2009 Nissan Versa XR

Virtually unchanged for 2009, the Nissan Versa, which comes as a 4-door sedan or a 5-door hatchback, does get power locks, optional on the S and standard on the SL, and some interesting new hatchback paint colors. The Nissan Versa comes with front-wheel drive and is powered by a 1.8L four-cylinder engine that generates 122 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque. Standard on the Versa S is a six-speed manual transmission, while a four-speed automatic transmission is optional on all trims except the Versa SL sedan, where it is standard. The Versa SL hatchback is equipped with a Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) for better performance and fuel economy. EPA-estimated fuel economy for the base Versa with the four-speed automatic transmission is 24 mpg city/32 mpg hwy and 27 mpg combined, while the Nissan Versa SL with CVT gets a boost to 27/33/29 mpg. Standard safety features include front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags, while antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist are optional.