If you owned a subcompact ten or fifteen years ago, you might think that today’s offerings are still cramped, noisy and cheap transportation devices. A lot has changed since the Pontiac Firefly and Toyota Tercel.

Nissan’s Versa has been on the market since the summer of 2006, and sales have been strong since the start.

And you know what? The subcompact segment is about to grow again; next year, Ford is adding the Fiesta to the North American line-up, and the Mazda2 will also arrive before next summer. The Canadian division of Mitsubishi is also figuring out how to bring the Colt to our home and native land.

Nissan’s Versa has been on the market since the summer of 2006, and sales have been strong since the start, which means you’re probably seeing a lot of them on the road. What makes the Versa so popular? That’s a simple question to answer.

Lots of space
There is more headroom in the Versa than in the bigger Sentra, proof of just how big the cockpit of the Versa really is. The seat adjustment levers are located on the inside near the parking brake, which means the wide cushions extend right up to the doors and humans of any size and shape will sit comfortably. The SL trim adds a height adjuster for the driver’s seat, handy for shorter people.

Rear-seat accommodations are exceptionally generous and entry and exit is eased by the squared-off doors. As a people mover, Nissan’s subcompact is hard to beat.

As a cargo hauler, however, a couple of rivals can do better. The rear seatback can fold down, but doesn’t create a flat loading floor like in the Honda Fit, and almost flat like in the Chevrolet Aveo and Suzuki Swift+ twins. Still, when the rear seat is up, luggage space is second only to the Fit.

Rear-seat accommodations are exceptionally generous and entry and exit is eased by the squared-off doors.

Biggest engine in a subcompact
While its rivals count on 1.5- and 1.6-litre engines, the Versa Hatchback gets a 1.8-litre unit that develops 122 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough to get the car at a decent pace, although its output is offset by the Nissan’s curb weight, the highest in its category. In case you haven’t noticed, the Versa sedan gets a 1.6-litre engine for 2009.

The Versa’s cockpit is assembled with good-quality materials, and its switchgear is well laid out.

With the standard-equipment, smooth-shifting 6-speed manual, the Versa scoots to 100 km/h in 10.2 seconds. On the highway at 100 km/h, the engine spins at 2,600 rpm, which isn’t bad. As for fuel economy, our average of 9.2 L/100 km is higher than expected, although we honestly could’ve done better.

On the road, the Versa offers a quiet and comfortable ride, and actually feels like you’re driving a bigger car. On the other hand, its handling characteristics aren’t as sporty as the Fit’s or Ford’s upcoming Fiesta.

Interior furnishings
The Versa’s cockpit is assembled with good-quality materials, and its switchgear is well laid out. The steering wheel’s audio and cruise controls are right where your thumb can reach them, which isn’t the case in all Nissans.

Unlike the base model, the SL gets front and rear centre armrests, which doesn’t sound very important until you drive a car that doesn’t have any. The uplevel Versa also gets grippy woven cloth seats, although the mouse-fur fabric in the base versions feels just as good.

The 6-CD changer can also read MP3 and WMA files, which is the norm today. Our test car also includes the Technology Package that adds 6 speakers and a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer, XM radio, a leather-wrapped wheel and Bluetooth connectivity for your cell phone.

The whole system sounds pretty good, although people talking with me over the phone say they have trouble hearing me. Oh, and when the phone rings through the speakers, it’s really, really loud and scares the hell out of you.

The Versa Hatchback gets a 1.8-litre unit that develops 122 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque.

Competition
The base Versa Hatchback 1.8 S starts at a reasonable $13,998, while our 1.8 SL test car costs $16,898. The aforementioned Technology Package adds $950 and the Sport Package (fog lights, sunroof, aero body kit) adds $1,600 and brings the total to $19,448, a good deal.

The subcompact hatchback competition lines up as follows:

Chevrolet Aveo5 LT with options, $18,940
Honda Fit Sport, $19,280
Hyundai Accent GL Sport 3-door, $16,999
Kia Rio5 EX Sport, $18,295
Suzuki Swift+ with A/C, $15,695
Toyota Yaris LE 5-door with Enhanced Convenience Package, $17,135
Volkswagen City Golf, $18,510

The base Versa Hatchback 1.8 S starts at a reasonable $13,998, while our 1.8 SL test car costs $16,898.

Some rivals, like the Suzuki and the Toyota, are not as well equipped, and the City Golf isn’t really a subcompact but its price and mission is to go head-to-head with them, so we’ll include it here.

Conclusion
The Versa Hatchback’s success isn’t a mystery; it offers a spacious interior, a ride that makes it feel like a bigger car, a decent variety of trim and option packages, and lately, very aggressive interest rates.

The Fit is arguably the cargo-carrying champ, but if you need an affordable, small people mover, the Versa should be the one to consider; it feels like a compact but with a subcompact price.