits you, or you hit your head on the ground, then it is over.
Even though I got lucky, the fear was in me. I've worn seat belts ever since.
And when the new version of the Accent comes out, with it's wagon-like design, you may start saying Honda What?
(Ok...maybe not.)
Todd in Beerbratistan
(Ok...maybe not.)
LOL. Good one.
I have nothing against Hyundai, actually. They probably do deserve an award for 'Most Improved' car company over the past 5 years or so. I remember when their cars were considered something of a joke (almost like an Asian Yugo), and now they are definitely competitive. Kudos to Hyundai on that.
That said, they are a good long way from making anyone say 'Honda What'? For example, in that econocar comparo in Car and Driver, the Fit smoked the field, and there was both a Hyundai AND a Kia in it. I think only the Versa even came close.
There was a Lee Iacocca interview I remember reading back in the day, and in it he mentioned something about how Chrysler had done a very in-depth, exhaustive analysis of all of its competitors, and ranked them on how good their cars were. Toyota came in number two (of everyone, including Chrysler), and, you guessed it, Honda was number one. To my continuing astonishment, it doesn't seem like much has changed since then.
That's a real testament to just how good Honda is. They're not only the best, they've been the best for a very, very long time in one of the most brutally competitive industries on the planet. And I say this as someone who really wishes an American car company would step up and kick a great deal of [non-permissible content removed], especially in the passenger car segment.
It's coming. Not as soon as we'd hope, but it's certainly coming. That, or they'll die - it's pretty simple. The SUV gravy train is over.
And a Fit is still more expensive than an Elantra, for a smaller car.
Honda may be a great company, but they abandonded me, and lost my business.
And, for the price, I still say that the Elantra qualifies as a slightly more substantial entry-level car.
But I appear to have digressed...
Additionally, it just doesn't have the Fit's interior versatility. I also would think it won't match the Fit's handling either.
But, if I was looking for a good value compact sedan, the '07 Elantra might be something I'd check out. I especially like its emphasis on safety, and the styling has improved as well. That said, there have been some awfully tempting deals on the Accord VP of late...
:shades:
And, no, I'm not getting the Fit's presumed fuel economy, but 3k miles in, I'm matching what I was getting out of my '96 Civic, in a larger, smoother car.
There will, reportedly be a hatch version, but not immediately, and thank goodness, because otherwise I might really be feeling some buyers remorse...
And, yeah, it's not as budget-conscious as an Accent, but it is about the same as a Fit, or a loaded Yaris.
DaimlerChrysler will introduce car in 2008, expecting high gas prices, fears of global warming.
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/AUTO01/606280357/1148
"Oh god the sky is falling" :surprise:
Rocky
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Rocky
We saved the best for last.
We've now checked out the trio of new Japanese mini cars: the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and now the Nissan Versa.
Toyota and Honda have more brand recognition, but Nissan gets the "atta boy."
It also gets my Best Buy nod.
The 2007 Nissan Versa that arrives in showrooms in July has the most-spirited 4-cylinder, most-nimble handling, and by far the most spacious, roomy and comfortable cabin of the three.
But Versa is the one that we'd hop in if all three were parked in the drive and we needed a set of wheels for work or vacation.
While the article did make me want to check out the Versa, I had intended to do that anyway. And he takes a few cheap shots at the Fit that are pretty underserved, such as his lumping in of the Fit with the Versa and Yaris when it comes to 'added cost options'. Huh? There are no big option packages with the Fit, you choose one of two trim levels, and then manual or auto and you're done.
The 'its like motoring around in a phone booth' comment was pretty lame too. :P
I dunno... I think I'll take Car and Driver and MotorTrend's Fit > Versa opinions over these guys. But still, ultimate judgement will be reserved 'till the Versa actually shows up. And, on the up side, if it really is stiff competition, that will help get rid of some of the more ridiculous dealer add-on scams we're currently seeing on the Fit.
The really annoying thing about the Fit is that there is never one available to test drive. I liked Fit the best of these three initially (on paper), but if it is this hard to find one, I will pass, thank you very much.
I did build a Versa on the Nissan website, putting in the moonroof and stereo with subwoofer, and it only came to about $1000 more than the Fit (most of the other features were comparably equipped between the two). I like that - it was still under $17,000.
Oh, and did I mention the latest annoying quirk? If you build the Versa with all those "luxury" features, which includes the keyless entry and start, you can't have ABS. The two are mutually exclusive. If you build the Versa with ABS, you can't add any of those other packages, not even the convenience package.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
But, more sales go to people that are interested in the extra passenger room, featurs, more comfortable ride on the highway, etc.
So, it is entirely possible that a car with the atributes of the Versa (which seems to always get the "best all around" award, even if it doesn't win the test), might be more popular with the American driving public.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Hmmm... I'd check with the dealer on that. Seems VERY odd. I would have to assume that's an error on the website builder.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I've said it before in other topics, Nissan makes a great car, but they're very lax on safety features. For example, stability control is available only on the fully loaded ($30k-plus) models of the Murano, Quest and Maxima lines. You can't get it at all on a sparsely-optioned model.
But, more sales go to people that are interested in the extra passenger room, featurs, more comfortable ride on the highway, etc.
So, it is entirely possible that a car with the atributes of the Versa (which seems to always get the "best all around" award, even if it doesn't win the test), might be more popular with the American driving public.
I agree with that... mags like Car and Driver tend to wish that every car was a sports car and tend to rate "driver's cars" more highly than practical or comfortable ones.
One can see it in their recent econocar comparison, for example. Look at how their point scale was weighted... fuel economy accounted for 5 out of 250 points, aka only 2% (!!!). Pretty laughable considering it was an ECONOCAR (read: high mpg vehicle) comparison, and that we're in the era of 3-bucks-a-gallon gas.
Meanwhile, acceleration/0-60 times were weighted a lot more heavily than mpg. I found it unintentional comedy at its finest.
The Versa is a sporty, large-on-the-inside car. It's fun to drive and reasonably quiet (although the roads I was on were pretty smooth). It'd be great for driving around with my tall friends. Not a huge cargo area in the back.
The Fit is a bit smaller. It beats to Versa in cargo versatility, what with the seats that fold both up and down, but not so much passenger room. It'd be great for the college kid who needs to haul stuff around in a small package. It felt a *bit* cramped to me, though.
The Yaris is completely unremarkable. I just checked out the sedan, because I need at least four doors. The Yaris is great for someone who needs a dependable cheap little car. I'm not sure what more can be said about it.
Both the Nissan and Honda dealers were marking their wares way above MSRP because, well, people really want the Versa and the Fit. Not willing to pay $18k for a $15k car, I'll be passing on those cars. The Toyota dealership I went to had a couple of Yarii available, and weren't marking them up
For $18k, you could get a leftover '06 Altima...
I wouldn't pay over MSRP, but not because I could get a big ol' clunky sedan for the same money.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The bigger, 2006, car actually suits my needs a bit better.
Hey, you asked.
I was just thinking that if you are LOOKING for a small car, like the ones this thread is about, an Altima would be needlessly big.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Go with the Caterham Seven... at 1320lbs and 260hp/200ft-lbs torque.
:P
I drove all three, the Fit sport, Versa, and Yaris. I personally did not like the seats on the Fit. The Yaris has a drivers height adjust. The Versa was comfortable, but mileage less, and because it was so scarce now, price too much.
I thoght the Yaris was equal to the Fit in acceleration and cruising. Mine is very quite, and smooth, even at the typical 75 mph commuting speeds typical in Atlanta highways. It is almost as quite as my wife's 2003 Accord V6 when cruising, but during hard acceleration of Yaris you definitly hear the engine. But then I heard the same or more on the Fit. Ride is nice over bumps. I wish Toyota had the side air bags. They really dropped the ball on this. But the car otherwise has been great. Steers perfect, no problems, mileage so far ranged from 33 to a high of 38.5. Now have 1800 miles on car. The trunk space is almost the same as the Accord, 13.7 vs 14.0 cu. ft. And with the ability to fold down both rear seats, I could carry more in it than in the Accord. Our Accord is a very nice vehicle, but I also would not sell the Yaris short on luggage capacity or quiteness. My rpm at 70 is about 2975, as close as I can read the tach. My 92 Integra turned more RPM at 70, about 3400. I don't think the rpm of Yaris is excessive for a 4 cylinder. It keeps the engine in a better part of the torque curve.
You must have some strange taste in design if you think the Civic is one of the most beautiful vehicles ever built! :surprise: :sick:
It is not in the top 100!
The exterior is designed well and has nice lines.
The dash is terrible! What was the inspiration? An 80's Chrysler? :P I'm surprised it does not talk.
The Fit, Versa and Yaris all have much better dashes.
My main beef with the Versa is that the dashboard/center console junction interfered with my right leg. It was the first thing I noticed when I sat in one, and in itself, would be enough for me not to choose this car.
I ended up buying the Sport Fit. I am 6'4" and 230 lbs, and all of the seats provide ample room. Main reasons for choosing for Fit over Versa were looks (inside and out), gas mileage, rear seat versatility, dependability, and fun to drive factor.
My wife calls it a putt-putt car (she drives a Nissan Titan), but it has plenty of pep, and costs less than half to drive than her behemoth
The Toyota Yaris option of side curtain airbags is a "paper" option likely in the brochures and on the web site only for marketing purposes. Go try to find one anywhere in the state of California.
I can't even find a Versa with side curtain airbags and ABS anywhere and the styling is so unappealing to me that I might pass even if I did find one. The Hyundai accent and Kia Rio aren't available with cruise control.
The Chevy Aveo has poor crash test results no matter how many airbags are in the car because it is an old design that was warmed over and restyled superficially for 2007. I don't want SCA just to have them, I expect the best crash test ratings possible in a small car.
VW Rabbit has very poor mpg and Toyota Prius is way too pricey for consideration.
Can anyone think of any other choices?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
It may be sad, but it's public perception, and perception is reality...
T
true, the Fit has a shorter rear leg accomodation, but it offers a big boot for its size. I used the folding seats many times when purchasing furniture. Moreover, the gearbox is a CVT which is smooth and efficient.
The road noise certainly offers room for improvement. The engine is refined and quiet at low to medium ranges, but is a bit noisy when pushed. fuel consumption is average. I rarely go below 7,5L/100 and reach 10L/100km in the city. Traffic conditions are awful here in Shenzhen and very nervous.
If I had to make the choice once again, I would still make the same choice. I I were in the US, the cheaper price point and the stronger engine of the Versa would make me consider this model much more. but honestly, with the rebates we can get in the US, the same price could buy a well equipped 2.4 Sonata...
There really is no real feature for feature match to the Fit.
I couldn't agree with you more, and boy does that situation stink. And calling Fit "readily available" is some kind of sick joke, right? And side airbags and ABS are pretty hard to find on the Corolla. Which leaves the new Civic, more popular than sliced bread and hard to pry out of dealers' pudgy little fingers for much less than sticker. :-(
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Well in January, the new Elantra will be here and that will add another choice. It's supposed to get around 38 mpg highway and street price after discounting will probably start in the range of a Honda Fit.
Last I heard US dealerships were looking at 2-3 months - Canadian dealerships probably 1-2 months. Or if you're in Ontario/Quebec, half that.
So far, I have no regrets. Commuting mostly backroads, I am enjoying 32 mpg with the automatic transmission while running A/C full time.
I really wanted anti lock brakes, and I couldn't get that on the Versa SL until Feb'07. Plus I think the overall quality of Honda vs Nissan of North America is superior. Inside, while the Fit doesn't have the armrest, it felt more solid than the Versa. I took my hand and pushed it on different places on the dash and got the Versa squeeking several times, but the Fit was rock solid. The steering was a lot better on the Fit too, and the overall handling and feel. Plus I liked the fact that it's a foot shorter than the Versa, so there's more space in my garage.
The best thing about the Versa are that it's quieter and more roomy in the 2nd row as compared to the Fit. The manual Fit was really noisy and buzzy on the highway, but the 5sp auto was much quieter, but the Versa even better. Price was about the same for both...about $16,500 for Versa SL with antilock brakes and CVT, or Fit Sport with auto. I don't much care for the side skirts of the Fit, but I wanted cruise control and you can only get that on the sport version. From what I understand, I can remove the skirt by removing a couple of bolts on each one, and I'll see if I can order the caps to put in the holes.
FYI, I'm 5'8" and my wife is 5'5" and we have a 2 year old, so this will be my commuter car, plus we'll use it on the weekends.
The deciding factors had to do with reliability, handling, mpg, braking, and interior space. Negatives on the Fit were road noise, acceleration with the auto, steering wheel position and lack of height adjustable drivers seat. The Versa had better marks for interior comforts, noise levels, but the driving characteristics were not as good on the Fit.
In the Manual category, the Fit was in first place by a pretty wide margin, while in the Auto category, the Versa SL beat out the base Fit auto by only one point.
It seems like with other reviews I've read, and based on my own experience, the Fit and Versa are the top two in this category of tall 4dr hatchbacks with good interior room, with the Versa being quieter and with more comforts, and the Honda having better driving characteristics and quality.
The Rio, Accent and Yaris were grouped at the bottom for various reasons.
The Fit is by far the superior car -- compare lifetime costs, not intial purchase price. In addition to being more fuel economical, the Honda holds its value and is more reliable.
I was in the low 30's MPGs when the car was new, but now the MPG is getting better. I'd say my average is about 35MPG, which is right in line with the 31city/38hwy EPA estimate. My mileage on part of this trip was only 35MPG, but it was lower because I had about 20% suburb driving on that tank, plus I was driving faster on the highway, it was raining hard, and there was more traffic.
I'd say based on this trip, you can get 40mpg on fairly flat terrain using the cruise and keeping the speed at about 65mph. FYI it was my wife and 2yr old in the car with about 150lbs of luggage in the back. This car really holds a lot. I had three suitcases, stroller and large diaper bag behind the 2nd row, and under the 2nd row I had a small cooler, bottle warmer, wipes, books, etc... On the trip my wife could sit in the back in the "refresh" position to take care of our daughter and it was a great setup.