NISSAN Versa 2025

With the Mitsubishi Mirage now discontinued, the Nissan Versa has become the last subcompact on the Canadian market. The base S trim is also the least expensive new vehicle in the country, with a retail price of $23,269. The era of small cars under $20,000 is officially over.

To offer this unbeatable price, Nissan is imposing a few concessions on buyers of the entry-level variant. To hell with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, alloy wheels, and, worse, the folding rear seat. The black door handles and wheel covers also betray the concern for economy. But the most notable surprise is the absence of keyless entry: it's been a long time since we've had to insert the key in the lock to gain access to a contemporary car!

Moving up to the SV and SR trims of this Mexican-built sedan erases those obvious streamlined features, but it makes the deal less appealing. See why by checking out our video review in the Evaluation section.

The Versa is certainly worth a look if you're considering to buy a (relatively) small car and aren't interested in the current trend for pseudo-SUVs. The least expensive Nissan does a very decent job, even on the highway, combining adequate stability with surprising comfort.

The same can't be said for small front-wheel-drive crossovers like the Hyundai Venue and the Nissan Kicks—the latter derived from the same platform as the Versa—because their greater height makes them more vulnerable to crosswinds. Furthermore, they both cost $3,000 to $4,000 more than the sedan while consuming more fuel. Their only advantage lies in the added practicality of a hatchback.

Before opting for the Versa, however, you might want to consider its larger sibling, the Sentra. The latter offers more equipment, space, refinement, and power than the Versa for just a few thousand dollars more. Better yet, the more attractive incentives on the Sentra often make its monthly lease payments lower! This is especially possible if you opt for the manual transmission, which it now offers exclusively among compact sedans.

Watch our complete video review (in French with English subtitles)

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Hill-start assist
• Front airbags
• Front knee airbags
• Front and rear side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Front seatbelt pretensioners
• Five head restraints (adjustable front, fixed rear)
• Rear passenger reminder (standard, SV and SR versions, not available, S)
• Rearview camera
• Tire pressure monitor with adequate pressure alert
• Forward collision alert
• Forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Lane departure alert
• Automatic high-beams
• Rear automatic emergency braking
• Rear parking sensors
• Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking (standard, SV and SR, not available, S)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Overall score: 5/5
Frontal impact: 4/5
Side impact: 5/5
Rollover resistance: 4/5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety

Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4/4
Small overlap frontal impact: Not tested
Side impact: 4/4