Creating this pros and disadvantages list of the Nissan Versa is quite possibly the easiest post I’ve ever written here on driveandreview.com. It was without a doubt the worst new automobile that I’ve ever driven.
The Versa badly made, uncomfortable, and exceedingly unattractive. I disliked it. On other hand, I will admit that I enjoyed how throwaway it felt. It’s the type of automobile that you can park anyplace.
I basically disliked it though. There are so many other better cars that you can get for the money, and I don’t suggest the Versa to anybody.
All The Advantages And Downsides Of The Nissan Versa
Even before driving it, I knew that there would be more things about the Versa that I wouldn’t like compared to what I would enjoy. It just gives out that type of atmosphere when walking up to it for the very first time.
I spent a full afternoon with the car that you see in these photographs (a disgustingly dirty 2018 SV model), and it wasn’t by choice. It was the final automobile the rental car desk had, and I had absolutely no say in the issue. On with the pros and cons:
Pros
-
Outward visibility is nothing short of magnificent. The pillars are narrow and the windows are tall on the 2018 Versa, which makes it incredibly simple to see out of in all directions. Merging into traffic is a piece of cake in this car (provided it’s not a high speed move).
-
As I’ve previously indicated at the start of this page, the Nissan Versa is so cheap that you don’t even have to worry about it. Not even a little! There’s no purpose in conserving an automobile such as this, so go ahead and park it anyplace. It’s readily replaced.
-
It’s inconspicuous AF. Seriously, nothing will make you blend into the throng more than turning up in a 2018 Nissan Versa will. Absolutely nobody noticed this automobile.
-
It’s actually pretty roomy on the inside. Everything (the seats, the doors, etc.) is thin in this car – which serves to make the cabin appear more roomy than it really is. Anyone 6 feet tall and less will feel extremely comfy in the 2018 Nissan Versa.
-
Gas mileage is quite decent. Then then, that’s not to be surprising for such a lightweight car with a little engine like this.
Cons
-
The continuously variable transmission (CVT) is so terrible that it seems broken. In my video review on the 2018 Versa, I wasn’t even aware that it had a CVT. It certainly as heck didn’t feel like one, and I couldn’t understand why it was changing as bizarrely as it was. It turns out that the transmission actually stinks, that’s all.
-
The 1.6 L four-cylinder engine is terribly insufficient. Merging onto the highway is terrifying and awful in this car, and you will no certainly be pissing people off for being that man moving half as slow as everyone else.
-
It goes without saying, but it’s “cheap plastic” overkill all over the inside. Of course I wasn’t expecting high-end materials, but come on. The interior of the Versa that I drove was just about as terrible as my first car (a 1983 Pontiac 6000 LE).
-
It’s a bad value in my opinion. For the same amount of money, you could purchase a far nicer (but somewhat older) used automobile that will be superior in virtually every regard.
-
It feels risky as heck. The body panels of the Nissan Versa are so thin that it made me anxious driving around in heavy traffic. In a collision, the Nissan Versa will do poorly against just about anything.
-
I dislike the way it looks. Most other cars in this category can be characterized as adorable (yes, my 2010 Honda Fit is cute), but the Nissan Versa is anything but. It’s merely an ugly (bulbous) automobile with no sense of style and elegance. I’d even go as far as saying that’s it’s uglier than the Volkswagen Beetle I recently evaluated (which is saying a lot).
-
Build quality is dubious. The specific car that I drove had around 40,000 miles on it, and there were several interior pieces that were hanging on by a thread. Not only that, the driver‘s seat was moving loosely on its frame.
-
The sound that the engine generates while the CVT gearbox is doing its job is terrible. It’s hard to express in words, but it’s basically a high-pitched buzzing sound over the full RPM range. Be sure to view my acceleration video to hear what sounds like. I assure that you will not desire a Nissan Versa with the CVT transmission after seeing it.
Read Also: Reasons to Buy the 2025 Nissan Versa
Two Extremely Solid Reasons Why You Should Consider Buying A Nissan Versa
Despite all the negative things that I highlighted about the Versa so far, it does have two distinct redeeming aspects. The only two reasons why I would contemplate acquiring one of these items are as follows:
1. It’s An Automobile You Won’t Have To Worry About
If you’re the type of person who thinks of a car as an annoying but necessary appliance, the Nissan Versa will be just up your alley. It’s about as simple as contemporary automobiles get, and you won’t have to feel terrible about parking it in dodgy places (and even forgetting to take care of it). It’s inexpensive / basic transportation at its finest. When it quits operating, recycle it, and get a new one.
2. It’s A Terrific Automobile For Rookie Drivers
One of the nicest things about the Nissan Versa is the fact that it’s really simple to look out of. There are relatively few blind spots, which makes it exceedingly easy to drive in traffic. Combine that with its tiny size and low power, it’s a wonderful automobile for rookie drivers wanting something easy and forgiving in hard driving circumstances.
Two Extremely Strong Reasons Why You Should Not Consider Buying A Nissan Versa
Honestly, I can think of a lot more than two reasons. However, for the sake of brevity (and your short attention span), I’m going to merely tell you the top two reasons why this is a car you would want to avoid:
1. It’s Just A Gigantic Piece Of Trash
Seriously. I do not see why someone would buy a Versa over a little older (and much better) secondhand car. The Versa won’t protect you very well in an accident, it’s sluggish as balls, and dependability has been shaky at best. Not only that, it’s really ugly. I just can’t put my brain around the emotion of seeing a Nissan Versa and thinking “yeah, that’s a car I’d hate to be driving right about now.”
2. It Seems Terribly Uncomfortable
The 1.6 L four-cylinder engine in the Versa is not powerful enough to keep up with fast-moving traffic. I constantly felt like I was on the edge of getting ran over — even when I had my foot to the floor. It’s a sense that I’ve never felt in a car before. Not even in my weakling 2010 Honda Fit.
That lack of power paired with a loose feeling CVT gearbox did not give me any confidence at all if I wanted to get into traffic with any level of grunt. It’s basically the worst automobile ever.
Kari Pettersen
Creating this pros and disadvantages list of the Nissan Versa is quite possibly the easiest post I’ve ever written here on driveandreview.com. It was without a doubt the worst new automobile that I’ve ever driven.
The Versa badly made, uncomfortable, and exceedingly unattractive. I disliked it. On other hand, I will admit that I enjoyed how throwaway it felt. It’s the type of automobile that you can park anyplace.
I basically disliked it though. There are so many other better cars that you can get for the money, and I don’t suggest the Versa to anybody.
All The Advantages And Downsides Of The Nissan Versa
Even before driving it, I knew that there would be more things about the Versa that I wouldn’t like compared to what I would enjoy. It just gives out that type of atmosphere when walking up to it for the very first time.
I spent a full afternoon with the car that you see in these photographs (a disgustingly dirty 2018 SV model), and it wasn’t by choice. It was the final automobile the rental car desk had, and I had absolutely no say in the issue. On with the pros and cons:
Pros
Outward visibility is nothing short of magnificent. The pillars are narrow and the windows are tall on the 2018 Versa, which makes it incredibly simple to see out of in all directions. Merging into traffic is a piece of cake in this car (provided it’s not a high speed move).
As I’ve previously indicated at the start of this page, the Nissan Versa is so cheap that you don’t even have to worry about it. Not even a little! There’s no purpose in conserving an automobile such as this, so go ahead and park it anyplace. It’s readily replaced.
It’s inconspicuous AF. Seriously, nothing will make you blend into the throng more than turning up in a 2018 Nissan Versa will. Absolutely nobody noticed this automobile.
It’s actually pretty roomy on the inside. Everything (the seats, the doors, etc.) is thin in this car – which serves to make the cabin appear more roomy than it really is. Anyone 6 feet tall and less will feel extremely comfy in the 2018 Nissan Versa.
Gas mileage is quite decent. Then then, that’s not to be surprising for such a lightweight car with a little engine like this.
Cons
The continuously variable transmission (CVT) is so terrible that it seems broken. In my video review on the 2018 Versa, I wasn’t even aware that it had a CVT. It certainly as heck didn’t feel like one, and I couldn’t understand why it was changing as bizarrely as it was. It turns out that the transmission actually stinks, that’s all.
The 1.6 L four-cylinder engine is terribly insufficient. Merging onto the highway is terrifying and awful in this car, and you will no certainly be pissing people off for being that man moving half as slow as everyone else.
It goes without saying, but it’s “cheap plastic” overkill all over the inside. Of course I wasn’t expecting high-end materials, but come on. The interior of the Versa that I drove was just about as terrible as my first car (a 1983 Pontiac 6000 LE).
It’s a bad value in my opinion. For the same amount of money, you could purchase a far nicer (but somewhat older) used automobile that will be superior in virtually every regard.
It feels risky as heck. The body panels of the Nissan Versa are so thin that it made me anxious driving around in heavy traffic. In a collision, the Nissan Versa will do poorly against just about anything.
I dislike the way it looks. Most other cars in this category can be characterized as adorable (yes, my 2010 Honda Fit is cute), but the Nissan Versa is anything but. It’s merely an ugly (bulbous) automobile with no sense of style and elegance. I’d even go as far as saying that’s it’s uglier than the Volkswagen Beetle I recently evaluated (which is saying a lot).
Build quality is dubious. The specific car that I drove had around 40,000 miles on it, and there were several interior pieces that were hanging on by a thread. Not only that, the driver‘s seat was moving loosely on its frame.
The sound that the engine generates while the CVT gearbox is doing its job is terrible. It’s hard to express in words, but it’s basically a high-pitched buzzing sound over the full RPM range. Be sure to view my acceleration video to hear what sounds like. I assure that you will not desire a Nissan Versa with the CVT transmission after seeing it.
Read Also: Reasons to Buy the 2025 Nissan Versa
Two Extremely Solid Reasons Why You Should Consider Buying A Nissan Versa
Despite all the negative things that I highlighted about the Versa so far, it does have two distinct redeeming aspects. The only two reasons why I would contemplate acquiring one of these items are as follows:
1. It’s An Automobile You Won’t Have To Worry About
If you’re the type of person who thinks of a car as an annoying but necessary appliance, the Nissan Versa will be just up your alley. It’s about as simple as contemporary automobiles get, and you won’t have to feel terrible about parking it in dodgy places (and even forgetting to take care of it). It’s inexpensive / basic transportation at its finest. When it quits operating, recycle it, and get a new one.
2. It’s A Terrific Automobile For Rookie Drivers
One of the nicest things about the Nissan Versa is the fact that it’s really simple to look out of. There are relatively few blind spots, which makes it exceedingly easy to drive in traffic. Combine that with its tiny size and low power, it’s a wonderful automobile for rookie drivers wanting something easy and forgiving in hard driving circumstances.
Two Extremely Strong Reasons Why You Should Not Consider Buying A Nissan Versa
Honestly, I can think of a lot more than two reasons. However, for the sake of brevity (and your short attention span), I’m going to merely tell you the top two reasons why this is a car you would want to avoid:
1. It’s Just A Gigantic Piece Of Trash
Seriously. I do not see why someone would buy a Versa over a little older (and much better) secondhand car. The Versa won’t protect you very well in an accident, it’s sluggish as balls, and dependability has been shaky at best. Not only that, it’s really ugly. I just can’t put my brain around the emotion of seeing a Nissan Versa and thinking “yeah, that’s a car I’d hate to be driving right about now.”
2. It Seems Terribly Uncomfortable
The 1.6 L four-cylinder engine in the Versa is not powerful enough to keep up with fast-moving traffic. I constantly felt like I was on the edge of getting ran over — even when I had my foot to the floor. It’s a sense that I’ve never felt in a car before. Not even in my weakling 2010 Honda Fit.
That lack of power paired with a loose feeling CVT gearbox did not give me any confidence at all if I wanted to get into traffic with any level of grunt. It’s basically the worst automobile ever.