2012 Nissan Versa Review

2012 Nissan Versa Review

Bruce Sheridan

Overview

The 2012 Nissan Versa is the rock bottom lowest costing new car on the market today. It is a pretty nice subtitle to tack onto any vehicle, and many people will immediately look to see if the Versa could be right for them just solely because of its price tag.

Low prices are not the be all end all of car deals however. Nissan has a very high quality subcompact car with the Versa, and has managed to deliver a vehicle with great gas mileage, a roomy interior and extraordinary practicality. The Versa knows its target audience, and it does a tremendous job in the areas it is focused on.

The Versa is not for everyone. It is designed to be the most affordable and practical vehicle available, and with its manual transmission and base S sedan model, it is the leading candidate in these regards. If you prefer the automatic transmission and more optional features, the Versa loses its financial edge over the competition, but it still remains a solid choice. If you think the Versa is the perfect balance of affordability and quality, take a few seconds to locate a Nissan dealer near you.

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2012 Nissan Versa

Starting MSRP	Max City / Hwy MPG
$10,990	30 / 38

Pros	Cons
Cheapest new car	Average driving experience
Excellent gas mileage	Plastic filled interior
Spacious interior

Trims

The 2012 Nissan Versa can come as either a sedan or a hatchback. The sedan design is brand new for 2012, and was a considerable improvement over the outgoing model. The hatchbacks however, are the same design that has been featured since 2007. The hatchback is due for a redesign sometime in the future.

The sedan models, with their smaller 1.6L 4-cyl engines, get considerably better gas mileage than their hatchback counterparts. The base S model is as slimmed down as possible, sacrificing the more technological and luxury amenities for a smaller price tag. Many of these features are available as optional equipment on any of the trims.

Sedan Trims
Name	MSRP	Engine	Best MPG City / Hwy
S	$10,990	1.6L 4-cyl	30 / 38
SV	$14,980	1.6L 4-cyl	30 / 38
SL	$15,990	1.6L 4-cyl	30 / 38

Hatchback Trims
Name	MSRP	Engine	Best MPG City / Hwy
S	$14,570	1.8L 4-cyl	26 / 32
SL	$18,490	1.8L 4-cyl	28 / 34

Performance

The 2012 Nissan Versa was not built with a need for speed or super sporty handling. This is a car designed for practical drivers on a budget, and it drives that way. Don't expect to be blown away by the driving dynamics, but on the other hand, the Versa's trade off of performance for quality and affordability allows it to fit into anyone's strict budget.

The sedan's 1.6L 4-cyl engine gives you 109 horsepower and 107 lb-ft of torque. The hatchback's 1.8L 4-cyl engine produces 122 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque. The S trims come standard with a six speed manual transmission, and all others come with the four speed automatic. The Versa won't wow you with the way it drives, but it will give you a comfortable ride and also never hurt you at the pump.

Interior / Exterior

One thing the Versa surprisingly excels at is interior room. You would think that a subcompact economy car would be a tight squeeze to fit into, but this is not the case at all, with both the sedan and hatchback trims. Even six footers can comfortably sit in the rear seats with no problem at all.

The interior may be spacious, but it is chock full of cheap plastics, but its hard to expect anything else out of such a low cost car. The new sedan model for the Versa has a smoother, curvier design, and has the new standard Nissan grille.

Features

The Versa was not built to come packed with the latest and greatest technology, so it's not surprising when you open the door up and are not bombarded with space age features. However, you will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of technology you get at this low price range. The only feature many drivers are not too keen on is the optional navigation system, as many people find it is hard to use. The hatchback trims come with a bit more standard equipment, but the difference is pretty minimal.

Safety

The Versa scores well in its safety testing, but there was a discrepancy between the safety of the sedan models and the hatchback models. The Versa was never a stand out in regards to safety, and even though the standards for the tests have gotten stricter, the new Versa is still scoring fairly well.

The Versa sedan scored four out of five stars with the federal government, and was also an IIHS Top Safety Pick. The Versa sedan is scoring a tad higher than the hatchback in most regards. Every Nissan Versa comes standard with six total airbags, stability and traction controls, and front disc and rear drum antilock brakes.