2009 prices are out and they look good!
With gasoline prices punching through the $4-a-gallon threshold, new-car buyers are increasingly concerned with better mileage.
Hybrids and diesels are more efficient than their gasoline-powered counterparts, but they cost thousands of dollars more. Although the fuel savings eventually will make up the difference, the higher sticker prices mean higher down payments, monthly payments and insurance bills, too.
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According to the National Post the Nissan Versa comes in at #4 on their top 10 list of affordable vehicles to own with a five year cost of ownership at just $32,261.
The Hart School District in California is offering a free Nissan Versa to one lucky student who is kicking butt in school
The program is a partnership between Valencia Nissan and the Hart District, who have been compiling a list of local high school and jr. high school students who have over a 3.0 grade point average, 97% attendance rate or better, and who have no suspensions on their record. Only sophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible to win the car.
The list of eligible students was then posted at each school, and students who made the list were instructed to fill out a registration card.
On May 10th at Valencia High, One lucky student will be randomly chosen from the list, and be handed the keys to a brand new Nissan Versa. Students under 18 years old who have registered must bring a parent or guardian to the drawing.
Keep your grades up kid and get yourselves a Nissan Versa!
It appears that the trend is continuing among reporters to report this basic formula:
This time from San Luis Obispo:
Strong sellers include subcompacts and hybrids, although sales of the more expensive hybrids are slowing as people discover they can get the same gas mileage with regular vehicles (such as the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa) without spending the extra money, she said.
Sometimes I think there must be an underground cabal of newspaper reporters that decide months in advance what stories to run together. If they do, at lease they’ve all decided that the Nissan Versa fits nicely into that plan!
According to Reuters Carlos Ghosn is holding firm to his belief that Nissan will sell 15.5 million units in the United States for 2008.
“I don’t believe it will be below this,” Ghosn told reporters on the sidelines of the Beijing Auto Show.
“The economy in the United States is adjusting very quickly.”
I think the important key here for Nissan is to continue to push cars like the Versa. Even in an economic downturn people still need cars, it’s just that their priorities change. So if you’re having trouble with money a low-cost, fuel-efficient car looks pretty good.
From Canadian Driver:
“A month where high gas prices dominated the headlines and these high prices were totally reflected in the vehicles consumers in Canada purchased,” DesRosiers said. “Subcompact cars were up 27.1 per cent, compact cars up 9.7 per cent, compact SUVs up 6.9 per cent all reflect the response to high gas prices. Meanwhile, large SUVs were down 27.6 per cent, luxury SUVs down 10.2 per cent, large vans down 25.2 per cent.
And what we love to see
The top ten best-selling passenger cars in Canada in March were, in order, the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Toyota Yaris, Chevrolet Cobalt, Toyota Camry, Nissan Versa, Hyundai Accent, Pontiac G5 and Toyota Matrix.
I find it funny how people keep writing these articles like there’s a huge surprise that smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles are selling like hotcakes. In a slowing economy where gas prices are rising this should be fairly obvious.
According to Motor Trader Nissan and Chrysler have finalized a a deal in which they will build at least two cars together.
Chrysler and Nissan have extended a collaboration agreement to include two new vehicles which they will build for each other.
Nissan will manufacture an all-new fuel efficient small car based on a Chrysler concept which will be sold in Europe and America in 2010.
This follows an agreement in January when Nissan agreed to supply Chrysler with a car based on the Versa saloon for South America.
It should be interesting for Nissan Versa owners to see what Chrysler can bring to the table.
According to Canadian Driver sales of the Nissan Versa have topped 1 million world-wide. This is great news for Nissan Versa owners as increases in sales will lead to increases in accessories and toys for us!
Tokyo, Japan – Nissan Motor Company has announced that cumulative sales of the Tiida, sold in North America as the Versa, topped one million in March 2008. The milestone comes after just three and a half years after the car was launched.
The Tiida was initially introduced in the Japanese market in September 2004, followed by a rollout to the general overseas markets, including China, in 2005. Subsequent launches were made in North America in 2006 and Europe in 2007.
Following a refresh of the Japan-market models in January 2008, orders exceeded the monthly sales target for the first two months after launch by more than 250 per cent, with more than 21,540 ordered. In China, sales have remained steady at an average 12,000 units per month; the Tiida was named China’s Car of the Year in 2006. Currently, the model is sold in 165 countries; as of March 26, 2008, 204,678 units were sold in North and Latin America.
According to Market Watch Nissan gained ground in the markets while other auto makers are dropping:
Shares of Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. climbed sharply in Tokyo trading Wednesday after the Japanese automakers outperformed rivals in U.S. sales for March, posting sales gains that helped bolster market share.
What’s the reason for this anomaly? The Nissan Versa of course!
Nissan said car sales jumped 6.8% to 66,475 units during the month from a year earlier, bolstered by strong demand for its Versa compact and Altima sport coupe.
Every day I am happier and happier with my choice, it’s nice to see the stock market agrees with me.
