2021 Nissan Versa

It is available in three trims and has a starting base price of as low as $15,930 which can go up to $19,340 at the max. The Kia Rio, Honda Civic, and Hyundai Elantra are the fiercest rivals of its assets. With high quality and after-sales support, it has been rated as one of the most reliable sedans alongside Kia Rio. But it will be equivalently important to gauge if it performs to the same level in other aspects.

The Nissan Versa comes in three variants namely S, SV, and SR. Among them, all come with standard Xtronic CVT attached to them while the S trim has an additional option of 5-speed manual transmission. The S trim gets the primitive 15" Steel wheels which get bigger for the SV and SR with the 16" Aluminum-alloy and 17" Split 5-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels respectively. 

The hierarchy tends to widen with NissanConnect which has kept the S trim exempted from its enclosure. The SR, being top-notch, has been privileged with some exclusive packages like the Convenience Package with which one may avail of the Automatic Temperature Control and Intelligent Cruise Control.

There are a few of the standard features that can be spotted across all trim of Versa which include the Siri Eyes Free and Nissan Intelligent Key along with Voice Recognition. But the same is not true when it is a matter of your listening bin as the younger ones have the 4-Speaker Audio unit whereas it adds two more speakers at its disposal in the older trim. The S trim even lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which is pretty disappointing. Moreover, one can even pay $880 for the Electronic package for technology tune-up. 

Which Trim should you buy?

The SR trim might be the most expensive one among its siblings but in general terms, its price is competitive and to some extent even cheaper than many of its counterparts. It is a perfect blend of all features ranging from comfort to practicality. It is highly packed with interior features and comes with additional packages to enhance the overall feel. The leverage to safety assurance is also restored with advanced features as well.

The 2021 Nissan Versa gets standard a 1.6 L I-4 powertrain under the hood which is capable of producing 122 hp of power at 6000 RPMs and 114 lb-ft of torque at 4400 RPMs. The unit is then coupled to the Xtronic CVT throughout the trims alongside an additional 5-speed manual which is exclusive to the base S trim only. The attached CVT, though, allows for a smooth gear switch but impacts the performance dynamics altogether. As a result, the Versa does a quarter-mile in more than 17 seconds and accelerates from a standstill to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds.

The rivals, on the other hand, are more generous and quicker than the Nissan as Kia Rio and Honda Civic tick 8.2 seconds for the 0-60 mph mark followed by the Elantra which misses that figure by some milliseconds. The analytics is the same for the Quarter-mile prowess as well. Not just that, each one of them is capable enough to overwhelm the Versa in a quarter-mile street racing but this time with a smaller margin. Thus, it is evident that Versa needs a little more push to catch them all.

How well does the 2021 Nissan Versa handle?

This is one of the aspects where Versa will not be lagging behind any other as it has been given a responsive EPAS unit which in conjunction with the torsion beam and independent strut suspension maintains the driveability around a curve. Not just that, its lightweight also negates the body leaning and inherent lower height manages the body roll risks. Moreover, it gets a pair of stabilizer bars in the front and rear to further assist the setup.

Apart from that, it holds a decent braking system that tries to the best of its ability to restrain the braking travel along with Vehicle Dynamic Control and Electronic Stability Control to counter any upheaval. Despite being an FWD, there is a reduced percentage of understeer to a large extent. The lower center of gravity comes as a blessing in disguise. Thus, it can be rated on the same level as that of the segment leader without any hesitation.

2021 Nissan Versa Braking Performance

The Nissan Versa gets a combination of disc and drum brakes on the wheels. The 10.02" x 0.87" rotors in the front with efficient heat dissipation and 8" rotors in the rear have the ability to bring the machinery to a halt within 124 ft. Along with the mechanical sub-system, the Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist have also been added. The 4-wheel ABS keeps the wheel slippage at the minimum level possible.

The exemplary among all the rivals are the Honda Civic which has the least travel of 112 ft and that too with a relatively higher weight transfer. It is followed by Nissan Versa and Hyundai Elantra respectively. The Kia Rio feels a little underwhelming and has to be dependent on its added tech features to make up for those extra feet. On the whole, all of them as per the standard are well within the limits only where the Civics sets the benchmark for others. 

Well, this is a category of cost-effectiveness, so fuel economy undoubtedly becomes a subject of great interest. For that matter, the Versa returns a mileage of 32 mpg in the city, 40 mpg on the highways, and 35 mpg on a daily basis. These figures when viewed with a 10.8-gallon fuel tank allow you to go for 378 miles on average. It can be believed that the figures could have been improved if the power distribution would have been slightly down the lower revs. 

In terms of comparison, Hyundai Elantra is easily the most practical and fuel-efficient machinery as it offers a return of as much as 43 mpg along with a range of 602 miles in ideal conditions which is about 180 miles more than Versa. Even other rivals are nowhere close to Elantra. But relatively better than others is the Kia Rio which returns 41 mpg on the highways with a coverage of 487 miles. Hence, it suggests that Nissan really has a long way to sail in this domain for now.

The Nissan Versa brings decent offers in its baggage. The level of sophistication varies drastically as we move up the trim tree. Starting with the seating packaging, it gets cloth-wrapped in the S trim which becomes Graphite Premium exposure for the SV and further upgrades to Charcoal Sport-format in the SR. On top of that, the SR outclasses others with an exclusive Prima-Tex accent for the dash. 

The younger ones lack the leatherette touch on the steering wheel and shift-knob. Moreover, all of them lack standard power assistance and automatic air conditioning. But one should applaud Nissan for its egalitarian approach for technology level-up with the Electronic package which includes Map Pocket Lighting, Auto-dimming Rearview Mirror, and Brushed-aluminum kick plates.

It is visible with naked eyes that the rear seating of Versa could have been better as the legroom is compromised. But, it is completely opposite for its trunk spacing and front row stretchability. Moreover, the Versa cannot be denied to be flexible with its 60/40-fold rear seats. The Kia Rio seems to follow the same pathway as that of the Versa. Meanwhile, competitors like the Civic and Elantra edge it out with much more practical space management. Some of the features are:

• Automatic Temperature Control(Optional)
• Charcoal Sport-format seats
• Full Cloth Headliner
• Vinyl Door Trim Insert
• Engine Immobilizer

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 2021 Nissan Versa gets different entertainment touches as per trim specifications. The S trim has that standard 7" touch-screen display while the higher trims get NissanConnect integrated into it in addition to that. The 4-speaker audio set in the S and SV transforms to 6-speaker set in the SR. 

The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been kept standard in the SV and SR. Adding further to the description, there are some standard features as well across all trims like the Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, USB ports, Hands-free Text Messaging Assistant, and Voice Recognition. Some of the features are:

• NissanConnect 
•  Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System
• Hands-free Text Messaging Assistant
• Voice Recognition
• 4-speaker audio set

The Nissan Versa comes in multiple coloring languages like the standard Gun Metallic, and Aspen White along with some real upscale ones including the Monarch Metallic Orange and Scarlet Ember. The fascia in these languages holding sleek headlamps along with high sloping bonnet with creases around it gives it that required elegance altogether.

Even the wheels, irrespective of size whether it is 15”, 16” or 17”, look apt with the overall silhouette. It does offer some extra extensions like the Rear Bumper Protector and All-Season Trunk Area Protector as well at $75 and $110 respectively.

The dimensional limits have their own right in determining handling dynamics. The more compact the more stable it is expected to be without any aids. Unfortunately, there is no significant gap in their boundary boxes that one can be given preference and podium position. All of them are close to one another and thus can be metered to be at par with their control. That being said, extra ground clearance in the Versa is also a plus point in case it exceeds its payload capacity of 890 lbs. Some of the features are:

• 17" Split 5-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels
• Rear Bumper Protector
• Lip Spoiler
• Dark Chrome Grille
• All-Season Trunk Area Protector

The Nissan Versa has Zone-Body Construction meaning it will have a significant crumple zone to dissipate the crash impact and as a result, its integrity is concreted by the overall 5-Star rating in the NHTSA test and a “Good” marking in the respective IIHS. Apart from that, it has a host of advanced and standard safety features like the Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, and Automatic Emergency Braking. Not just the exterior panels but the interior sectors like the steering column and other inserts are also energy-absorbent, therefore increasing the insurance factor altogether. Some of the features are:

• Automatic Emergency Braking
• Lane Departure Warning
• Energy-absorbing panels
• Blind Spot Warning
• Electronic Stability Control

2021 Nissan Versa vs. 2021 Kia Rio 

The Nissan Versa and Kia Rio are quite a competitor with almost sibling-like dimensions and spaciousness inside the cabin. But one outshines another in equally important aspects as the Kia Rio offers you superior power curve and economical range coverage while the Nissan Versa is better at limiting that power being induced at the wheels with its braking efficiency. Therefore, it is completely a matter of one’s preference rather than supremacy. 

2021 Nissan Versa vs. 2021 Honda Civic 

With far better economical range, performance prowess, and braking dynamics, the Honda Civic leaves no place for Versa to come any closer. It is true that it has a weight disadvantage but that hardly impacts its dynamics at all. The Versa even lags behind it in terms of seating arrangement. Slightly costlier than the Versa, the Civic truly justifies its price tag without any hassle.

2021 Nissan Versa vs. 2021 Hyundai Elantra 

The Hyundai Elantra is no less than a cornerstone in this segment for its sheer dominance in the range and mileage. It has a gap of some 180 miles on the reading which increases its practicality wingspan over the Versa. The cabin arrangement also has the same pick-up lines. The Versa is not even competent in comparison to Elantra acceleration and hence makes the latter one a better one to opt for.

Based on the analysis, it is crystal clear that the Nissan Versa offers decent packages but those are not enough to counter the imagery of the rivals, especially the Civic and Elantra. The price tag can’t be the sole perspective to make any sane decision and needs to be justified by its disposal. Therefore, neither the time nor the spec sheet gives you any sort of indication to go for Nissan Versa for now.