2009 Nissan Versa Review: Road Test

A CVT doesn't shift gears like an automatic transmission. Instead, a segmented belt rides up and down on cone-shaped pulleys to vary the speed ratio between the engine and the drivetrain. It works more efficiently than a traditional automatic, which is why the Versa equipped with a CVT delivers such good highway mileage. Around town it has the same economy as a manual transmission, better than an automatic, in other words.

A four-speed automatic transmission is available for the Versa, though we expect it may be phased out. A six-speed manual remains for drivers who prefer shifting gears.

We've been pleased with the Versa. It has plenty of zip and there's no problem merging into traffic on a fast free-flowing freeway. When you stomp on the gas pedal the sound of the engine revving instantly before the car accelerates, a phenomenon of the CVT, can be a bit disconcerting at first. We found it not unpleasant, in fact it sounds kind of fun. In regular stop-and-go traffic under slow acceleration there is no sensation other than the car moving forward smoothly with no sound or feel of shifting gears. It's certainly a far cry from the clumsy gear shifting once common on small four-cylinder cars with three- and four-speed automatics.