The tiny 2023 Nissan Versa is not a total loser, and that makes it a winner
The smallest car segment is now down to just two models in the U.S.: the Versa and the Kia Rio. Maybe it’s time to support these little guys, like local farmers, small-town shops, and indie records.
2023 Nissan Versa SR: The last Versa I tested was a surprise for its size and price range. Has it remained a winner?
Price: The SR model starts at $19,820. Only premium paint ($395) and several add-ons like floor mats and an armrest will raise that price. A minimally equipped Versa S with a 5-speed manual starts at $15,830.
Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver liked the “impressive highway fuel economy, comfortable ride, sub-$20K price,” but not the “lackadaisical acceleration, smaller backseat than competitors, base model’s spartan cabin.”
Marketer’s pitch: “Compromise not included.”
Reality: The Versa keeps on keeping on, while the competition dwindles away.
What’s new: I remember the Versa surprising me the last time I had it. The 2020 model, something I almost turned down as a test, actually came out “quite tolerable.”
With the price of cars these days averaging $48,000, according to Cox Automotive, though, perhaps it’s time we offer newfound respect for the little guy. Maybe “drive inexpensive” should be the new “shop local.”
The Versa has received some styling updates for 2023, but the car is essentially unchanged since 2020.
Competition: When I started Driver’s Seat in 2011, I hoped to offer more reviews of these kinds of cars for readers who didn’t have the purse for BMW and Lexus models, but changing markets have left choices in this genre few and far between. The extra-small sedan category is now down to the Versa and the Kia Rio. Gone are the Chevrolet Spark, Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Mazda2, and Toyota Yaris.
Up to speed: Of course, no one expects the Versa to win any time trials. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine makes the same 122 horsepower as it did three years ago, and this takes the little sedan to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds, according to Car and Driver. Yet by some magic it’s a second quicker than the 2020 version.
What’s more, the Versa acceleration never left me afraid of pulling onto highways or into traffic.
Shiftless: The loud noise during uphill acceleration is the main drawback from the fearless continuously variable transmission. For better or worse, the Versa doesn’t come with a tachometer, so at least you’re not 100% sure that you’re slowly destroying the engine when pulling from a stop onto a small hill. But it definitely sounds like a good possibility.
No paddles allow drivers even the semblance of control over the engine’s power curve.
A five-speed manual is available, but only in the cheaper versions, so it’s not paired with most of the creature comforts that make this vehicle passable.
On the road: Highway handling is fairly unremarkable, usually a great thing in a small, inexpensive, front-wheel-drive car. The Versa does seem to catch the wind easily, and it also drifted a whole lot within the lane.
Country roads and town driving were consistent but didn’t inspire any joy or excitement.
Driver’s Seat: It’s no secret that carmakers make less money on cheaper vehicles, so they incentivize better cars.
The cheap, sad steering wheel provides Mr. Driver’s Seat with that incentive. Even despite the production sticker touting its leather wrapping, the wheel is still a ring of plastic designed to build callouses and depress spirits. I have the Sturgis kids’ old Sit n’ Spin toy hanging around in the basement, and I noted great similarities; still, the kids loved that, so maybe I need an attitude adjustment. At least it tilts and telescopes; the Kia Rio did not perform the latter trick.
The cloth seat is much better than you would expect, but, of course, all the adjustments are manual.
Friends and stuff: The rear seat provides just enough room for the 5-foot-10 Mr. Driver’s Seat. Legroom is adequate; headroom and foot room are snug. The seat itself feels cheap and only acceptable for short trips. Entry-exit is also a bit of a squeeze.
Cargo space is 15 cubic feet, a surprising amount for such a small car. A small hatchback, which the Versa used to be, would offer so much more Versatility, but at least the seats fold down.
Play some tunes: The stereo in the Versa also provides a more pleasant experience than one would expect as well. Sound is about an A- or an A, and on par with the more expensive, larger Altima sedan tested a few months before.
Dials control volume and tuning, buttons get you the main functions, and the 8-inch touchscreen handles all the rest.
Keeping warm and cool: The heated seats are also a bright spot; even monetarily challenged drivers deserve them, and they definitely bake, perhaps even broil.
Dials control temperature and blower speed and buttons handle the air source.
Fuel economy: The Versa averaged 30.5 mpg in the 500 or so miles it revealed on the trip odometer. My 200-mile contribution to that number over Route 202, the Schuylkill Expressway, and on the country roads closer to home didn’t change it at all.
Where it’s built: Aguascalientes, Mexico
How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Versa reliability to be a 3 out of 5.
In the end: Even though I can support the Versa, the Kia Rio remains more sprightly and fun to drive, had better fuel economy, and, as a hatchback, more cargo space. But second place isn’t so bad, right?