High-powered Hemis are fun, but for everyday usability and efficiency, the 122-horsepower Nissan Versa provides plenty of gusto for scooting around town, and with a little patience, will even climb to excessive speeds on the highway. Of course, too much of that and you end up with a combined fuel economy rating of 24.8 rather than a figure in the 30s. At least that's what happened to us. There's not a lot in the way of power reserves, so make sure to leave some room for freeway passes. A bit unique to this class, the Nissan Versa's smooth six-speed transmission makes shifting fun in a compact, though limited power behind each gear means you're shifting a lot, and the clutch is a bit grabby just before its release point. Also worth noting is that despite that six-cog transmission, revs still climb past 3,000 rpm at highway speeds.