2010 Nissan Versa

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Interior - What the Auto Press Says

With high-quality cabin materials and one of the best-reviewed rear seats in its class, the 2010 Nissan Versa's cabin is considered one of the better ones from the affordable small car class. But there are a number of reviewer complaints regarding the almost non-existent features list on the base model.

• "The Versa hatchback is in effect a high-roof wagon that gives a quartet of six-footers plenty room for knees and noggins, or, with the rear seat folded, ingests your girlfriend's dinette set." -- Iguida
• "The SL interior is highlighted by lots of soft-touch materials and classy looking gauges--uncommon at this price point. The S model lacks the soft-touch surfaces, but materials are still pleasant for the price." -- Consumer Guide
• "Cargo versatility is a strong point for the hatchback. There's a generous 17.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place. Fold them down and you've got 50.4 cubic feet, which is almost as much space as you'll find in a small SUV." -- New Car Test Drive
• "The consequences of driving a car without a radio are particularly strange. At first, you just find yourself thinking a lot. When there's nothing left to think about, you begin to obsess about the antics of the drivers around you. Let me tell you, today's road rage is nothing compared with the asphalt apocalypse it would be without mind-sedating NPR in your ear." -- Motor Trend
• "There were hand cranks to raise and lower the window, and locking the doors took zero drain off the battery because you lock them yourself. You unlocked the door outside by sticking a key into the door handle. The navigation system was an old world printed map, and there was not a single thing in the car that beeped." -- MarketWatch

Front Seats

Most test drivers find the 2010 Versa's front cabin to be spacious and comfortable. That said, a few would like a little more cushioning in the front seats. For an even roomier front seat, check out the Kia Soul. You'll pay about $3,000 more, but it has a more comfortable front cabin, a lengthy list of standard features and even better cargo versatility than the Versa.

• "Large and comfortable seats belie Versa's small-car price. Even large adults have plenty of room, though tall occupants will want more seat travel." -- Consumer Guide
• "The huge front seats in the Nissan Versa are roomy and comfortable. As with the other cars in this class, the Versa driver gets lots of legroom and headroom. In terms of hip room, however, the Versa is a real standout. The width and the substantial structure of the front seats may make the Versa a great choice among subcompacts for big drivers." -- New Car Test Drive
• "You don't quite need to be a plus-size to find the front buckets a little narrow in the cushion. One telltale is that Nissan can't find enough clearance between the front seats and the door panels to accommodate the backrest-rake levers. Instead, it locates the levers inboard, where they fight for space with the seatbelt receptacles. In fairness, complaints about the front cushions seem more a matter of how one's body is proportioned and less a matter of sheer girth." -- Iguida

Rear Seats

Rear-seat room in the 2010 Versa is one of the cars biggest selling points. In a class where comfortable rear seats are exceptionally rare, the Versa stands out.

• "It's almost all good news in the back seat. There's generous width for two big adults and this is arguably the only back seat in the class to accept three grownups without clown-car squeezing." -- Iguida
• "The back seat is particularly impressive. As you get in you'll be pleasantly surprised by the size of the rear door and how the front edge of the rear wheel well does not intrude as you step in. There are many larger four-door sedans and even many large SUVs that have smaller rear door openings. Even a six-footer shouldn't feel cramped as the rear seat legroom is at or near the top of the class." -- New Car Test Drive
• "Exceptional room for two large adults, highlighted by ample knee clearance and foot space. The rear armrest on the SL model is a nice touch for a low-price car." -- Consumer Guide

Interior Features

Reviewers like the soft-touch materials inside the 2010 Nissan Versa as well as the available options list on higher trims, but they lament just how bare the base model is. The 1.6 BASE sedan offers a tilt steering column and a few cup holders as standard -- but not much else. Upgrade to the 1.8S trim and you can get air conditioning and an audio system standard. You can also opt for the power package, which includes such features as power doors and windows, for around $700. For more standard features on a base model, consider the Kia Forte. You'll pay about $3,300 over the Versa, but the Forte has a list of standard features that rivals that of many upscale small cars.

You may balk at the price increase but it's important to do the math here. The power package isn't available on the 1.6 BASE or 1.6 models. So in order to even have the opportunity to pay extra for these features you'll already have to pay at least $13,000 for the 1.8 S model. Want navigation? It's only available on the top-of-the-line 1.8 SL model, so you'll have to shell out a minimum of $16,000 and then pay an additional $600 for the Navigation package. All things considered, the aforementioned Forte is a much better deal.

• "Nissan has made sure that most of the surfaces you touch, such as the armrests and door handles, have a soft feel to them.No hard plastics here." -- New Car Test Drive
• "A wireless cell phone link is an unexpected convenience feature in this class. Its usefulness is let down somewhat, as it only understands commands that are spoken slowly, loudly, and clearly." -- Consumer Guide
• "Among the benefits of a car with a modest array of features is a modest number of buttons, dials, and rockers required to control them. Versa's dashboard is simplicity itself. A trio of interlocked circles sets the instruments directly before the driver. Grouped to the right are the easy-to-reach audio and climate controls." -- Iguida
• "One area where the...Nissan Versa shines is in feature content. While the base car has little more than a stereo and A/C, the higher-level SL trim can be tricked out with such niceties as Bluetooth, keyless ignition/entry, sunroof, satellite radio, iPod integration and upgraded speakers. If you want lots of toys for a low price, the Versa is certainly attractive." -- Edmunds
• "First off, you should know that the Nissan Versa tested this week had the easiest-to- adjust radio of any car test in the past five-plus years. That's because there was no radio." -- MarketWatch

Cargo

Versa offers an impressive amount of storage space inside both its sedan and hatchback models. The sedan comes equipped with a trunk that offers 13.8 cubic feet of cargo space. Meanwhile, for those in need of even more cargo versatility, the hatchback model offers a folding rear seat that allows for 17.8 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in use and a whopping 50.4 cubic feet of cargo space -- enough to hold four big suitcases and any extra gear you might need comfortably.

• "With room for lots of boxes, this box has utility in greater proportion to its fun quotient." -- Car and Driver
• "Access to the hatchback's big cargo bay is aided by a liftgate that hinges high and out of the way. But it's hampered, too, by the narrowed opening at bumper level. The sedan's trunk is large for these exterior dimensions. But in neither body type do the rear seats fold flat with the floor. This leaves a plateau partway in and hampers ultimate loading ease." -- Iguida
• "The sedan's trunk is tall and large for the class. Versa hatchbacks have generous cargo room, but the load floor in both body styles is interrupted by rear seats that don't fold flush, creating an annoying stepped surface." -- Consumer Guide