Which One Is Poetry In Motion? 1992 Nissan Stanza vs 2009 Nissan Versa

Today on Shitbox Showdown, we’ve a treat:
A pair of Nissans, ready to impress.
Though since they’re neither fancy, fun, nor fleet,
I fear the choice may cause you some distress.
But be good sports, read on, and play along;
Come on, you know me. Would I steer you wrong?

(If you all don’t mind, I’ll switch back to plain prose for the rest of this. That iambic pentameter shit is hard.)

Before we get to today’s Nissans, we should look at the results from yesterday’s Mercury battle. Since both cars were cheap, and filled different roles, I gave you a rare “both” option, and quite a few of you chose that path. But even more of you wanted the little Capri roadster on its own. The poor pink Tracer wagon was left out in the cold.

That Capri is a hell of a deal, and I assume it won’t be for sale for long. I still think the pair would make a great cheap two-car garage, but if I had to choose one, it would be the Capri. It would fill 90% of my Miata jones, for a lot less money. I just wish it wasn’t red.

OK, no more bad poetry, I promise. But when you’re talking about cars with names like Stanza and Versa, it had to be done. Neither one of these is exactly exciting, but they both look like decent used cars for a reasonable price. Let’s check them out.

1992 Nissan Stanza XE – $3,500

Engine/drivetrain: 2.4-liter OHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Anaheim, CA

Odometer reading: 159,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

This car was known as the Nissan Stanza here in the US starting in 1982, but in Japan it went by a more floral name: the Violet. At least, until this generation it did. This one is a renamed Nissan Bluebird. Lots of Japanese imports have different names in the US, but in the case of Nissan, I almost always prefer the Japanese name: Fairlady, Silvia, Sunny, and so on. Stanza is a pretty good name, though, and it’s a pretty good car, too.

The Stanza is powered by Nissan’s KA24E four-cylinder, and in this case, a four-speed automatic. The seller says it runs and drives well, and just passed a smog check, but that’s about all they give us. 159,000 miles is pretty low for a car like this, though, so if it has been maintained properly, it should have a lot of life left.

This is about the best look we get at the interior, at least in the front. There’s a decent photo of the back seat in the ad. I don’t know if they’re trying to hide wear or damage on the front seats, or just bad at taking photos. They do tell us that the air conditioning is nice and cold, so that’s something.

It looks really clean outside; California cars just don’t seem to age. I’m sure most of you living in the Rust Belt haven’t seen a Stanza in years. It’s kind of a non-color, and the Pep Boys wheel covers aren’t all that attractive, but it has a nice early ’90s nostalgia vibe to it.

2009 Nissan Versa SL – $3,500

Engine/drivetrain: 1.8-liter DOHC inline 4, CVT automatic, FWD

Location: Redlands, CA

Odometer reading: 180,000 miles

Operational status: Doesn’t say, actually

Remember what I said about liking Nissan’s Japanese names better? Yeah, it doesn’t apply in this case. In Japan and other parts of the world, this car is known as the Nissan Tiida. How do you even pronounce that? Tee-dah? Tie-dah? Whatever. Here in the US, it’s the Versa, and it did a fine job of anchoring the bottom end of Nissan’s lineup until last year, when it was unceremoniously dumped. This is a first-generation Versa hatchback, in the “fancy” SL trim.

Power for the Versa comes from a 1.8-liter four-cylinder. Three transmissions were available: a six-speed manual, a four-speed automatic, and a CVT. Guess which one this one has. But you know what? I don’t see that as a problem. I’ve rented a few Nissans with the CVT, and I don’t hate it. And after the abuse that has been heaped upon our NYC taxicab and Murano CrossCab, I don’t worry about its longevity either. This Versa has 180,000 miles on it, and it seems to be in fine shape.

The Versa’s interior has everything you could ask from a cheap car. It has a basic complement of power features, air conditioning, cruise control, and a Bluetooth stereo. What more do you need? I’ve always admired cars like the Versa that aren’t trying to be anything more than what they are. It looks like it’s in good condition, too.

This Versa has the Sport package, which includes a sunroof and a rear spoiler, as well as alloy wheels. It’s definitely fancier than any Versa I’ve ever driven. It’s in good shape, especially for the mileage. Economy cars tend to get used pretty hard, but someone took care of this one.

$3,500 isn’t a lot for a used car these days, but both of these feel like good deals to me. No, they’re not thrilling to drive, but they both should be plenty reliable. There’s a decade and a half between them that you might want to take into account; the Stanza should be a little more accessible and DIY-friendly, while the Versa is probably a bit safer and more efficient. Which attributes are more important to you?