Nissan Versa

HOW IT LOOKS WHEN YOU SEE IT ON THE STREET: The nifty Nissan Versa has come along way in one of the most underserved US categories: sub compact. These are the cars that are effortless to drive because they take up small space and are ideal for knocking about town. The Versa has a bit of bug-eyed face that borrows from the egg shapes we see on the road today.

How it makes you feel when you get in: like a lean, not-so-mean driving machine. LATCH connectors for the child seats are a good reminder that families are perfectly fine driving small economic more fuel-efficient cars.

How it drives: It’s a serene ride that’s gotten better with every generation, as it should. The long list of safety standard features is a good argument for driving a small new car that include Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection and lane departure warning. Blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, driver drowsiness monitoring and adaptive cruise control are available and included on the top-of-the SR model we tested. It can get up to 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

Space for people and things: For its size its maximized space. That said, it is a compact so trunk space is somewhat limited.

What should you compare it to: Chevrolet Spark

How much is it: The Versa starts at about $16,000.