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Buy this Ford vs Ferrari GT40 Movie Car2023 Nissan Versa: Affordable Fuel-Saver
What do our experts think of the 2023 Nissan Versa? We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
What’s New for the 2023 Nissan Versa?
For 2023, Nissan tweaked the appearance of the Versa by updating the grille and giving it a new 17-inch wheel design for the SR trim. The SR trim also received an 8.0-inch touchscreen, adaptive cruise control, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. There is now a wireless phone charging pad in the SV trim.
2023 Nissan Versa – nissanusa.com | Shop 2023 Nissan Versa on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Sub-$20k price
Comfortable ride
Impressive fuel economy
Poor acceleration
Smaller back seat than other cars in its class
Lacks enough interior storage for small items
A great value overall
2023 Nissan Specs
- 122 horsepower from base engine
- 114 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 3 available trims
- 14.9 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Standard automatic emergency braking
- 7.0-inch touchscreen display (base trim)
- 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
2023 Nissan Versa Powertrain
We can start by safely stating that the 2023 Nissan Versa won’t win any races, but then again, that’s not what it was designed to do. The 1.6L inline four-cylinder engine is mated to either a standard 5-speed manual or a CVT transmission which is standard on all but the base trim. This combination provides the front wheels with 122 horsepower and 114 lbs.-ft. of power.
The Nissan Versa’s front and rear strut/torsion beam suspension give it more focused handling than previous generations and provides a comfortable ride with plenty of isolation from the road. From a passenger’s standpoint, there would be no complaints about the overall quality of the ride.
From a driver’s standpoint, however, the 2023 Nissan Versa is a sleeper. Why? Because it acts like it has been asleep for a very long time when it comes to accelerating. The car feels weak when trying to accelerate to highway speeds.
You can expect the 2023 Nissan Versa to achieve a 9.5-second run from 0-60 MPH. While this is faster than previous generations, it still doesn’t feel adequate. If you’re going to be using this car around town or for a daily commuter, the lack of power shouldn’t stand out.
2023 Nissan Versa Fuel Economy & MPG
The 2023 Nissan Versa gets 32 MPG city/40 MPG highway when equipped with the CVT. If you decide to go with the base trim’s manual transmission, you can expect those numbers to drop to 27 MPG city/35 MPG highway. This puts the 2023 Nissan Versa at the top of its class when it comes to fuel economy. This is the car to get if you are looking to save serious money at the pump!
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
The 2023 Nissan Versa provides a comfortable ride thanks to the suspension. It can feel a little jumpy on rough roads, but that is common in economy cars. While wind noise is present inside the cabin, it isn’t overwhelming.
The interior is what you would expect from a budget vehicle. It isn’t as nice as the Maxima, but it is certainly more than adequate for the money. The cloth seats are high quality and comfortable for the most part except being a bit too narrow under the shoulders. There isn’t any lumbar support either, so you’ll want to take frequent breaks while on long trips.
The rest of the cabin is mostly soft plastic. We appreciated the number of hard buttons on the controls. They were easy to reach and did not have a lot of play. Passengers don’t have amenities like climate control, but they do provide a comfortable ride despite having less legroom than the Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent. The trunk space is limited to 14.9 cubic feet of storage which is about average for a small sedan.
Entertainment & Technology
The 2023 Nissan Versa has an incredibly easy-to-use and useful infotainment system. The base S trim comes standard with a 7.0-inch touchscreen while the SR And SV come standard with an 8.0-inch touchscreen.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are standard on the SR and SV models but can also be added to the S trim as an option. Three USB ports provide charging capabilities while voice commands can be used to control certain functions. Satellite radio is also available on the SR and SV trims but is not available on the base S trim.
Safety Features
The 2023 Nissan Versa comes with a lot of great standard driver-assistance technology. Automatic high beams and lane-departure warning are standard as well as front and rear automatic emergency braking. Blindspot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control are available as options.
The NHTSA gave the 2023 Nissan Versa a 5-star overall safety rating, so you can rest assured that you’ll have safe travels.
2023 Nissan Versa Trims & Pricing
S – $16,925
The base model trim comes with a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT, 15-inch wheels, halogen headlights, dual power outside mirrors, a six-way manual driver’s seat, cloth seats, 7.0-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, voice recognition, steering wheel mounted controls, rearview monitor, hill start assist, four-speaker audio system, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams.
SV – $20,215
The SV trim gives you everything in the S trim plus 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, push-button start, a center console with storage, 60/40-split fold-down rear seats, 7.0-inch touchscreen, Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity, wireless phone charger, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver alertness warning.
SR – $20,915
The SR gives you everything in the SV trim along with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, heated outside mirrors with LED turn signal indicators, rear spoiler, automatic temperature control, sport cloth seat trim, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 8.0-inch touchscreen, six-speaker audio system, and adaptive cruise control.
Warranties
The warranties offered with the 2023 Nissan Versa are average. However, main competitors like Kia and Hyundai both provide much longer warranties. A limited warranty covers 3 years/36,000 miles while the powertrain warranty is 5 years/60,000 miles. If you are looking for complimentary maintenance, you won’t find it here. Competitors like the Toyota Corolla are the ones to look at.
What we think
2023 Nissan Versa – nissanusa.com | Shop 2023 Nissan Versa on Carsforsale.com
While the 2023 Nissan Versa suffers greatly from a lack of power, this does not taint it from becoming simply “another economy car”. In fact, it is a great choice for anyone who is looking for an inexpensive car to handle daily commuting. The comfortable ride is far from being luxurious, but it will not feel like you’re selling yourself short.
There’s plenty of technology and driver assistance functions that make it seem like a more substantial vehicle. Plus, if you’re looking to save at the pump, you’ll be extremely happy with the fuel economy that the Nissan Versa offers.
Overall, we think the 2023 Nissan Versa is a win for Nissan. It gives drivers a lot of car for their money, and that’s more important than ever in the world where prices seem to continually go up.
For new car incentives, check out our article here.
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