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2016 Nissan Versa

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Make
Nissan
Model
Versa
Year
2016
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Nissan Versa OEM Exterior Primary Photo
OEM Interior Primary
OEM Exterior
OEM Exterior
Interior Profile
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Expert Rating
Unavailable

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

Select a Trim
Select a Trim
2016 1.6 S 4dr Sedan
most popular
Price:   -  From $11,990
2016 1.6 S+ 4dr Sedan Price:   -  From $14,040
2016 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan Price:   -  From $15,580
2016 1.6 SL 4dr Sedan Price:   -  From $17,140

Overview

Not long ago, the subcompact Versa was available as a sedan or a hatchback. Since 2014, the five-door hatchback has been a standalone model called the Versa Note. The Versa sedan received a full redesign for 2013, transforming its appearance so it could compete more effectively against several sharp-looking rivals.

What's New for 2016

After receiving new fascias and interior refinements last year, the Versa sedan changes little for 2016, beyond two new colors. Body-colored power mirrors now are standard on all models, the Versa S gains standard rear speakers, and SL adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Nissan Versa

Choosing Your Nissan Versa

Like other subcompact cars, the Versa can be relatively stripped-down, loaded with plenty of extras for its class, or fit somewhere between those extremes. Despite the trim-level choices, the small sedan only has one engine available, a 1.6-liter four-cylinder that develops 109 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque.

Buyers can obtain any of three transmissions, but choice is limited by trim level. The only version available with a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic is the base S trim. Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) is standard on all upper trims. CVTs have acquired a reputation for limiting driving enjoyment, though fans of the gearless transmissions praise its efficiency. Clearly, the CVT helps the subcompact get estimates of 31 mpg in city driving and 40 mpg on the highway, compared to the five-speed manual's 27 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.

The 2016 Versa sedan is available in four trim levels:

Nissan Versa

S

The 2016 Versa S starts at a super-thrifty base price of $11,990. At this level, the Versa comes with little more than the bare essentials needed to pilot a car, including 15-inch steel wheels, cloth seats, air conditioning, manual windows, power mirrors, a four-speaker audio system with AM/FM/MP3/CD capabilities and an auxiliary input, and Bluetooth connectivity. Selecting the four-speed automatic transmission adds $1,500 to the base price.

Nissan Versa

S Plus

Choosing S Plus trim brings the Versa to $13,990, adding the Xtronic CVT, as well as a rear spoiler and cruise control, with steering wheel-mounted controls.

Nissan Versa

SV

Moving up to SV level provides the Versa sedan with just about all the basic amenities that buyers expect from a smaller automobile, boosting the price to $15,530. Included are chrome door handles, an outside temperature display, keyless entry with panic button, power windows, map lights, a driver's seat armrest, upgraded cloth upholstery, printed (non-woven) headliner, split-folding rear seat, and a USB/iPod connections for the audio system. Alloy wheels are optional. SV Appearance and Technology Packages are optional.

Nissan Versa

SL

The SL trim level loads the Versa with all the features a buyer could want in an entry-level, subcompact sedan, for $17,090. Standard equipment includes a rearview camera, 16-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, NissanConnect with voice-activated navigation and mobile apps, hands-free texting, pushbutton ignition/start, variable intermittent wipers, a 5.8-inch touchscreen display, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

CarsDirect Tip

The $11,990 starting price may seem attractive, but the extra features included with the slightly more upscale S Plus trim level make it the better bargain. So is the SV version, which adds even more conveniences. This difference is compounded by the extra gas mileage that the Xtronic CVT helps the S Plus and upper models achieve over the Versa S, with either manual shift or its available automatic. Not many four-speed automatics are around anymore.

Get your price on a Nissan Versa »

Read our review on the Nissan Versa »

Nissan Versa
author image
Contributing Editor
Read Less

Expert Review

Expert Rating
Unavailable

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

author image
Contributing Editor

In Nissan’s world, the Versa name covers two separate, distinct vehicles. This report covers the conventional subcompact four-door sedan, with a trunk. Nissan also offers a Versa Note five-door hatchback with its own set of merits and demerits.

Pricing and Equipment

Starting at $11,990 (plus $815 destination charge) in S trim with manual shift, the Versa rises to $15,530 in popular SV trim and also comes in top SL form. A 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine makes 109 horsepower. SV and SL models use a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Standard equipment for the Versa SV includes:

  • Continuously variable transmission
  • Cruise Control
  • Power locks and windows
  • 60/40 split-folding rear seat
  • Leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • 15-inch wheels

An SV Technology Package adds a touchscreen, navigation, and rearview camera. SL trim adds an Intelligent Key, rearview camera, foglamps, and 16-inch wheels.

Performance Pros

Nissan Versa
  • CVT operation. Continuously variable transmissions tend to annoy enthusiast drivers. Typically, they complain -- with no shortage of snark -- that CVTs are sluggish and enable noisy engines. Nissan’s version blends blissful smoothness with wholly adequate response, emitting little excess engine sound. Spirited? Maybe not; but try a CVT, and you just might like it.
  • Ride comfort. Versa excels in ride comfort, even when tromping over potholes and choppy surfaces. A soft suspension absorbs most road flaws without fuss.
  • Gas mileage. Not record-setting, but not far off. With a CVT, the Versa gets an EPA fuel-economy estimate of 31 mpg on city streets and a thrifty 40 mpg on the highway (35 mpg in combined driving).

Performance Cons

  • Acceleration. Even fans of the CVT have to admit that acceleration to 60 mph is leisurely: by the numbers, it takes 11.5 seconds. That sounds like a performance figure from decades ago, but 109 horsepower only goes so far.
  • Highway handling. Light steering tends to demand small corrections of the wheel to stay on course at higher speeds, though it feels suitably weighted.
  • Lack of gears. Some folks just can't get used to a CVT, which contains a belt rather than gears.

Interior Pros

  • Materials. In addition to abundant hard plastic, the fabric headliner has a particularly tacky feel, more like cardboard than cloth. The basic-looking dashboard conveys a decidedly low-rent aura.
  • Rear-seat headroom. Considering all the space for legs in back, you’d think headroom would be abundant, too. Because of the headliner’s shape, though, an average-size passenger shouldn’t expect more than an inch or so of clearance.
  • Front-seat comfort. Front cushions are short (as in many cars), but also flat, lacking support.

The Most Pleasant Surprise

Nissan Versa

The roomy back seat has to be the stellar attraction. Total interior volume, too, is surprisingly large compared to the Versa’s exterior dimensions. It sure makes us wonder why so many cars, some considerably larger than Versa, stuff their reluctant back-seat riders into positions that only a contortionist is likely to enjoy.

The Least Pleasant Surprise

Safety hasn't been top-notch, but this least pleasant surprise is less unpleasant thanks to an improvement in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) frontal-impact score—from three stars to four stars—that gives the Versa across-the-board four-star ratings for 2016. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety declared Versa to be Good on all tests except the small-overlap, which is more stringent. Standard safety features are meager, and you can’t even add any of the latest advanced safety technology.

The Bottom Line

Nissan’s no-frills Versa is a sensible small car for small budgets, easy to drive and park, but marred by those safety numbers. There’s nothing flashy or memorable about the sedan, while the Versa Note hatchback has more charm. Remember, too, that the advertised starting price buys a stripped-down S model, with manual shift and wind-up windows.

Read Less

Specs & Features

Highlights
Overall Crash Safety Rating
Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque
1.6L I-4 / 109 HP / 107 ft.lbs.
Transmission
Standard: 5-spd man w/OD
Available: 4-spd auto w/OD
Drive Type
Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined
27 / 36 / 31 Mpg
Passenger Capacity
5
Bumper to Bumper Warranty
36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Mechanical Specs
Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque
1.6L I-4 / 109 HP / 107 ft.lbs.
Drive Type
Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Hwy/Combined
27 / 36 / 31 Mpg
Brakes
Front Disc/rear Drum
Front Suspension
Strut
Rear Suspension
Semi-independent Torsion Beam Beam
Spare Tire And Wheel
Compact Steel
Fuel Tank
10.8 Gal.
Recommended Fuel Type
Regular Unleaded
Average Cost To Fill Tank
$41
Dimensions & Capabilities
Maximum Cargo Volume
14.9 Cu.ft.
Passenger Volume
90 Cu.ft.
Exterior Length
175.4 "
Exterior Width
66.7 "
Exterior Height
59.6 "
Front Headroom
39.8 "
Rear Headroom
36.6 "
Front Legroom
41.8 "
Rear Legroom
37.0 "
Front Shoulder Room
51.7 "
Rear Shoulder Room
51.9 "
Front Hip Room
Rear Hip Room
Curb Weight
2,363 Lbs. / 2,421 Lbs.
Wheel Base
102 "
Turning Radius
17.4 '
Exterior Features
Door Count
4 Doors
Wheels
15.0 " Steel
Paint
Clearcoat Monotone
Exterior Mirrors
Dual Power Remote
Bumpers
Body-colored
Grille Moldings
Black W/chrome Surround
Rear Spoiler
Lip
Exhaust
Stainless Steel
Interior Features
Seating
Passenger Capacity
5
Seat Trim
Cloth
Front Seat Type
Bucket
Heated Front Seats
Front Driver Seat Direction Controls
4-way
Front Passenger Seat Direction Controls
4-way
Front Armrests
4-way
Rear Armrests
Rear Seats
Bench
Radio & Infotainment
Radio
Am/fm, Clock, Seek-scan / Clock
Speakers
4
Radio Steering Wheel Controls
Apple Car Play
Android Auto
Bluetooth w/ Hands-Free Connectivity
Convenience Features
Steering Wheel Type
Tilt
Climate Control
Cruise Control
Sun Roof
Rearview Mirror
Day-night / Auto-dimming Day-night
One Touch Open Window
Tinted Windows
Light
Vanity Mirrors
Passenger
Remote Keyless Entry
Power Outlets
1
Safety Features
Overall Crash Safety Rating
Overall Front Crash Safety Rating
Overall Side Crash Safety Rating
Rollover Crash Safety Rating
Front Impact Airbags
Driver And Passenger
Driver Side Impact Airbags
Seat Mounted
Knee Airbag
Passenger Side Impact Airbag
Seat Mounted
Rear Side Airbag
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Front
Anti-Lock Brakes
4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes (abs)
Forward Collision Warning
Blind Spot Sensor
Lane Departure Warning
Autonomous Cruise Control
Pedestrian Detection
Driver Attention Alert
Daytime Running Lights
Auto High Beams
Adaptive Headlights
Parking Sensors
Security Systems
Panic Alarm
Ignition Disable
Warranty
Bumper To Bumper Months Miles
36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Major Components Months
60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Included Maintenance Months
Roadside Assistance Months
36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Corrosion Perforation
60 Months / Unlimited Miles
Accessories Months
36 Months / 36,000 Miles

Used 2016 Nissan Versa for Sale

4 vehicles found within 50 miles of your area
Nissan
1.6 SV
Color: White
Price

$5,499

Mileage

135,723 mi

Map location icon

Carz R Us LLC (11 mi)

Phone: (626) 927-7583
Nissan
1.6 SV
Color: White
Price

$6,795

Mileage

78,004 mi

Map location icon

AutoSpeed Inc (23 mi)

Phone: (818) 249-4888
Nissan
1.6 SV
Color: Black
Price

$7,488

Mileage

87,830 mi

Map location icon

American Motors (25 mi)

Phone: (949) 436-2276
Nissan
1.6 SV
Color: Gray
Price

$9,995

Mileage

75,198 mi

Map location icon

Car Castle (27 mi)

Phone: (714) 992-4000
See All Used Car Listings

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