Nissan Versa is cheapest new car in U.S.

Nissan will soon be able to lay claim to the title of selling the most affordable new car in the United States, with its 1.6L 2009 Versa Sedan destined to be priced from just $9,990 when it goes on sale nationwide on November 18. The low price tag excludes destination and handling charges of $695 but it still significantly undercuts one of the top contenders in the economy car segment, the Toyota Yaris, which starts at $12,205 for the three-door Liftback model.

The engine in the least expensive Versa Sedan is a 1.6L four-cylinder petrol unit that is rated at 107hp (80kW) and achieves fuel economy of 34mpg (6.91L/100km) on the highway and 26mpg (9L/100km) in the city when equipped with a five-speed manual.

Other models in the lineup include a more powerful 1.8L version. The Versa is also available with a four-speed automatic, which achieves slightly worse fuel economy figures than the manual.

Earlier this week, Chrysler revealed its own rebadged version of the Versa Sedan that it plans to sell under its Dodge label. The car is called the Trazo and it will be limited to select Latin American markets, including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. It is unlikely that the Dodge Trazo will be sold in the U.S., however Chrysler has plans to launch other rebadged Nissans, including a possible mid-size sedan in the future.