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If I remember correctly, all new cars (or at least most new cars) used to be released at the same time — late in the fall. That's no longer the case.

I've read plenty about 2008 models for months now and there will be some 2008 models not released until well into next year.

Last Thursday, Aug. 23, I received my first 2008 vehicle to review, a 2008 Nissan Versa.

With the Honda Fit and Mazda SX4, the Versa is amount the growing group of entry level vehicles that offer some of the best buys in the car market.  The 2007 Honda Fit, for example, was selected as the car of the year by more than one national publication.

There's no doubt the Versa, which debuted in 2007, is an entry level car. But what a buyer gets for an entry level price is substantial and the Versa, like its Honda and Mazda counterparts, is nimble, well-equipped and scoots around town and on the freeway without knowing its economy status.

In one test session, I drove the Versa from Sacramento to the East Bay Area and the continued to San Jose after a visit to the Blackhawk Automotive Museum in Danville and then continued to San Jose for a casual business. An hour later, I drove back to Sacramento. The road trip journey was about 250 miles, most in heavy freeway traffic. The Versa never flinched.

Still, I'd like to know: Why is the 2008 Versa available in August, while other manufacturers' offerings may have already been available for months or may not be available for months?

Can anyone share some insight?