Every morning in our town, a procession of huge, thirsty Suburbans, Range Rovers and other unwieldy SUV’s, driven by 110 pound lady chauffeurs, delivers one or two little children to their schools.  Is this a good use of fuel and resources? Does it make sense to drive a giant car on congested city streets?

The little jewels reviewed here could do the same job better.

When you bought an inexpensive car years ago, you could tell instantly that it was really cheap.  Everything, including upholstery, floor mats, dashboard, the feel and texture of controls shouted penny-pinching cost control.  You’ve surely noticed the newspaper reports about the distress of the Detroit companies.

The three cars reviewed here explain a lot about that problem.  The Nissan Versa, Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris are each sub-$15,000 cars that neither look nor feel cheap.  Volkswagen introduced us to the quality inexpensive car fifty years ago.  But those cars didn’t have the highway capability like this trio.  These cars can take you to Tahoe without straining up the hills, or to LA at respectable freeway speeds.

Another interesting contrast is that each has a distinct shape and “personality”.  They’re definitely not three peas-in-a-pod.

The Nissan Versa built in Mexico, as are most of the U.S. bound Volkswagens, and several Chrysler models, is the most spacious feeling of the three.  It’s a five–door hatchback that owes a lot to its partner company, Renault Megane.  However you may feel about the French, they have a long history of building fuel-stingy cars that have lots of interior room, plus very good ride quality.  This is probably because rural roads in France used to be so poorly paved.  The same suspension qualities that made those French roads acceptable, work rather well on our ill-maintained and irregularly patched city streets.

The other lesson the Nissan Versa drives home is that a car with modest overall dimensions can be comfortably spacious inside.  Consumers apparently find the Versa attractive, because dealers report that they fly off the lots, leaving a very lean days supply available for sale.

Toyota took a different approach to the Yaris (Where do they get those names?) Since Toyota already offers a boxy, spacious model in the sister brand Scion xB reviewed here earlier, the Yaris is a conventional four-door, or an incredibly cute three-door hatchback.  The Yaris looks very well-tailored, but it’s a bare-bones car.  Given Toyota’s well earned reputation for reliability, the spartan Yaris can claim that there’s nothing to go wrong, making its simplicity a virtue.

The Honda Fit, like the Versa, comes in only one basic model, a tall, narrow, five-door wagon. In appearance , it’s tidy, but plain.  The interior repeats the theme with well-designed controls and instruments, well-tailored upholstery and trim.  This car doesn’t shout.   But drive it for a few days and it sends a very strong message.  Everything works beautifully.  The car is quiet, smooth running, easy to enter and exit, and undemanding to drive.  The sound system sounds expensive, the air-conditioning is quiet and effective.  Visibility in all directions is excellent.

For a car in which nothing is spectacular, it’s easy, satisfying nature, shows how much careful thought went into its design. It’s no longer than an old VW beetle, but thanks to folding rear seats, it can double as a small truck.  Its trim size makes it a joy to use around town, while its careful engineering makes it an ok freeway car, stable and quiet.  Only above 80 mph does it become noisy – not an impediment in normal use.  You’ll be surprised at how charming this simple vehicle can be.

BIGGER JEWELS

Not so long ago, car collectors were a fringe group, not regarded as mainstream.  But in recent years as classic cars have come to be seen as industrial age works of art, even Nob Hill welcomes the cars and their owners.

At a recent Hill top gathering, organized by real estate specialist and long time San Francisco car collector Bruce Owen, about three dozen racing and high performance cars from the last 80 years were shown.

Peter Read brought three Aston Martins, a 1960, 1965, and a 2003.  Other British cars included Bob Cole’s 1935 Bentley.  The oldest of five Jaguars displayed was Garrett Boulton’s 1938 SS 100, a rakish and much admired style that influenced Jaguars for years to come. Ned Spieker brought his postwar Lotus 22 FJ racer, a car that demonstrated that weight reduction was as important as horsepower. Pacific Union Real Estate founder, Bill Harlan showed his much raced (by him) Allard J2X.  Significant German cars included Dick Gale’s 1973 Porsche RS Carrera and Tom Thornhill’s 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL gullwing.

Italian cars such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Lancia are among the most loved cars of all time.  Kjell Qvale’s 1953 Lancia Aurelia show car, owned by him since new,was arguably the most significant car shown.  The oldest car displayed was a 1925 Lancia Lambda, a model respected for its use of the most advanced technology of its time. Four Ferraris, including Steven Read’s 1964 GTB-C rounded out the Italian entries.

The organizer, Bruce Owen showed his treasure, a 1969 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV that he often drives as his everyday car.  All in all, quite a contrast to the days when fine old cars were just “used cars.”