Overview
Nissan introduced the U.S. to their new inexpensive car – The Nissan Versa. This car is economical & relaxed & will pull fleet owners, first time buyers & those looking for an additional car in-need of the fuel economy. Cheap car means that the Nissan lacks much of the features but those features are usual with some of slightly pricier rivals.
Driving and Performance
Versa comes with inline 4 cylinder 1.6L powertrain which is good for 109 bhp mated to a 5-speed manual which is only for base trim and a CVT. The performance is weak & meagre & this car takes more than 9 secs to cross the 60-mph mark. The manual gearbox is sloppy, with long throws, & the CVT is lethargic, syrupy, and causes the engine to become noisy.
On the open road, that drone is tiresome, but not nearly as much as the Versa’s weak crosswind stability. At highway speeds with even moderate wind, the Versa can be a chore to keep between the painted lines. Drive quality is relaxed and soft that soaks up bump pretty easy. Seat coziness is hampered by a lack of adjustability. NVH levels are excessive when accelerating aggressively due to the underpowered engine and the CVT.
2019 Versa uses a CVT that is rated by EPA at 31/39/34 mpg(city/highway/combined). Sticking with the manual on base variant drops these figures slightly to 27/36/30 mpg.
Exterior
Considering the 2019 Nissan Versa review it is pretty bland car to look at. The front and rear are unique to look at and it gives versa a cleaner & cohesive look. At the front, Versa has wrap around headlamps which sits perfectly on the fenders and chrome strips on the front grille give it a sense a width. At the rear, there is a spoiler on the higher end variants which gives it a little appealing look but nothing to brag about. Seems like the designer was just starting the career with Nissan.
Interior
Interior has that plasticky feel on the lots of parts. Steering wheel consists some buttons like volume, source and phone calls. Move up the higher variants and you would get cruise control also. Seat upholstery is all-cloth and the carpet feels clumsy and the budget feel is apparent. But what’s surprising is the cabin space. Despite looking like a small car, the cabin space & the trunk is generous for this class. You get a 7.0-inch display with rear view camera on every variant but Android auto and Apple CarPlay are exclusively available on higher variants.
Safety
Nissan lacks most of the advanced safety features which will not help this sedan to achieve excellent scores. NHTSA has not tested this car through its all tests so there is no official rating but as far as we know, the numbers won’t be that great. IIHS has provided “good” rating in its basic crash test. All version comes with 6-airbags, stability control & backup camera as standard.
Final Verdict
People buy cars for going to Point A to Point B. Versa is made for this and it does its job with near perfection. Priced close to $13,000 for the base model, it’s a low-budget car in the US but it offers only basic amenities & that, moreover, with manual gearbox. While everyone might opt for the top end SV trim along with special edition package, this car’s price will reach at a price point where rivals offer much more in every aspect except fuel economy.
We recommend checking other cars like Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit & Chevrolet sonic, if you want a much stylish car but if you are looking for interior space, cargo space & the fuel economy, Versa might be OK for you.
Feature image by NissanUsa.com
Show Comments (0)