This past Friday night we had our first really long ride in the new wheels, traveling from tobacco country all the way up to the Ocean state.
Really all new car purchase decions should be made after a 700 mile trip with a six month old baby in the back. They could call it ‘real world’ testing. Lucky for us, the car performed admirably.
Storage
The hatchback held all our stuff with relative ease (says the guy who didn’t pack it). I think we would have been able to pack the same amount in a sedan, but it’s nice to know the room is there if we need it.
Interior storage was well used on the trip, filling available spaces with maps and sodas and toys for Ted. I think the cupholders in the Yaris would have caved under the pressure of the large coffees and sodas that kept us going on the trip.
Seats
The seats remained comfortable for the entire trip, with no weird cramping. I sat in the back seat with Ted for some of the trip and found it to be very napworthy.
Kate remarked that the front seats weren’t as comfortable for sleeping as the Celica seats are, and I tend to agree. The side bolstering in the Celica is both nice for turning and keep you in place while napping… but the Versa seats are certainly comfortable enough.
The Versa seats are vertically adjustable, something I hadn’t had in a car before. The headroom is great and when the seat is elevated, you get an almost van-like view of the road. The visibility is great, but you need to watch your head when you exit the vehicle, as the rigid steel door frame hurts when it smacks into your forehead.
Performance
I’m quite sure that the CVT will be the automatic transmission of the future. Hill climbs make themselves known (as they do in most 4-cylinder engine cars) but there are no jarring gear changes through the hills of Virginia. When one has a sleeping infant in the back seat, one appreciates any amount of improved smoothness.
It makes me curious as to how well the 6-speed manual Versa performs in comparisson.
Baby Compatibility
When we test drove the Versa initially, we spent a fair amount of time at the dealership test fitting car seats. We were happy to discover that Ted would be able to travel with us safely. And unlike the Celica, it’s possible to recline the seat in front slightly, preventing a post-roadtrip back pain from having the seat straight up.
We were able to keep all the requisite baby gear in the passenger compartment with no trouble. There’s also plenty of legroom for a passenger sitting/napping next to Ted.
This trip validated our thinking about this car purchase. We may have had more room with a Hummer H1, and we certainly would have arrived more quickly with an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, but neither of those were as important as arriving safely and comfortably.
Nice post!
Glad the car performed well and you arrived safely. I am on my third Nissan: a 2008 Altima, and while my knowledge of cars pales in comparisons to Pat’s, but I have noticed a big difference between the engine in my 2004 Altima and the CVT in this one. I find my car is exceptionally good on gas,too, especially on the highway. I can drive well over 400 miles before I have to fill up. And this goes without saying but Ted is quite the looker!
The seats in the versa were indeed comfy, and the only major thing I remarked upon versus the Fit. Although the scion we tried with the sport package seemed to have a blend between a fit and a versa–seats like a versa. Our friends G&J have the best car story ever, which I will tell you in a more conversational setting. Anyway they have the CVT rogue and other than the huge ass blind spots in the back it was a smooth and extremely comfy ride. I didn’t mind the CVT, but I know Pete explained I’m used to fairly good quality automatics–like my mom’s infinity. Loves me some infinity.
Hi Melissa – The new Altima’s are nice, they’ve come a long way. Do you have the 2 door or 4 door?
Tracy! We love Infinity too! Just couldn’t get them at a Versa-like price :) In another lifetime, I’d love an Infinity G37, but am quite happy with the Versa in this lifetime!
The Celica has nasty blind spots too… I think that’s just an unfortunate design trend in cars recently. Visibility is sacrificed for the look of the vehicle.