The Nissan Versa is a well-built small sedan, with plenty of space inside and enough standard technology and safety features to easily justify its price. Solid fuel economy is another bonus. The Versa's slow acceleration is a bummer, but overall it's a smart pick for an affordable small sedan.
Nissan Versa Review
Pros
- Lots of features for the money
- Generous cargo capacity
- Impressive fuel economy
- User-friendly infotainment system
Cons
- Sluggish acceleration
- Not much interior storage for small items
What's new
- No significant changes expected for the 2024 Versa
- Part of the third Versa generation introduced for 2020
Overview
We expect the Versa to continue into 2024 with few, in any, changes. Nissan has peddled its smallest car for a decade and half on the merits of its low cost, value and high fuel economy. And we expect it to continue to shine in those areas in 2024. It won't surprise us if Nissan does away with the manual-transmission version, which trails the CVT-equipped models by 5 mpg in combined fuel economy. And it's plausible Nissan will make more technology and safety-related driver aids standard equipment, though the Versa certainly doesn't embarrass itself in those areas now.
Edmunds spotlight: A good pick for tech and safety
Among subcompacts the Versa leverages its value. Its list of standard and optional equipment downright embarrasses competitors. Standard on every Versa are: automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, rear automatic braking and high-beam assist. A blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic warning is included on the midlevel SV model. So is wireless phone charging, a feature often reserved for luxury cars. Remote start and adaptive cruise control are included with the top-level SR trim. Those are features not found in the Kia Rio or Mitsubishi Mirage. The Versa makes a solid case for itself on features alone, but among cars in this segment it's also the most enjoyable to drive, offering comfort and predictable handling.
Competitors to consider
As SUVs continue to proliferate, there are fewer and fewer inexpensive subcompacts like the Versa. In fact, we can now count them all on one hand: Nissan Versa, Kia Rio and Mitsubishi Mirage. The Mini Cooper fits into the subcompact size category but costs considerably more than the other models. So if you're shopping this category on price, the Versa has only two true competitors. Read our Expert Rating for all of the Versa's strengths and weaknesses.
Edmunds Expert Rating
Please note that this rating is based on a prior year and may change slightly once complete information about the 2024 Versa becomes available.
Performance
7.0/10
How does the Versa drive? You can't expect an economy-minded sedan to be quick but the Versa's four-cylinder engine takes its time getting you up to speed. There's little issue in typical driving around town or fitting in with traffic. But in cases where you need to pull away quickly or have limited space to make a pass, the Versa leaves you wanting. At the Edmunds test track, our Versa accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in a leisurely, and somewhat noisy, 10.4 seconds. It's one of the slower vehicles we've tested in a while.
You'll be more satisfied with the Versa's handling. It stays composed when going around turns. The steering is a little numb and can feel a little too heavy at times, but the Versa will follow your directions surprisingly well. The Versa's brakes also work well in emergency situations, and and the brake pedal makes it easy to stop smoothly in routine driving.
Comfort
7.5/10
How comfortable is the Versa? The seats in the Versa SR, which is what we tested, have comfortable cloth that is generally firm. But the seats run a little narrow under the shoulders. They offer good support on short- and medium-length drives, though the lack of sufficient lumbar support might require breaks over longer trips. The rear seats are similarly firm but still comfortable.
The Versa rides smoothly over most surfaces, but like most inexpensive vehicles, it can get bouncy over lesser-quality roads. Wind noise is prevalent inside the cabin, and if the car hits any bumps, you will hear it. We appreciate the climate control's straightforward arrangement of real buttons and knobs and found the vents to be easily adjustable and well placed.
Interior
8.0/10
How’s the interior? The Versa scores high for its interior design. It's easy to get inside and adjust the seat to your preferred driving position. The cabin is relatively roomy too. Even at the highest driving position, which feels almost like you're in an SUV, there is plenty of headroom with space to stretch your legs. It's similarly spacious for passengers in the back, but taller people might feel their head brush against the headliner.
The touchscreen is responsive and provides a clear picture. The controls on the center stack and steering wheel are straightforward, and you can use the tuning button to scroll through screens, which is easier than poking the touchscreen while driving. It's pretty easy to see out of the Versa thanks to the short hood and large windows.
Technology
7.0/10
How’s the tech? Our test car, equipped in the top-of-the-line SR trim, came with an 8-inch touchscreen and a six-speed audio system. Clarity at normal volumes is good, but you'll need to turn up the volume all the way up to drown out noise at freeway speeds. Onboard navigation isn't offered on the Versa, but most trims come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility that allows you to get directions on screen powered by your smartphone. Integrating your phone happens quickly. The SR trim also includes a wireless charging pad.
The Versa's advanced driver aids are helpful without being intrusive. Forward collision warning activates with a simple string of beeps. Lane keeping warnings are also gentle buzzes. The biggest weak points are a low-resolution rearview camera and an overly sensitive backup collision mitigation system. During our testing, this system mistakenly triggered when one of our drivers was backing into a street from a mildly inclined driveway. It slammed the car to a stop.
Storage
7.0/10
How’s the storage? The Versa has a lot of trunk space for this class of car. Cargo capacity maxes out at 15 cubic feet, more than most competitors, and the trunk is deep enough to accommodate larger items. The load floor is relatively low for a sedan, and the rear seats fold down if needed.
Small-item storage is not a strong suit. The center armrest is optional and can barely fit a smartphone. Child seat accommodation is better. There is good space for a rear-facing seat in the back. The lower car-seat anchor points are hidden between cushions, but they're easy to locate and attach to. The rear seats have integrated headrests, requiring you to wrap the strap around them to attach to the rear tether hooks.
Fuel Economy
8.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? The Versa equipped with the CVT automatic has EPA-estimated fuel economy of 35 mpg combined (32 city/40 highway). That's right up at the top of the class. Our test Versa soared above that with a 41.1 mpg average on our 115-mile test route that combines street, mountain roads and freeway driving.
Value
8.0/10
Is the Versa a good value? The Versa offers basic affordability without feeling like you're punishing yourself. It feels tightly built, with higher-quality materials than typical for the class, and provides more pizzazz than your usual econo-sedan. There is interesting tech and enough safety equipment to easily justify the cost of entry, with room to add options and still stay close to $20,000.
Nissan offers a pretty middle-of-the-road warranty with basic coverage for three years/36,000 miles and powertrain coverage for five years/60,000 miles. Hyundai, Kia and Mitsubishi all go up to 10 years/100,000 miles. Roadside assistance is offered for three years/36,000 miles. Most rivals offer better coverage, and some provide free maintenance for up to three years.
Wildcard
7.0/10
The Versa has no delusions of grandeur. There are no superfluous paddle shifters, fake vents or Sport mode. It's an economy car that offers space and safety technology at an attractive value. That said, the steering and handling are decent for the price, and even a few of us will admit we like the style and feel of the flat-bottom steering wheel. This is a slow car. There's no getting around it. But the Versa makes a good effort to avoid being soulless and feeling cheap.
Which Versa does Edmunds recommend?
Nissan hasn't released official information on the 2024 Versa as of this writing. We'll update our recommendation if anything changes, but based on last year's Versa, we think the SV is the best value. It rids the Versa of the cheap-looking steel wheels with hubcaps and replaces them with alloy wheels. It also adds rear cross-traffic warning and blind-spot warning, two valuable safety features.
Nissan Versa models
[Editor's note: The following unofficial information is based on last year's Versa. We expect the 2024 model will have a similar lineup and we'll update this section once we have complete information.] The Nissan Versa is a subcompact sedan available in three trims: S, SV and SR. Every Versa is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine (122 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque) that sends power to the front wheels. A five-speed manual is standard on the S, and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is optional. The CVT is standard on SV and SR models. Keep reading for our editors' rundown of the Versa's significant standard and optional features.