The Nissan Versa’s claim to fame has always been its affordable price. As a barebones form of transportation, the cheap Versa was hard to beat, as it’s consistently been the cheapest new car in America. For the 2020 model year, the Versa is all new and ushers in a new third-gen model. With all of the changes taking place, the Versa’s getting a big price increase and is no longer the cheapest new car in the U.S.
Pricing for the 2020 Versa now starts at $15,625, which includes the $895 destination and handling fee. That’s for a base S trim with a five-speed manual transmission. Nissan’s continuously variable transmission, which it calls Xtronic, raises the price up to $17,295. SV trims carry a price tag of 18,535, while the range-topping SR trim starts at $19,135. That’s a large price increase over last year’s model, which carried a starting price tag of $13,355.
The title of the cheapest car in America now belongs to the Chevrolet Spark, which starts at $14,095. The Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback is more affordable than the Versa, too, as it costs $14,790. The all-new Versa, though, is cheaper than the Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris, and Kia Rio.
Sure, the Versa is more expensive than ever, but it’s also nicer than ever. Nissan’s obviously trying to shed the Versa's bargain-basement shtick by packing it with more features, giving it a more upscale design, and discontinuing the hatchback body style. One key area where the all-new Versa is miles better than the old one is when it comes to features.
On the inside, the base Versa S comes with push-button start, Bluetooth, three USB ports, a 7-inch touchscreen, as well as Siri Eyes Free and Google Assistant voice recognition. Things like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, heated seats, and automatic climate control are all available.
Driver-assist features have also been added to the Versa’s repertoire, as the new sedan comes with lane departure warning, high beam assist, rear automatic braking, as well as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection as standard. Nissan has made its suite of safety features, which is called Nissan Safety Shield 360, standard on the SV trim and up. It adds rear cross traffic alert, blind spot warning, and adaptive cruise control.
An extra $2,270 from last year might sound like a lot of money, but with all of the changes Nissan’s made, especially when it comes to standard features, it’s money well spent. The Versa is now available at dealers across the country.
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