2024 Nissan Versa

The statement, “There are no good cheap new cars anymore,” isn’t necessarily true. For proof, look at the 2024 Nissan Versa. It isn’t just inexpensive; it’s the least expensive new car in the U.S. You could practically buy a trio of Versa sedans for the average transaction cost of a new car, currently over $48,000. Still, for its rock-bottom price, the Nissan Versa is hardly a penalty box. The Versa punches above its price point with active safety features like front and rear automatic emergency braking and even offers adaptive cruise control, wireless phone charging, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. With the recent discontinuations of the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio, the Versa only has one direct rival among subcompact cars: the far less recommendable Mitsubishi Mirage.

After a freshening last year, the Nissan Versa carries over unchanged for 2024. The one difference comes with the NissanConnect Services, which now includes a 3-year trial, up from a 6-month trial previously.

The Nissan Versa only has one direct competitor, the Mitsubishi Mirage. That vehicle starts at $16,695 in hatchback form and $17,795 as the G4 sedan. Expanding our scope a bit to the few other sub-$20,000 new cars, there’s also the crossover-esque Kia Soul at $19,990 and Hyundai Venue at $19,650. If you’d like something more substantial in the Nissan family, there’s the Sentra, which has a value-oriented price tag starting at $20,630.

Before buying your Nissan Versa, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price. In this dwindling segment, the Versa has a resale value better than that of the Mitsubishi Mirage.

Nobody expects a subcompact sedan with 122 horsepower to light the streets on fire, but if you keep your expectations in check, the Nissan Versa should at least meet them. Its power is good for around-town errands and good enough for highway duties. Plus, its small size can be a real asset in the former. You’ll quickly appreciate the Versa’s ability to snag parking spots that might give you pause in a larger vehicle. And if you have a small garage, you’ll further appreciate the Versa’s tidy footprint. The Versa also benefits from active safety features that you’ll hopefully never have to use, such as automatic emergency braking, plus one in top models that you might not be able to live without once you use it: adaptive cruise control.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and researching this generation of subcompact cars, including the Versa.

Fuel Economy

In addition to its price, you’ll appreciate the Versa’s fuel economy. The EPA reports models equipped with the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) at 35 mpg combined (32 city, 40 highway). Models with the 5-speed manual transmission earn 30 mpg combined (27 city, 35 highway). For such a small car, the Versa’s range is impressive, too: up to 378 miles between fill-ups for the CVT and manual models up to 324.

Nissan did an excellent job squeezing as much space as possible into the little Versa. Front legroom is good, and we appreciate Nissan’s “zero gravity” seats. However, at just 31 inches, the rear legroom is tight. The Versa’s trunk is unexpectedly large – 14.7 cubic feet in S trims and 15 even in the SV and SR grades. Note that if you want folding rear seats — we would — you’ll need to get the S Plus package, at least if you go with the base model. They’re standard on the higher trims. Materials are fair to good, depending on which trim you get. Know that you’ll be grasping a urethane steering wheel in the S and SV grades; it’s leather in the SR models and just another reason to spring for the top trim if your budget can flex a bit. You’ll also get nicer fabric in that model. The S and SV trims have a 7-inch touchscreen, while the SR is nicer with an 8-inch unit. The two higher trims also get a larger, 7-inch digital display within the instrument cluster – what Nissan calls Advanced Drive-Assist. In addition to having heated front seats, the SR also gets automatic climate control rather than the manual setup of the other two trims. If you want Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — and you probably do — here again, you’ll need to opt for at least the S Plus package.

For many years, the Versa was downright dowdy. That all changed when this latest generation debuted for the 2020 model year. The Versa now looks like a downsized Altima, with great proportions and pleasing details. It was further freshened last year with an updated front end. Now, look at Nissan’s little guy. To our eye, it is a wholly pleasing design. And it may not be as small as you think: at 177 inches in length, it’s the size of what used to be classified as a compact car.

Standard safety features
Even the least-expensive Nissan Versa gets front and rear automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert comes in at the SV trim level.

Intelligent Cruise Control
Also known as adaptive cruise control, this capability is standard on the Versa SR. It wasn’t all that long ago that this feature was reserved for luxury cars.

Versa SR
The nicest Versa of all, the SR brings features like adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, remote engine start, automatic climate control, and in-car Wi-Fi. All this in a vehicle that starts at $20,140.

Wireless phone charging
Standard equipment starting on the SV grade, wireless phone charging allows you to juice up your phone by simply setting it down on a pad – no cables needed.

That price
We can’t help but repeat ourselves. A new car for under $20,000 is rare. And even a fully outfitted car right around that number – like the Versa SR – is rarer still.

Manual transmission
The Versa offers three pedals and a stick if you are among the few drivers still desiring to shift your gears. It’s only available on base S models, but it’s there nonetheless.

The 2024 Nissan Versa uses a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine with 122 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque. Those aren’t huge numbers, but they’re easily more than those of the Mitsubishi Mirage, which uses a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine making a mere 76 hp. The Versa is front-wheel drive (FWD) and offers the choice of a 5-speed manual transmission in base models or a CVT as an option in the S trim and standard in the others.

3-year/36,000-mile Warranty

A 3-year/36,000-mile new-car warranty covers the 2024 Nissan Versa. The powertrain is covered for five years or 60,000 miles. The Mitsubishi Mirage offers an exceptional new-car warranty of 5 years or 60,000 miles, plus 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage, but we’d stick with the Versa nevertheless.

Safety Ratings

The Nissan Versa receives a top score of “Good” in the two crashworthiness categories it has undergone by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It gets the top 5-Star rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).