2016 Nissan Versa

The Nissan Versa sedan comes in four trims S, S Plus, SV, and SL. Prices for the base trim starts at $11,990 and the topmost SL trim comes at $17,140. The naturally aspirated inline-4 engine is standard while there is a choice of three gearbox options. Except for base trim, all the other trims come exclusively with a CVT gearbox. 

Standard features are limited to steel wheels, fabric upholstery, ABS, EBD, airbags, etc. The SV trim is the only one in the trim lineup that offers two optional packages i.e. SV Appearance Package and SV Tech Package. The former adds 15-inch alloys, front chrome accents, foglights, etc. The latter adds the infotainment system from the top SL trim, rearview monitor, etc.

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The base trim of the Nissan Versa is bare-bones and misses out on the CVT gearbox so we suggest picking the SV trim. For approximately fifteen grand you get a lot of creature comfort features, upgraded upholstery, and a better sound system.

The 2016 Nissan Versa sedan comes with a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated inline-4 engine that produces a subpar 109 hp and 107 lb-ft of torque. There are three gearbox options, the base model comes with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission while the higher models come with a CVT gearbox only. As standard, the Versa is an FWD sedan. 

The engine is not only underpowered but is also very boring to drive. Pushing the engine doesn’t help either because it gets boomy at highway speeds. The 5-speed manual is the best in case you don’t want to drive a tortoise. The Nissan Versa with the manual shifter takes 9.8 seconds for 0-60 mph and covers the quarter-mile in 17.5 seconds.

Both the rivals of the Nissan Versa come with a similar engine and drivetrain configuration. The Hyundai Accent puts out the best 137 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque. While the Ford Fiesta clocks the fastest 0-60 mph time of 8.6 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 16.2 seconds. The Versa was slower than the Fiesta by 1.2 seconds in the 0-60 mph run and 1.3 seconds in a quarter-mile run.

The Nissan Versa in the CVT guise is the darling for those who prefer a fuel-efficient steed. The EPA estimates that the Nissan Versa with the manual transmission will return 27/36/30 mpg in city/highway/combined respectively while the 4-speed auto returns 26/35/30 mpg respectively. The Versa hooked to the CVT gearbox returns gas mileage of 31/40/35 mpg respectively. A 10.8-gallon fuel tank is standard irrespective of the trim and the gearbox choice.

The Hyundai Accent benefits from the 6-speed manual gearbox over the other two’s 5-speed gearbox that helps it return the best 27/38/31 mpg of gas mileage. Compared to that the Versa returns 2 mpg less on the highway and 1 mpg less combined. The Ford Fiesta returns an almost similar gas mileage as the Versa.

The Nissan Versa’s cabin is riddled with cheap quality plastic and a plain-jane look. The dash is pretty much straightforward with not a hint of premiumness. The center part of the dash gets a big slab that houses the air-con vents, media player, and HVAC control. The lower trims are sans any creature’s comfort features. 

As standard, you get seating for five, fabric-trimmed seats, 4-way manual adjustment for front seats, and that’s pretty much everything. Although moving higher in the trim ladder gets you upgraded fabric upholstery, height-adjustable seats, power door locks and windows, leather-wrapped steering wheel, etc. 

The overall cabin space of the Nissan Versa is its USP with the more than generous rear legroom of 37 inches being its highlights. None of the rivals can match the amount of rear space on offer in the Versa. The practicality quotient of the Nissan Versa is also pretty high as it gets the biggest 14.9 cubic feet of the trunk which compared to the rivals like the Accent is bigger by 1.2 cubic feet and Fiesta by 2.1 cubic feet. Key interior features in the 2016 Nissan Versa include:

• Fabric upholstery
• Driver’s and passenger’s vanity mirror
• Air conditioning
• Available Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Available 60/40-split rear seats

How intuitive is the 2016 Nissan Versa’s infotainment unit?

The standard infotainment system of the Nissan Versa now comes with a four-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system. Earlier it used to be only a two-speaker setup. Moving to the higher trims or with the optional SV Tech Package you can add NissanConnect that comes with navigation and a 5.8-inch touchscreen. Overall both the setup are pretty straightforward to use while the optional setup is the one to look for as you get the big screen with navigation.
Key infotainment features include:

• Four speakers
• AM/FM/CD audio system
• Available NissanConnect 
• Auxiliary audio input jack
• Bluetooth

The looks of the Nissan Versa take a lot of cues from its elder siblings like the Altima and Sentra. Although the visual flair has been toned down to make it different as an economical sedan rather than a luxury one. The front end has a rounded look with a big V-shaped grille that gets chrome accents on the higher trims. 

The side profile is plain with a few parallel creases running through it and a high beltline that merges with the boot lid. The rear profile is dominated by the extra big trunk which has been well integrated with the overall look. Higher trims get a boot-mounted spoiler with integrated LED brake lights. As for the rims you get 15-inch steel wheels as standard while 15- and 16-inch alloy wheels are available.

The Nissan Versa has an exceptional length, height, and wheelbase compared to its rivals. Although it misses out being the widest sedan as that remains with the Ford Fiesta measuring 71.6-inches in width a full 4 inches wider than the Versa. The Ford Fiesta is also the heaviest sedan weighing 2,578 lbs. Yet it managed to be the quickest in both 0-60 mph and quarter-mile runs. Some of the key exterior features include:

• 15-inch steel wheels
• Body-colored side mirrors
• Rear spoiler
• Fog Lights

The safety ratings of the Nissan Versa are mediocre at best. The NHTSA rated it with 4 out of 5-stars in overall safety ratings while it gave it 4-stars for the front crash, side crash, and rollover test. The IIHS also rated the 2016 Versa in the same lines with the Versa scoring a rating of ‘Good’ in four out of five tests and the lowest rating of ‘Poor’ in the small overlap front crash test. The ease of use of LATCH in the Versa was rated with the second-best rating of ‘Acceptable’. Some of the key safety features in the 2016 Nissan Versa include:

• Six airbags
• ABS w/ EBD
• Brake assist
• Vehicle stability and traction control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Rearview monitor

The Nissan Versa competes in the subcompact sedan segment and for that, it gets great gas mileage, generous cabin space, and a big boot. For a car from this segment, we feel that the Versa has its basics clear. Although rivals like Hyundai Accent and Ford Fiesta offer better performance and stylish exterior, a customer in this segment would hardly trade a spacious cabin, better fuel economy, and practicality for performance and looks. So if you fall in that category then the Versa sedan could be a great choice for you.