Nissan Versa Note - Entry Level Never Looked so Good

The Versa is Nissan's lowest-priced car. Assembled in Mexico, it leads the pack of entry transportation modules, too, and it's no surprise. The previous Versa hatchback and sedan provided a lot for the money, giving upstart Hyundai and Kia a real contest.

Well, nothing stays constant in the car business (or anywhere else, it seems these days), so for 2013, Nissan brought in a brand-new Versa sedan. It was nice enough, but not that exciting. The 2014 Versa Note is something different, though.

Called simply the Note in other places it's sold, it's a five-door hatchback--a very useful configuration. It has the kind of eye-catching look that you'd find on, say, a Mazda3, with plenty of motion and character. My test car, in a bright, unpretentious metallic blue, seemed happy to be a car.

My first look at the Versa Note was when I saw the back of one on a transporter truck on the freeway next to me. It looked different--but sort of familiar, too. Then, I went by a dealership and took one out on the road with a friendly salesman. But my blue test car was mine for a week, and I took it all over the place.

Despite driving cars as exotic as the BMW M6 I had in April, there's nothing like a simple, straightforward little car. Despite its modest 109-horsepower 1.6-liter engine with 107 lb.-ft. of torque, the Note sings just fine out in traffic. The electric power steering delivers safe, secure, and responsive steering. The transmission, a continuously-variable automatic favored by Nissan in many of its cars, takes care of business. The brakes, front disc and  rear drum, have antilock, Electronic Brake force Distribution, and Brake Assist--modern technology that gives you confidence out there in the driving jungle.

The Versa has always been an economical car. The new one, with the CVT transmission, averages 35 mpg, with 31 City and the coveted 40 mpg Highway, per the EPA. I got 32.6 mpg, still better than most cars out there. And the the EPA's fueleconomy.gov website gives the Note a 6 for Smog and a sensational 9 for Greenhouse Gas. It's SmartWay approved.

The basic car, the "S" model, comes with a five-speed manual transmission and some worthwhile items. It also offers a low base price of under $14,000. Step up to the S Plus and get the CVT automatic, as well as cruise control and an interesting and unusual feature - Active Grill Shutter. This controls airflow for slightly better aerodynamics--which means better fuel economy, too. The SV is the likely bread-and-butter model, with power windows and locks, keyless remote, Bluetooth, a leather steering wheel, and more. It starts to feel fancier at that point.

My test car was the top-level SL, with the SL Package ($1,700) and SL Tech Package ($800.). That $2,500 give the car everything you'd want short of a true luxury rig. You get nice 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, and variable intermittent wipers outside. Inside, enjoy Sirius Satellite Radio, a USB port for your iPod, heated front seats, and even a rear-seat armrest with cupholders.

The SL Tech Package adds a 5.8-inch color touch-screen display for navigation and also a ton of amusing electronic features normally found in cars higher up the food chain. You can even order Nissan's "Around View Monitor," which works along with the rear view camera to give you a bird's-eye view of your car for excellent parking.

I tried out the Navigation system and Satellite Radio, but never got around to using the hands-free text message assist. Apparently, it will read your messages to you. I'm sorry I didn't get to it, because if it's like the one on my wife's voicemail at work, it makes a lot of hilarious machine-brain-only mistakes.

From $14,800 for the S to $19,280 (including shipping), you go from basic to super. $20,000 is now the starting price for a car with modern electronics--and most people expect those features in any car today.

One nice little item was the Divide-N-Hide rear floor. Working something like an old-fashioned Monopoly board, a hard panel sits at exactly liftover height to make a flat floor when the seats are down, for easy loading. If you need more height, pull and fold it (it explains the process right there in the car) and you've got more space. If you like that space to be private, lift up a corner of the floor and stash a briefcase or laptop out of sight.

I wasn't expecting greatness for the price and market position, but I came away thinking, "I could live with this one for a long time." I got listenable sound from the audio system, high fuel economy, incredible rear seat leg room (shockingly like a limo), modest price, and effective upright bass hauling ability, and the car was actually enjoyable to drive. You can pick colors such as Metallic Peacock and MorningSky Blue to stand out.

It's never been so good at the bottom of the market as it is today, especially at the top of the bottom like my Versa Note tester. This is what the family car looks like in some countries, and it's a great way to keep it modest without pain.

Hyundai Elantra Coupe Adds Style to a Favorite

Years ago, Hyundai vehicles were decent transportation devices but didn't quite measure up to the more established brands, such as Toyota and Honda. Their styling was boring or derivative -- or both! But since the Fluidic Sculpture look arrived a few years ago, Hyundais are cool.

The Elantra sedan got hit with the beauty stick for 2011. Since then, it has won awards and generally spread itself all over American highways. Today, you can get a five-door GT model and the new two-door Elantra Coupe. I just tested an Atlantic Blue sample.

The market for compact sedans is heating up and is brutally competitive, so Hyundai has chosen to distinguish itself. For one thing, it looks sharp. The flowing creases on Hyundais are almost enough to make you seasick if you study them for too long, but the point is, the cars look very good and also not like anything else. The six-sided mouth looks like it was designed specifically to eat up the competition.

My wife commented that she "could see the clay," meaning the models produced in the styling studios. The wavy lines and dramatic curves would be fun to carve into the models. I assured her that the folks in the studios use computer-aided design today, but I see her point. 

The Elantra Coupe is roomier than its competitors, moving slightly into the midsize category, leaving the others in the compact dust. A few cubic feet more makes more room for passengers and an overall better experience.

You can get an Elantra Coupe in the GS or SE model. The SE, of course, is sportier, looking especially so in the coupe format. The SE wears 17-inch alloys in place of the GS's 16's.

Every Elantra Coupe comes with the same proven engine as in the sedan -- a 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder with 148 horsepower and 131 lb.-ft. of torque. In California, Oregon, and a few other enlightened places, you can get a PZEV (extra clean) version of the SE. The PZEV version loses three horsepower and 1 lb.-ft. of torque, but it gets a 9 in both Greenhouse Gas and Smog scores from the EPA, while earning official mileage scores of 27 City, 37 Highway, and 31 Combined. I got less.

The fuel economy gauge in my test car reset after each fillup, so I got 24.5 mpg on the first tank, and, with a few non-commute longer freeway trips, 28.4 on the second tank. These numbers are not the absolute best around, but are darned close.

The engine, combined with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, is a good match for the approximately 2,700-pound coupe. I would have liked to sample the manual, but the automatic did what automatics these days do--move the car along quickly with no fuss. Today's technology is probably a whole lot smarter than we are, anyway.

Hyundai has stylish exteriors, but it's inside where you really can sense that something has happened. The detailing is exquisite, considering the price point. Seams match. Surfaces are interesting and varied. The chrome trim over silver on the controls is elegant. The pinch of the dash where it meets the center console is dramatic and allows for slim storage pockets along the console. Only the SE gets aluminum pedal covers.

Hyundai also knows its seats now. I took two drives on Saturday that took me way out in different directions for events, and I never got sore or still sitting there. The seats are a bit more bolstered than the ones in the sedan, for sportiness, but also to hold you in place en route. The seats are heated in all Elantra Coupes.

Every Elantra Coupe comes with an audio system. The standard 172-watt system includes Satellite RAdio and a USB port for your iPod. The optional one nearly doubles the wattage to 360 and adds an external amplifier.

My tester, as an SE PZEV with automatic transmission, was at the top of the price chart. It's base price of $20,745 rose about 10 percent with the Technology Package ($2,300). It includes a navigation system with a seven-inch color screen and the optional audio system, passive entry with pushbutton start, and automatic headlamps. Total price out-the-door was $23,965. The base car, a GS with manual, starts at $18,375.

What a fun way to be frugal without being boring or bored.

Kia Forte - Another Advance for Compact Korean Cars

The folks at Kia have done as promised, and updated all their cars over a short period of time. The latest newcomer is the third-generation 2014  Forte, filling the compact role between the smaller Rio and larger Optima.

Competing in the compact sedan market is a real challenge, battling longtime leaders such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, but this new Forte seems well equipped for a good fight.

Designed in Kia's Irvine, California design studio (but built in Korea), the new car has an energy and excitement about it -- always welcome in a segment where affordability and practicality are often the main purchase considerations As I've said about other new Kias, the products all benefit from the enlightened design sense of Kia's chief, Peter Schreyer, best known for his beautiful Audi designs. There's no reason not to make every car look good.

To make it simple, there are two choices -- LX and EX -- and each has its own engine. The LX uses a 1.8-liter inline four that puts out a respectable 148 horsepower and `131 lb.-ft. of torque. You can get it with either a manual or automatic six-speed transmission. The EX, like my Abyss Blue test vehicle, comes only with the larger 2.0-liter four with 173 horsepower and 154 lb.-ft. of torque. With only an additional 76 pounds between the two cars, the EX is significantly more sprightly.

Driving on freeways and in town, the Forte is hard to fault. It now uses electric instead of hydraulic power steering, but there's still plenty of feel in turns and the car feels solidly on center. The shifts are easy and smooth, and with the Sportmatic setting you can select your own gears if you'd like to feel racier. I would like to sample the manual-equipped car for comparison. The suspension absorbs normal bumps well and there's little squat or dive during braking or acceleration.

I look forward to sampling the five-door version of the Forte, coming out this fall, that offers a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with 201 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque -- and a choice of the six speed manual or automatic. With its extra carrying capacity, the five-door could be ideal for many buyers (including me).

The EPA rates the EX sedan (automatic only) at 28 mpg combined (24 City, 36 Highway). Kia ran into some issues over erroneous reporting of fuel economy test scores last year, but these numbers bear out. I averaged 31.8 mpg over a busy week -- beating the EPA. Green scores show a 5 for Smog and a nice 7 on Greenhouse Gas.

As a driver, you spend most of your time inside the car and not outside, so an appealing interior really does matter. This one, considering its market position and price, is a remarkable piece of work. I am coming to the conclusion that Kia, the sibling of Hyundai, is aiming at the Volkswagen/European car buyer while Hyundai is chasing the Japanese car intender. The feel of the design and materials inside the Forte is more subtle and angular than the Hyundai -- less curvy and more sophisticated. The low-gloss plastics don't look cheap, and there is actual padding where you might not expect it.

The dash and doors are scalloped, giving a sense of motion and also of radiating waves. The only thing I've seen like it is the somewhat wacky but amusing interior of the Nissan Cube. The console offers a roll-top compartment perfect for stashing your iPod (and the USB port is right there ready for it). Chrome accents are not overdone and do succeed in moving the feel above utilitarian. Pseudo carbon fiber trim is preferable to fake wood, I guess.

The Forte comes pretty well equipped, with such things as power windows, mirrors and locks and Bluetooth. There are even heated outside mirrors. You can add to it, though. My EX came with the Premium and Technology packages. For an extra $4,900, you get a power sunroof, leather seats (front heated), dual-zone climate control, a navigation system, sharp-looking Supervision gauges, and a whole lot more. The 160-mph speedometer is wildly optimistic, but it seems that all cars are scoping their gauges this way these days.

You can make the Forte a more expensive proposition with the added packages. Mine, with shipping ($800), came to $25,515. Is that a lot for a compact car? Maybe not anymore. The LX starts at  an easier-to-swallow $16,700.

This is a happy story of a nice little car that is helping Kia grow year after year. Their generous warranty and increasingly attractive models have given more buyers a feeling of security about buying the cars and taking them home.

Acura ILX - Gateway to the Brand

It's natural that Acura, Honda's upscale division, would introduce the ILX for 2013. When they jettisoned the RSX after the 2006 model year, they eliminated the crucial entry point for folks to become Acura owners. Since day one of the brand, way back in 1986, there was always the Integra to attract folks for whom a plain Honda just wasn't enough. You can't ignore the Millennials. Now they've fixed that problem.

The car's meaningless alphanumeric names hide its personality, but the ILX, whose name starts with I (is it a coincidence?) has plenty to offer. Based on the always big-selling compact Honda Civic, it wears all the design cues that Acura has worked hard to build. Luckily for all of us, the division has chosen to soften up the shovel face that it inflicted on its cars recently. It's one thing to be distinctive and another to be homely, and the new cars are much easier to take.

The ton-and-a-half car will fit in nicely on today's roads with its overall styling. Interesting is the line that proceeds along the side and hops up over the rear wheel. A lot of creases meet there, creating an interesting and slightly mysterious tension. The ILX does not look much like a Civic, though.

Inside, the car gets the full Acura treatment, with boldly defined dash, doors and console. The sweeping exuberance of the  interior makes riding in the ILX feel energizing, and the tactile feeling of the controls adds perceived quality to the plastic.

The garden variety ILX, which I sampled last Summer, came with a perfectly OK 150-horsepower inline 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that delivered good fuel economy through an automatic transmission. But this tester, in Silver Moon paint, grabbed the Civic Si's  mightier 201-horsepower 2.4-liter engine, and ran the 170 lb.-ft. of torque through a deeply satisfying six-speed manual. This is a different animal from the plain jane version, and was a hoot to zip along through traffic.

I got it out on some more exciting roads to see how well it would handle it, and it reminded me a little of my old 1986 Honda Civic Si in its taut, communicative steering and suspension and happy whir of its four-cylinder engine. My 90-horsepower Si had 50 percent more oomph than the standard 60-horsepower model. These numbers sound as silly as talking about four-cent first class postage.

The EPA gives the ILX an combined fuel economy rating of 25 miles per gallon (22 City, 31 Highway). I got an honest 27.5 mpg (premium gas). The environmental numbers are a pair of sixes - just above average. The non-turbo 2.0-liter, with its 7 for Greenhouse Gas, squeaks into the SmartWay category. I'm eager to do my part for the Earth, but the 2.4-liter with stick shift is just plain more fun.

There is a Hybrid version of the ILX, as there's one for the Civic, and you can expect 38 miles per gallon in place of 25 - a significant difference worth about $800 a year in gas.

The ILX is built in Greensburg, Indiana, using a Japanese transmission but an American-built engine. Honda has built cars in the U.S. for more than three decades, and most of its cars actually are from U.S. factories.

The performance and look of the ILX make it a worthy playmate, but the Premium Package adds more goodies. These include leather seats, an upgraded seven-speaker audio system, XM satellite radio, an eight-way power driver's seat, 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear-view camera and all the bragging rights. It does amount to a pretty loaded car.

Yes, it'll cost you. The regular ILX, with its standard automatic, starts at $26,795. My tester, with no options, came to $30,095.

There are a few compromises. My tester didn't have a navigation system, which is fine, but the screen in the center dash was pretty small for consulting the other features that run through it. The elegant stitching on the doors is not continued onto the dash, a cost-cutting move.

Acura has just released the 2014 version of the ILX, with a few extra standard features. This might be a fine time to pick up a '13 at a discount. Acura has stocked its showroom with a range of intriguing vehicles, so if they can hook up with you now, you will certainly find something you like later, when you need more doors or seats.

Nissan Sentra Steps Up

There are many compact cars on the market today. They are perfect for most automotive tasks. The differences are in how they look and feel--and what they cost.

The Sentra has been Nissan's compact competitor for three decades. It originated when the Datsun brand started being called Nissan--the company's real name--in the early 1980s. That naming convention remains with the Altima and Maxima, but there was a slightly larger Stanza around for a while, too.

The 2013 Sentra takes a step up, borrowing its looks, inside and out, from the brand new midsize Altima. That means the bold trapezoidal chrome grille that Nissan has decided is today's look, more sculpted sides, and the cut-out taillamps that grace not only these two cars but originate with the latest Z sports car. There are even LEDs added to the headlight and taillight pods--definitely an upscale touch. The goal is to give this modest vehicle some of the visual heft of a larger model--what Nissan dubs, "class-above style."

Part of the point of a compact car is to have enough room to do what you need but keep the size and weight down so you can use a smaller engine for greater fuel economy. Nissan was able to take 150 pounds out of the new car versus the last generation model, even though it has about a cubic foot more interior space. My little Magnetic Gray four-door test car had surprising knee room in back, and when I looked at the car in my driveway, it really did evoke the larger Altima, with whom I had recently spent a test week. The new car is a couple of inches longer, a half inch lower and about an inch and a half narrower than its predecessor.

Nissan uses a new 1.8-liter dual-overhead-cam inline four under the curvy new hood to power all Sentras. It puts out a class-competitlve 130 horsepower and 128 lb.-ft. of torque. Most Sentras come with a continuously-variable automatic--except for the base model, the S. I had an S, which means I got a taste of the bottom-of-the-line car--a rare experience. It was more than satisfactory. With the smooth-shifting six-speed manual, the 2,800-pound car felt spunky in traffic and had no trouble zooming into fast-moving freeway traffic. I'm not sure why the manual is with the base car only, except that it probably keeps the cost down.

The EPA gives the manual-equipped Sentra ratings of 27 City, 36 Highway and 30 Combined. I earned a pleasing 34.8 mpg overall--one of the better numbers I've generated lately. Only the electric, hybrids and turbodiesels have surpassed that figure. The green numbers, courtesy of fueleconomy.gov, say 5 for Smog and 8 for Greenhouse Gas--enough for SmartWay status.

The Sentra not only looks more expensive than it is, but it feels that way inside, too. The dash and door styling includes some padded surfaces and the materials feel high-quality. Even though the steering wheel is plastic, it is grained and proportioned to look and feel good. The air vents for the standard air conditioning mimic the sweep of the grille--they are not just circles or rectangles cut out of the plastic.

The Sentra is definitely not a luxury car, particularly in S guise, but there is no sense of deprivation driving it. It sealed out road noise effectively, so I could hear the standard four-speaker AM/FM/CD sound system. The seats are well-proportioned and comfortable. The steering wheel is adjustable for  height and telescopes for a perfect placement. The Fine Vision gauges are attractively backlit.

Even base cars today offer things that were luxuries years ago. I flipped door-mounted levers for the power windows, locks and mirrors. What there was not in my base S was Bluetooth for the phone, seat heaters or Satellite Radio. But for a week, I enjoyed the FM radio instead, and it wasn't so cold that I could do without the bun warmers. Bluetooth, though, should probably be standard, to prevent hand-held phone use--something that's illegal in California (and a bad idea anywhere).

Above the S model, the SV adds cruise control, two additional speakers,  higher-quality interior cloth, steering wheel audio controls, and a security system. The SR adds sporty touches, including 17-inch alloy wheels, more aggressive front and rear fascias, and a different grille on the outside; inside, silvery trim and upgraded seats do their job to differentiate the SR. The SL is the luxury model, with extra-fancy alloy wheels, fog lamps, heated outside mirrors outside, and Bluetooth, a leather wrapped steering wheel, automatic climate control and more inside. There are also two FE+ versions of the S and SV that use clever technology to earn the holy grail of 40 mpg highway.

Testing the base car is always fun, because the price is so reasonable. My tester came to just $16,770. That's low by today's price standards. If you really want to get a car for less, the true entry point Nissan Versa starts at just $12,800. Sentra prices move up through the levels, with an SL coming in at $20,600.All prices include shipping.

It's good news for compact car buyers today. There is lots of selection, and the vehicles won't make you feel like you had to sacrifice looks, comfort or performance. With this compete redo, the Sentra is right in the thick of it.

Dodge Dart - Old Name, Brand New Car

2013 Dart - Best Dodge compact in decades.

In the early 1960s, American car companies decided to take on the imports, which were starting to sell more widely. The Big 3 introduced the Corvair (GM), the Falcon (Ford) and the Valiant (Chrysler). In 1963, Dodge got the Dart, based on the Valiant. It was the brand's first successful compact, and was sold through 1975, when it was replaced by the less successful Dodge Aspen.

Following the Dart, Chrysler Corporation compacts have ranged from the VW Rabbit-like Omni hatchback in the late 1970's, the  famous company-saving K cars (Dodge Aries) in the  1980s, the listless Spirit (early 1990s), two generations of Neons (1995 - 2005) and most recently, the ill-conceived and strangely proportioned Caliber.

Finally, Dodge has a credible compact sedan to offer in the 2013 Dart. Why the old name? Apparently it tested well in consumer research with both folks old enough to remember the old Dart fondly and with young millennials--the latter a likely source of fresh sales.

1965 Dart - Yes, I've driven this one, too.

The Dart is the first Chrysler product based on a Fiat platform, in this case the well-regarded Alfa Romeo Guilietta. This means it has something of a European driving feel, but the styling, inside and out, is definitely today's Chrysler. That, I'm glad to report, is a good thing.

The look is soft and smooth--something that's sometimes hard to pull off on a compact car. The front has a floating cross-hair grille to give it brand identity, and the first use of an active grille shutter system, which opens the lower louvers when required for ventilation and closes them when not needed, improving aerodynamics for better fuel economy. The tail can be had with a 152-indirect-glow full-width LED display that comes from the larger Charger. In between, sides flow, with short overhangs, for a planted look.

Inside, the surfaces flow from the doors over the dash, with a carved-out door panels and useful console with a "floating" panel. In my Redline Pearlcoat tester, the black and "Light Diesel Gray" interior wore sturdy cloth. The main dash panel is padded, but some of the other surfaces are grained, hard plastic that doesn't feel especially luxurious. There is a notable shortage of sharp edges and straight lines, which evoked for me a little of the feeling of mid 1990s Ford products. But the cabin felt very comfortable as I settled in and the fairly soft buckets, did a good job.

The Dart comes in five trim levels: SE, SXT, Rallye, Limited and R/T. This means, in plain English, entry level, midrange, luxury and sport. My tester was a Rallye, with about $6,000 in option packages that really upgraded it. I enjoyed using the 8.4-inch touch-screen panel in the center of the dash to control audio, climate, navigation, phone and other settings. With large enough touch areas, it was easy to use quickly, unlike some other electric screens.

Below the screen are basic knobs for audio and climate functions, but I noticed that you could control temperature and fan for the climate, but for deciding where to send the air, you needed the touch screen. It works out well over time. When the phone rings, a prominent spot on the screen makes it easy to answer without much distraction.

The gauges in the instrument panel have white dividers. The speedometer shows 10 mile-per-hour increments (up to a traditional 120 mph) and the tach also features widely spaced lines. I didn't realize that a red line winds its way around them giving five-mph increments--my minor color blindness hid that. The number design is very "Eurotech" for a clean look. A small screen offers fuel economy and other information, which you select using a steering-wheel-mounted button.

You can choose from three engines in the Dart--with a manual or choice of two automatic transmissions. The regular engine is a 160-horsepower 2.0-liter "Tigershark" inline four. My tester had the second choice - a 1.4-liter turbocharged four that also puts out 160 horsepower, and the racer of the bunch, an 184-horsepower 2.4-liter "Tigershark."

The 1.4- and 2.4-liter engines use Multi-Air technology, which delivers optimum combustion at any speed under all driving conditions by allowing direct and dynamic control of air intake and combustion. This means a 15 percent increase in low engine rpm torque and a 7.5 percent improvement in fuel efficiency.

The 1.4 liter turbo in my tester earns solid EPA numbers of 27 City, 37 Highway and 31 combined. I got 27.8 mpg in my driving. That's not extremely high, but the Dart, like its ancestor, is not an econobox, but a compact car with space for real passengers. EPA Green Vehicle Guide numbers are a fine 8 for Greenhouse Gas and a midrange 5 for Smog. This gives it SmartWay status.

The 1.4-liter is not silent in my tester. It had a little graininess, especially during acceleration, but this is not a car meant for serene cruises. It is engaging in a friendly way. I'd like to try a manual-transmission version with the other engines someday to see what the ideal Dart would be. I know that you have 12 color choices and 14 interior color and trim choices, so, like the old Burger King ad, have it your way.

The Dart may have Italian underpinnings, but it's built in Chrysler's Belvidere, Illinois assembly plant. Chrysler sold many Mitsubishi products in years past, but this car, like the Neon, is made in the U.S.

Pricing starts at just $16,790 and go up from there. My Rallye, with a collection of welcome options, came to $24,460, including shipping.

The new Dart is not much like the old one--it's probably better in every possible way. But, as it did 50 years ago, it offers a good choice when you want a comfortable sedan that's neither Spartan basic transportation nor a big car.

New Dodge Dart Arrives -- with a Great Ad

The new Dodge Dart is here, and however good the car may prove to be--or successful--it has great advertising putting the word out. That link in the last sentence takes you to a story on the agency that crafted it--and gives you direct access to view the 90-second spot for yourself.

You'll want to run it a couple of times. From the "American" on the pencil to the "tweak, tweak, tweak" it's a grabber.

My wife called me in to look at the new ad and it's funny, and makes a point. This is a car that's been carefully planned, styled, and has all the right stuff. And this is one very important vehicle for Chrysler. It's the first Chrysler, Dodge, Ram or Jeep product to use an Italian platform, which means it's the real beginning of the new Chrysler Corporation. It competes in the hot compact sedan segment against everything from the Ford Focus to the Chevy Cruze to the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. From here on, more Fiat and Alfa-Romeo platforms will be under cars you get at Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram/SRT dealerships.

I drove a Dart recently for a few minutes and it seemed competitive. I'll have to spend a week with one soon to get the whole story, but you can cruise down to your local dealershop now. Do it. And watch the ad.

Nissan Versa Revised

I just gave back my Metallic Blue Nissan Versa sedan and, you know, it's better than you might think for under $16,000 (including shipping). And--it's surprisingly big inside, with shockingly accommodating legroom.

Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's teeny. Actually, if you want to pay more, you can buy a new Fiat 500 or a MINI Cooper and get more gadgets (and driving amusement) but you'll run short when you try to stuff your friends and their gear inside.

The Versa sits at the bottom of the Nissan food chain--in America. Europeans and Asians get cars like the Micra, which I covet. It's THEIR MINI.

In any case, I put lots of miles in the Versa driving to see my son and daughter-in-law--and my sweet little 3-year-old granddaughter. The thing is, without fanfare, it just goes. With just 1.6 liters of engine and 109 horsepower, it is no powerhouse but other than on some sustained grades, where the revs climbed to build the necessary torque, it was a quiet and even pleasant ride. And, I got a genuine 35.0 miles per gallon, which is actually higher than the EPA average of 33. Must be all that freeway driving (30 City, 38 Highway per the EPA).

The door panels are solid, hard plastic, styled to look like something more elaborate. The seat cushions are short and cloth-covered. There's no mirror on the driver's sunvisor. And most odd--the windshield wipers are both hinged in front of the driver--so you see both of them going across the glass when it's rainy. My only explanation is that the Japanese market car on which it's based is set up for right-hand drive, and those lucky folks see NO wiper blades.

The Versa sedan gets an all-new look this year, while the hatchback keeps the old. It's a pleasant, but not especially distinctive, with a rising window line in back leading to a triangular point and oddly fanciful taillights that sit below one of the most recent evocations of the 2004 BMW 7 Series butt. The inside is rounded and not much like the chunky, old-fashioned (somewhat French-looking) older car.

There are three levels. The S is the base car and starts at a mere $11,770 (including shipping).

The mid-range SV adds cruise control, chrome grille accents, body-color dual power remote-controlled rearview mirrors, upgraded cloth seats, power windows and more. My test car was an SV with the Convenience Package, with Bluetooth phone connection (easy to set up), steering wheel mounted audio controls and an iPod interface.

The top-level SL models add 15-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, variable intermittent wipers, chromed inside door handles, 60/40-split fold-down rear seat, the Convenience Package stuff standard, an upgraded audio system, and more stuff.

If you want a manual transmission, you'll have to go with the base car. Few are expected to.

Nothing fancy, but nothing to complain about either, really--you sure get your money's worth.

Ford Pinto Turns 40--Join the Stampede!

Are you a fan of the Ford Pinto? Built from 1971 to 1980, Ford's diminutive little vehicle was meant to stem the tide of Japanese imports that invaded our shores starting in the mid 1960's. Sure, we had the first batch of "compacts" for 1960, when the Chevy Corvair, Ford Falcon and Plymouth Valiant (actually, it was just the Valiant the first year) arrived to battle the already-compact Rambler.

In any case, by the late 1960's more help was needed, so subcompacts arrived--in the form of the Pinto, Chevy's ill-fated Vega and the odd but loveable AMC Gremlin. Yeah, remember the Gremlin? It was two-thirds of a compact sedan, but completely unique and cost very little to design (AMC was hurting for cash). Chrysler began importing Mitsubishis to fill its compact car needs (remember the Dodge Colt?).

All this is prelude to the big news. To celebrate the anniversary, over the last several days, a convoy of Pintos, called the Pinto Stampede, has driven together for 1,600 miles from Denver, Colorado to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where a huge event, the Ford Nationals was taking place. Actually, it's probably winding down right now.

What makes someone a fan of an odd little car? Well, maybe it was their first car. Maybe they thought they were cute back then and always wanted one. As the owner of a Nash Metropolitan I think I understand.

The Pinto debuted as a three door hatch or a two-door coupe, but later was sold as a cute little wagon--including a model with woodgrain applique on it like a Ford Country Squire! Hmm, cute. It was more efficient and got higher mileage than contemporary big cars. It was a start. I kind of liked them, especially the hatchback with the large rear window. But I've never driven one.

Today, you can buy a Ford Fiesta that's much better in every way, but there's nothing like an American classic. Ask members of the Ford Pinto Car Club.