The Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa in Miami PDF Reference

The Yaris is widely known as the Corolla’s smaller brother, which is like discovering that Danny Devito actually has a shorter sibling. Although the Yaris is short on size and weight – it’s the shortest five door hatch in this comparison by 11 inches and comes in at a cross-wind swooning 2300 pounds – the Yaris offers a fair amount of car for its $14K base price. Not to mention the fact that you can fit this car in parking spaces that the Fit and Versa would have to guillotine both bumpers for.

Road manners for the Yaris are passable, but just barely. The Yaris doesn’t mask the fact that you’re driving a graduated tin can with an engine that barely registers triple digits in the power department. And like many other modern Toyota products, the steering is slow, dead and disconnected. Just because you’ve become the biggest selling brand in the world doesn’t mean you automatically make cars that are fun to
drive. Actually, I can’t think of one new Toyota that’s fun to drive anymore, which didn’t used to be the case, but I digress.

Value-wise, the Yaris is just okay. For a $14K base price, you only get A/C and a tilt wheel. Items like power door locks and windows – which come standard on the less expensive, bigger, and more powerful Versa – are tack-on options with the Yaris. But of course, what you don’t get in features you do get in bona-fide, run-it-till-kingdom-come Toyota reliability.

Safety-wise, the Yaris is also just okay, and in this comparison, finishes last in safety with only a 3-star NHTSA ranking for side impact. So for those who hate taking risks and are willing to sacrifice a little safety for the “the sure thing” reliability of Toyota, the Yaris might be a wise decision. The Versa comes to this New Big 3 comparison technically classed as a midsize car, not a sub-compact. But by only looking at the Versa S base price of $13,800, you’d never guess it offers a 122 horsepower engine, A/C, cruise, CD stereo, and power windows and door locks, all standard. What’s more impressive is what Versa is offering for 2009 – a new base level Versa 1.6 which actually comes in below $10K at $9,990….

So the Versa technically offers the most car for the least amount of money in this comparison, but is the quality of the Versa greater than its price? The answer is a resounding Yes. Based on our road test of the 2008 Versa S, we think that the Versa is without question one of the best values in all of autopia. Name another car that can deliver so many standard features, highest safety ratings, a 122 horsepower engine that gets up to 33 mpg, a six-speed manual transmission and rear seat legroom almost as spacious as a 5-series BMW at a sub-$15K price. Having trouble? That’s right. You can’t. When it comes to outright value, the Versa stands alone. Then consider the new Versa 1.6 at below $10K, which, quality-wise, demoralizes the former low-buck title holder, Chevy Aveo, and the case for the Versa is overwhelming.

There’s nothing wrong with basic transportation?, but if you’re going to live with this car every day, wouldn’t you like a little more personality? I mean, think about it for a minute. Did you marry your spouse because he or she fit the parameters for basic procreation?, or did you marry your spouse because he or she made you laugh and feel good about yourself? This is the elemental difference between the Versa and the Fit. Honda is widely recognized as the first Japanese automaker to really hit on the economy aspect of car ownership. Honda’s 1972 introduction of the highly fuel-efficient, low-emission and even lower horsepower CVCC engine may have been greeted by riotous laughter in Detroit, but today the laughter has quelled to a low, rolling sob. With the exception of Americanized abberations like the Pilot and Ridgeline, Honda has remained true to its original intent of making fuel-efficient, low-emissions cars that are fun to drive and practical to live with.

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