Devon tries to make sense of a Prius-V (Used)

The Prius-V adds a splash of interior room and boot space over the standard Prius hatchback. The Prius-V may tick all the right buttons. But is it worth the premium?

Likes: The interior and boot space is roomier than the standard Prius hatch. Still fuel efficient and is a comfortable drive around town.

Dislikes: CVT doesn’t like to be rushed, and when it does it makes the engine whine. Nothing exciting about the looks or the driving experience, not sure the premium is well justified over the standard Prius hatch.

Overall: It’s an appliance with top notch quality and reliability. For some it’s just enough, but for others there are more engaging alternatives that are just as efficient.

Performance: The engine output is modest at best. But for those who want a fuel efficient vehicle they won’t mind. Around town it’s feels at home, it’s smooth and zippy. On the highway if you drive with a spirited right foot the CVT will make the engine whine which makes the Prius-V sound unrested on long journeys.

On the road: It’s not all that engaging to drive but it handles safely and securely. This will be enough for most drivers but others who want a sharper drive will like the Volkswagen Jetta wagon more. The ride comfort is smooth except on uneven road surfaces which make the ride really firm.

Equipment: The standard kit will be enough for most buyers unless you have to have extra bits like HID headlights and larger alloy wheels. We highly suggest sticking with the standard form which is good enough with a decent price tag.

Buying & owning: We were on the fence as to whether or not the Prius-V is really worth paying the premium for when the standard Prius hatch is pretty much roomy and well kitted as well. Resale value should be pretty strong because demand for hybrid vehicles is still pretty high. Running costs will be low too especially if you drive it the way it was intended.

Quality & safety: The interior is okay. The plastics used in certain areas look cheap and drab, but they feel sturdy and long lasting. Safety kit is extensive and there’s plenty of it for the money.

(Used) Devon drives the cheapest car you can buy.

Quick! What's the cheapest new car you can buy in the U.S. right now? No its not the Smart Fortwo, and its not a Kia Rio. We're talking about the new Nissan Versa. Taking the crown as the cheapest car in the U.S.  The Versa is the only four-door sedan you can buy that starts well below $11,000. With rivals like Kia and Hyundai moving upmarket for few thousand more. Can Nissan provide a valid reason why basic transportation has a place in this competition? Let's find out.

Performance: There's only one engine and that's a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 109hp. Around town the Versa feels lively, however on the motorway you'll struggle to get up to pace. The CVT transmission makes the engine scream when revved hard. Only tradeoff is the high gas mileage that helps the Versa serve its purpose as a city car.

Ride & Handling: The Versa feels smooth and comfortable to drive around town. On the highway, you may struggle a little due to the small tires. However, most owners won't venture or try to push the Versa to its limits. This is a good thing because the Versa isn't the best handling of the bunch. But you do get brake assist and four-wheel anti-lock brakes to reduce braking distance.

Refinement: The Versa interior feels hushed and refined for the low asking price. There is some wind and road noise that will sneak into the cabin. It's far from intrusive and annoying. The CVT transmission makes the engine droand loudly when revved hard. This may make long journeys a bit tiresome.

Behind the wheel: The driving position can be a bit awkward for some. The steering wheel only adjust for height, which can be uncomfortable for passengers with short arms. The interior is has a logical layout with all the controls within easy reach of the drivers hand.

Space & Practicality: The Versa has a large roomy rear seat that can really rival larger sedans. There's plenty of space for three passengers. Headroom and legroom are superb for a car that carries the price of a used vehicle. The boot is massive and offers plenty of space.

Equipment: The base Vesra is pretty much a car. You get air-conditioning and very little else. You'll have to step up to the mid-range 1.6SV to get central locking, power windows and cruise control. Top of the range Versa adds Bluetooth, premium audio cd player and cloth door trim accent.

Buying & Owning: The Versa's low base price means that you won't have to pocket too much to buy one, and thanks to high fuel economy. Running costs will be low as well. Residual value won't be the greatest and resale value is about average.

Quality & Reliability: It's too soon to say if the Versa will be reliable in the long run. However, since the Versa is built by Nissan. Reliability should be trouble free for the mechanical parts. The quality of the interior is spotty. There are parts of the interior that feel cheap, but for the price you can't really expect anything special.

Safety & Security: Four-wheel anti-lock brakes and brake assist are both standard. Dynamic stability control and side curtian airbags are standard on all trim levels. Making the Versa one of the biggest bargains in terms of price. There are no deadlocks offered standard and an anti-theft alarm is not offered on the base trim level.

Likes: Low base price and low running costs, biggest rear seat and boot space in class, good amount of kit for the money.

Dislikes: Bland inside out, base trim can be seen as mean, nothing special other than a low price and roomy interior.

The Nissan Versa doesn't really offer much in terms of driving excitement, and that's okay. For the sole purpose of the Versa most buyers will be very satisfied. It may not be the most striking car to look at, and the interior isn't the most lavish. A basic transporation vehicle that can be used as a work horse. Low asking price with low running costs. A good vehicle but offers nothing special other than an attractive low price and roomy interior.

Devon's Pick: 1.6 SV trim adds power windows and door locks which are a few features that you'll want.

Devon M

Can Devon find a Spark in a micro-sized Chevy? (Used)

Gas prices are high and the cost of owning a vehicle is going up. Chevy figured this would be the perfect opportunity to launch the Chevy Spark. It's a subcompact hatchback that has real potential to go toe to toe with the Fiat 500 and Toyota iQ. Even though Americans haven't really warmed up to small cars yet, will the Spark be able to spark something in this steadily trendy segment? Let's find out! 

Performance: There's only one engine available with the Spark and that's a 1.2-liter four-cylinder producing 84hp. It's not the peppiest engine and won't spark any excitement. Fuel economy however is the main concern here and that's where the Spark really sparks. It's at home around town where the little horespower it has is peppy and can catch up to traffic with ease. On the highway you may want to plan out your overtaking because it will take a while to get up to pace with the rest of traffic. We suggest sticking with the manual gearbox as it works better with the small amount of horsepower the engine has to offer. 

On the road: The Spark has a comfortable ride for a city car. Around town the suspension copes well with bumps and helps the Spark dart around tight urban areas with little to no effort needed. Venture outside of the city limits and the Spark's composed ride often feels unsettled. Most city cars feel out of their element outside of the city, so the Spark isn't too far off from its main rivals. 

Refinement: You'll have to work the engine hard to get any momentum out of it. The manual gearbox is better suited with the small engine size and output. Wind and road noise will intrude in the cabin at higher speeds making the Spark feel less refined than its rivals. 

Behind the wheel: The dashboard has a very user-friendly with most of controls and dials easily labeled and easy to reach from the driver's seat. The instrumental panel has a motorcycle like gauge which helps spark a little flare inside the cabin. There's plenty of adjustments for the driver's seat, but the steering wheel doesn't adjust for reach. This isn't a deal breaker but can compromise the driving position for taller drivers. 

Space & Practicality: Even though the Spark is small, the interior is roomy and offers plenty of space for four adults. There is plenty of headroom and legroom for front and rear passengers if the passengers are willing to share out the space. The boot space won't wow you but it's pretty decent compared to most rivals, you'll have to push the front seats forward to fold the rear seats down to extend cargo space. 

Equipment: The Spark starts at the right price tag but the base trim loses out on cd-player, keyless entry and a few other bits that you'd desire. You'll have to step up to the mid-range trim to add these features which we highly suggest. Top of the range trim adds leatherette seating surfaces, Chevy's MyLink, alloy wheels with roof rails. 

Buying & Owning: The Chevy Spark running costs should be low thanks to the ultra efficient engine under the hood. You may lose some of the fuel economy benefits due to the fact that you have to work the Spark's engine harder on faster paced roads. Starting prices for the Spark are below $13,000 which should appeal to the tight budget minded buyers. We however suggest sticking with the mid-range trim which adds keyless entry and few other bits that you'll want on your daily drive. 

Quality & Reliability: The Spark's interior is very nice but is surrounded by hard and cheap looking plastics. You can tell that this car was built to a price. It's a shame because the Spark has such a fun loving character. 

Safety & Security: The Spark comes with front and side curtain airbags standard. Hill start assist and electronic stability are standard across the range as well as traction control. The base trim loses out on a theft alarm and keyless entry which leaves the Spark vunerable to break-ins. 

The Chevy Spark is a spacious and roomy city car that benefits from an extra pair of doors for added versatility. It's stylish and quite a joy to drive around the city. Venture outside of the city and everything goes down hill from there. The engine doesn't offer enough momentum to really get you off the line and you'll have to plan out your overtakings. The rear seats are very difficult to fold down and the base trim feels rather short on kit. If you need a small urban runabout that can seat up to four and is cheap to buy and run. The Spark really does spark up these and shows that it is indeed a great car to consider.

Devon's Pick: The 1LT trim makes the most sense. You get air-con, keyless-entry, cd-player and cruise control standard. You still get the same 1.2-liter engine as the base trim but you're not losing out on comfort features. 

Likes: Fuel efficient, fun to drive around town, roomy for four adults. Stylish exterior looks and a well thought out interior design. 

Dislikes: Obvious sign the car was built to a price. Overwhelmed outside city limits. Rear seats fold down feature is fiddly to use. Color choices won't appeal to all. 

Devon M