2019 Nissan Versa

With a base price of $12,460, it misses out on many features which are standard on its rivals who are slightly more expensive. It is powered by a 109-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that is paired to either a five-speed manual or an available continuously variable automatic (CVT). The sedan rivals the likes of Chevrolet Sonic Sedan, Hyundai Accent, and Toyota Yaris. However, this bargain of a car has a lot of issues with it, but is it best suited for cabbies only? Let’s find out.

There’s not a whole lot to discuss here. The line-up for the 2019 Nissan Versa is short, offering only 3 trim levels. They are S, S Plus, and SV. The S is priced at $12,460 which is considerably cheap for a subcompact sedan. Don’t expect it to be loaded with features. However, the ones which you’ll get are; 15-inch steel wheels, a 7.0-inch touchscreen display with a 4-speaker audio system, a rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity, 1 USB charging port, power mirrors, 4-way manually adjustable driver and passenger seats, manual air-conditioning, and cloth upholstered seats.

The S Plus will cost you $14,600 but it doesn’t add much other than a CVT automatic transmission, cruise control, and a rear spoiler. Moving on to the top-tier trim SV which costs about $16,090, gets an upgraded cloth upholstery, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto compatibility, power locks, and windows in addition to the features standard on S and S Plus trims. The SV Special Edition will add fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a push-button start.

Which Trim should you buy?

For buyers who prefer a small price tag over anything, the S TRIM might sound like a good deal but it really isn’t. The Nissan Versa SV trim in spite of being the more expensive trim has caught our attention as it offers a much better overall package. This includes a CVT automatic transmission, upgraded cloth upholstery, power locks, and windows, etc. Some features can be added by opting for the SV Special Edition Package which costs a mere $800. It is our recommendation that if you wish to buy this car, then opt for the premium fully loaded Versa.

The very basic 2019 Nissan Versa has a 1.6L Inline-4 engine under the hood. It produces 109 hp at 6,000 RPM and has a peak torque of 107 lb-ft at 4,400 RPM. It’ll get you from point A to point B and that’s about it. It has a sluggish acceleration and the drive almost feels disconnected from the driver. The transmission on the base model S is a 5-speed manual and the rest (S Plus and SV) are fitted with a CVT. 

The CVT struggles a bit when the car is pushed to the limit, creating excessive noise in the cabin. The drivetrain option remains only one in all the trims which is an FWD. In Spite of its underwhelming performance, it is fun to drive around cities. On the highways, it is a disappointment, as it takes time to reach high speeds.

When compared to its rivals, the Nissan Versa is underpowered than most of them. Only the Toyota Yaris has worse figures than the Nissan. If you’re looking for a better-performing car, then you should go for the 2019 Chevrolet Sonic which not only has the best performance figures but also is the fastest to 60mph and a quarter-mile.

How well does the 2019 Nissan Versa Sedan handle?

As discussed earlier, the 2019 Nissan Versa is not for those who want an exciting driving experience. It struggles most of the time. The body roll around sharp corners is excessive but the car has reasonable grip. The steering, however, is well-weighted just like most of the cars in this segment. It is fairly easy to navigate in this car. City driving is easy and fun, as it doesn’t demand power. Highways, however, are a nightmare. 

The lethargic acceleration gets the car nowhere. The manual gearbox offered in the base model is sloppy while the CVT offered on the higher trims is prone to make the engine scream. The suspension which is a strut-type front and a torsion beam-type rear is soft and offers a decent amount of comfort inside. Overall the driving experience lacks sophistication and composure.

2019 Nissan Versa Braking Performance

The 2019 Nissan Versa being an affordable car, gets disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear. The front brake rotor is 10.0 inches while the rear brake rotor is 8.0 inches. All other cars mentioned in the table below have similar-sized brake rotors but the car which delivered the best braking experience was the 2019 Chevrolet Sonic. Despite its squishy brake pedal, the Versa manages to stop from 60mph in 140 feet.

The 2019 Nissan Versa weighs over 2300 pounds. It is not light as such but lighter than most of its rivals. Although the 2019 Chevrolet Sonic is the heaviest, the brakes do their duty very well, stopping the car, just under 125 feet only. The brake-test data of the Hyundai Accent is not available yet but as it comes with the biggest brake rotors in business, it shall do quite well.

Every car in the subcompact sedan segment offers good fuel economy as they are all fitted with small and simple powertrains. Having said that, we would have liked the 2019 Nissan Versa to produce better figures than it does. It does 27mpg in cities, 36 on the highways which gives it a combined fuel economy of 30mpg. 

These numbers are for the base model S with the 5-speed manual transmission. However, the top-tier SV trim with the CVT automatic transmission produces better numbers. The figures are; 31/39/34 (city/highway/combined). These numbers are the best in class, outperforming all its rivals.

The 2019 Nissan Versa is fitted with the smallest fuel tank. With a capacity of 10.8 gallons only, it doesn’t offer a good driving range. The 2019 Sonic sedan has the best range in the business thanks to its 12.2-gallon fuel tank. If you want the most fuel-efficient compact sedan, the Toyota Yaris is sure to be the most pocket-friendly sedan you can get in the segment.

The low price tag of the 2019 Nissan Versa translates to the low quality, cheap and mediocre-looking interior. Comprising hard plastic materials everywhere and thin cloth upholstery the interior is not at all appealing. The center console is fitted with a 7.0-inch touchscreen display. The dashboard sits low giving the driver a clear view of the road ahead. The 4-way manual adjustable front seats have a firm seating position and the driving position is high. 

There’s plenty of space in both rows of seats. Interior space is one of the 2019 Versa’s strong assets. Power windows and locks are seen only in the SV trim. The SV also has better-upgraded cloth upholstery and its seats are 6-way manual adjustable. The cabin itself is a lot louder than its competitors. The excessive noise is because of the struggling transmission which hampers the comfort level inside.

The 2019 Nissan Versa has impressive trunk capacity. With 14.9 cu-ft of storage, it does better than all of its rivals. The 2019 Sonic sedan has the best interior dimensions, as it offers more space in the front as well as the rear seats than all of the cars mentioned above. Standout interior features:

• Cloth upholstered seats
• Manual air-conditioning
• 4-way manually adjustable driver and passenger seats
• Day-night rearview mirror
• Driver and passenger vanity mirrors

What’s there to keep you entertained?

All trims of the 2019 Nissan Versa are equipped with a 7.0-inch touchscreen display as their infotainment system. It was way better than its predecessor. It is more intuitive with an improved and user-friendly interface. When compared to its rivals it is still subpar. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is now available but only on the top-tier trim SV. All trims are equipped with the same 4-speaker audio system. The sound clarity which it delivers is yet again just average. However, it does offer features like;

• Bluetooth connectivity
• 7.0-inch touchscreen display
• 4-speaker audio system
• AM/FM Radio
• NissanConnect services

The 2019 Nissan Versa sedan is not going to turn heads with its looks. The exterior styling is bland and not at all creative. The front view is probably the side of the car. The front fascia is characterized by oversized headlights. The grille has chrome accents around it with the Nissan logo sitting in the middle of it. A few contours are seen on the hood which adds a little flare to the front profile.

The side profile of the Versa is tall. Its 6.8-inch ground clearance and awkward proportions of the sedan do not help it with looks. Its standard 15-inch wheels do make it look more mediocre. The lack of body lines and creative contours is disappointing. The truncated rear end of the 2019 Versa is characterized by Its unique shaped taillights, body-colored rear bumper, spoiler, and single exhaust outlet.

Thanks to its long wheelbase of 102 inches and its tall profile, it has immense space inside. As far as exterior looks are concerned, we feel that the 2019 Hyundai Accent has this in the bag. However, if you are looking for the best in class road presence, the Nissan Versa is the sedan to get. Some of the exterior features in the 2019 Nissan Versa include:

• Fog Lights
• Body-colored rear bumper
• Rear spoiler
• Single exhaust outlet
• Clearcoat Paint
• Frameless wipers

The 2019 Nissan Versa earned a 4-star rating from the NHTSA and “Good” in basic crash tests from the IIHS. Its mediocre performance in crash test analysis is because of the lack of driver aid technologies. Almost every car in the subcompact sedan segment offers a Blind-spot monitoring system, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking as standard but all of these are not available on the Versa. Some of the standout safety features in the 2019 Nissan Versa are:

• Electronic stability control
• Rearview monitor backup camera
• Tire pressure warning system
• ABS and driveline traction control
• 6 airbags

2019 Nissan Versa Sedan vs 2019 Chevrolet Sonic Sedan

The Chevrolet Sonic may not be a looker but it has a 1.4L turbocharged engine, which is the most powerful among the 4 cars. It has an engaging driving experience and is much more fun to drive than the 2019 Versa. Other aspects like trunk capacity, interior dimensions, fuel economy, and braking performance are very close between the two cars. If you’re looking for a soulful driving experience, then the 2019 Chevy Sonic is the right buy.

2019 Nissan Versa Sedan vs 2019 Hyundai Accent

The Hyundai Accent steals the show with its extravagant exterior styling. As far as an overall package is concerned, we think that the Accent is the best buy among all 4 cars mentioned. As for the 2019 Nissan Versa, it just can’t match the Accent’s all-around performance. The Versa might be better in terms of cabin space and trunk storage but that is not enough to overcome its Korean rival.

2019 Nissan Versa Sedan vs 2019 Toyota Yaris

The 2019 Nissan Versa and the Toyota Yaris are at par in many aspects. Both have similar engine performance, braking performance and have very similar exterior and interior dimensions. The major difference between the two cars is the price tag. The 2019 Nissan Versa is more than $3000 cheaper than the Yaris at the base level. However, neither of these cars has impressed us to make a choice hence our recommendation is to skip both.

With affordability kept in mind, Nissan has produced a rather disappointing package. With its unappealing exterior styling, cheap quality interior, and underperforming engine it has more negatives than positives. Speaking of positives, the interior space is one of the best in class along with its fuel economy and trunk capacity. A fully loaded Nissan Versa i.e. the SV trim with Special Edition package is a decent overall package but it cannot compete with the likes of the 2019 Hyundai Accent which remains our choice of purchase.