Going to Extremes With Nissan: From Versa Hatchback to Titan King Cab

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There is a saying that March “comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” I have enjoyed driving two very diverse Nissan vehicles this month, but if they were compared to these very different animals, then my March came in like a lamb. I spent the first week test driving the meek and mild 2009 Nissan Versa Hatchback S, followed by a much wilder week riding high in the King Cab of the Nissan Titan Pro-4X.

The 2009 Hatchback 1.8S I drove featured a standard 16-valve 1.8-liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine with 4-speed automatic transmission. The Versa provided great fuel efficiency, averaging from 24 in-town to 32 highway miles per gallon. Best of all, the starting price is only $13,990. Unlike Mary’s little lamb (who followed her to school each day), the Nissan Versa Hatchback should go to school. It’s the ideal vehicle for the family’s beginning drivers to use.

The 5-door Versa Hatchback also offers plenty of room for college students to take all their gear to and from school. Nissan engineers have managed to fit a large interior into a small car with front to back length more than six feet. The Hatchback has a 60/40 split fold-down rear bench allowing for a diverse range of space combinations.

The 2009 Nissan Versa is actually one of the lowest-priced cars in the country, with a starting price of $9,990 for the Versa Sedan 1.6 announced as the “lowest new-car MSRP in the United States” by Brian Carolin, senior vice president Sales and Marketing NNA.  “It combines the low price of a used car with the dependability, high quality, and full factory warranty of every new Nissan. It’s our way of saying that in tough economic times, Nissan is here to help.”

While the transmission was fully automatic on my test model, I must admit it had been a while since I drove an auto where not much else was automatic. No keyless entry, no automatic locking device (which meant checking each door separately to make sure they were all locked when parking downtown), and windows were rolled up and down manually just like in the old days. But the AC worked fine, and the safety features were impressive enough to gain five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Trading the Nissan Hatchback for the Titan King Cab was an empowering experience. I felt like the true King of the jungle in this rugged, powerful, full-size pickup. Built for the great outdoors, this is the perfect off-road vehicle.  It’s also a great truck for driving in bad weather since it sits high off the ground and the PRO-4X model I drove had Rancho shock absorbers, a lower final gear ratio, two additional skid plates, and electronic locking rear differential.

The 2009 Titan is built on Nissan’s sturdy F-Alpha pickup platform with a 5.6L DOHC V8 with 317 HP and 385 lb-ft of torque.  The King Cab has a standard 5-speed automatic transmission and can tow up to 9,500 pounds. I did have to give up some fuel economy to drive this King of the Road, since it averaged 12 miles per gallon in town and 17 on the highway.  And of course the Titan also cost more, with a starting price of $33,490.  

Extras on the test model included the PRO-4X utility package at $1,250, a sliding bed extender at $280, fancy floor mats at $125, and a driver’s convenience package which added $2,650 but gave me back all those little luxuries I had become accustomed to before driving the Versa, such as leather appointed seats with heat, 4-way power front passenger seat, fabulous sound systems, etc. Total price on the test model was $38,540.

While the off-road capabilities of the Titan could invite risky behavior, safety features like the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System, tire pressure monitoring system and Vehicle Security Systems are all sufficient to protect drivers from any problems.

Jo Ann Holt is a columnist and car enthusiast in Dallas, Texas, and a member of the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA).