Edmunds CarPool

Opening Statements

Brent Romans for the Nissan Versa: First, allow me to point out that the Nissan Versa just isn't a cheap car, it's the cheapest car. Not only is it the only car sold in America that costs less than $10,000 (without destination), it's also the least expensive car out there by a couple grand. Now, we all know that cheapest isn't always best. But the Versa is in no way related to some older el-cheapo disasters you might remember like the Yugo or the Daewoo Lanos.

With the Versa, you get a roomy back seat, a comfortable ride and decent power and fuel economy. True, this is the 1.6 Base trim level we're talking about. This is the dealer ad special, the one that has dinky 14-inch steel wheels and no radio or no air-conditioning. But hey, we're talking about cheap, right? Man up, dude. If you're hot, just roll down the windows (yes, you do need to roll them). Need audio entertainment? Hum to yourself the Love Boat theme. My point is that this is the cheapest way to get a set of wheels, and outside of missing a few features, buying Versa isn't that bad at all.

Michael Jordan for the Smart Fortwo: Next to the Smart Fortwo, everything else is a limousine -- a frivolous, overweight barge meant to offer seating space for people who never seem to actually be there. Since so much of our time in cars is spent alone, why not drive a car that's meant for just one? In the modern urban environment, the Smart Fortwo always finds a space, whether it's the weird lane over there next to the curb (which seems to appear and disappear depending on parked cars, busses, or crazy people laying in the street), or the half-size curb-side parking space right outside the dry-cleaners.

Everyone hates the Smart because it seems like just half a car. But from behind the wheel, this is a far more spacious, ergonomically sound, and Euro-stylish automobile than any conventional small car.  The upright driving position is totally comfortable and also offers great visibility. The package space behind the front seats seems small, but it's up to all kinds of errands except a run to Costco. And the three-cylinder engine is both alert and miserly (43 mpg in real world driving).

While everyone argues whether gasoline, diesel or electricity is the future, the real leap forward is being made by cars that are about less, not more. 

Rebuttals

Romans: I'll agree that there's an appeal to less is more. But with the Smart, the "less" is inherently flawed. Most notable is the automated manual transmission, which is incapable of making a smooth shift. And since we're paying the same kind of money here for a cheap set of wheels, why wouldn't you want the Versa's back seat and large trunk? Plus, the Versa isn't exactly hard to park; the Smart's smaller size only comes into play if you're living in Manhattan. Or Paris, where these dumb cars come from (better they should stay there).

Jordan: Sometimes cheap just isn't enough. It's true that the Nissan Versa is a screaming deal, delivering more utility for less investment than any car you can name. But when you drive a Versa, you invariably find yourself having to apologize for it everywhere you go. It's one thing to drive a car that's cheap and cheerful; it's another to drive a car that's just crappy. When you drive the Smart Fortwo, you're making a statement about personal mobility, not the relative thinness of your wallet. You're telling people that you're so weird that you might as well be from Paris. It all depends on what you think about small cars. Are they just cheap, or are they something completely different? 

So Who Wins? Vote Now!