2023 Nissan Versa

Move straight to the middle trim. Despite its diminutive size and price tag, even the cheapest Versa comes with equipment that might make the buyers of a base-model truck green with envy. The entry-level S has power locks and windows, a seven-inch touchscreen, and various driver assistance technologies. Sadly, smartphone mirroring isn’t standard unless you add an options pack that also brings alloy wheels and a split folding rear seat.

Our preferred Versa is the mid-range SV, which combines the options pack’s features with LED headlights, keyless start, and a digital instrument cluster. You could go even further and invest north of $20,000 in an SR model, sporting a larger eight-inch touchscreen alongside a proximity key and adaptive cruise control.

The latter is one of few safety features not standard across the range since every Versa comes with lane departure warnings, automatic high beams, and emergency braking. It’s to Nissan’s credit that the Versa’s low price doesn’t incur any safety compromises – this new model has yet to be crash tested, but its predecessor achieved a five-star NHTSA rating.

Enough space for a family. Nissan has managed to squeeze impressive space out of the Versa’s modest length – just 177 inches from stem to stern. It’s no minivan in here, but there’s decent visibility and plenty of light, while the front seats are comfortable enough.

Things are less impressive in the back, though large side doors permit easy access. The outboard rear seats are okay, but the middle rider (if there is one) will be propped up on two thinly padded pieces of fabric with very little peripheral support. All models except the S have a split folding rear seat which provides access to the 15 cu ft trunk, also accessible via a reasonably well-shaped lid.

Slow rider. If there’s one area where the Versa’s budget origins become obvious, it’s in terms of on-road dynamics. There’s nothing offensive about the car’s driving manners, but you’re constantly aware that the 1.6-liter four-cylinder gas engine is struggling when it’s fully loaded or out of town.

A typically noisy CVT transmission provides the main alternative to a five-speed manual box (remember them?), while the basic suspension is another throwback to a bygone age. At least it works well enough, with even supposedly sporty SR models offering a pliant ride.

The steering is also well-weighted and accurate; the Versa will never impress a keen driver, but at least it won’t offend them. Another bonus comes in the form of fuel economy, which can hit 35 MPG combined in CVT models, though the limited-ratio manual box pushes this figure down to just 30.

Final thoughts. It would be churlish to criticize a car whose top-range model costs barely more than $20,000 unless it was genuinely poor in any regard. The Versa isn’t. Its performance is lethargic, rear-seat passengers get something of a raw deal and the base model is too sparsely equipped for the third decade of the 21st century.

Yet none of these compromises detract from a well-judged little sedan, whose cabin uses stitched fabrics and contrasting materials to belie its budget origins. Sitting up front, it feels like a big car in miniature, rather than a downscale alternative to a bigger sedan.

Versa buyers will doubtlessly forgive its limited performance and modest on-road dynamics because the car rides well and offers all the basics modern buyers expect (on SV trim and above, at least). It has no standout features or USPs, but providing you avoid the base model, there’s plenty to like – even if there’s nothing to love.

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