2011 Nissan Versa Review

The Nissan Versa can be equipped quite well for a small, low-priced vehicle and, in some ways, can rival the comforts of a larger, more sophisticated car.

The Nissan Versa is offered in two different body styles, a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback. Nissan Versa sedans look a little tall and homely, and the proportions don't work out as well. The 2011 Nissan Versa has all the basics for decent small-car performance, but when it's all added up there's something missing in the details that leaves the overall execution uninspired. In all, you won't ever mistake the 2011 Versa for a sporty car.

Compared to other cars in its class, the 2011 Nissan Versa is exceptionally roomy in both sedan and hatch guises, with plenty of headroom. The hatchback has a generous 17.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the backseat up, trunk space is vast for such a small car in the sedan, and Nissan says the amount of interior space approaches that of mid-size cars. The 2011 Nissan Versa rides very comfortably—so much so, that you're likely to think you're in a larger vehicle. Depending on what trim you choose, the 2011 Nissan Versa can range from well under $11k, including destination, to approaching the $20k mark.

Changes are light for the 2011 Nissan Versa: antilock brakes are now included with the upgraded 1.6 sedan trim, while the 1.8 S sedan gains a six-disc CD changer.
Cars at a certain bargain-basement price point used to be called penalty boxes. Like many subcompact cars, the Versa is available in four-door sedan and hatchback body styles and its most basic models offer little in the way of convenience features.

The 2011 Nissan Versa is a subcompact car available in sedan and hatchback styles. The Power Plus package adds power windows and locks, keyless entry, cruise control and padded door armrests.

The 1.8 SL adds 15-inch alloy wheels, a height-adjustable driver seat, upgraded cloth upholstery, front and rear center armrests, 60/40 split rear seatbacks (sedan) and a six-speaker stereo. The sedan's Convenience package adds keyless ignition/entry, Bluetooth and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls. The 2011 Nissan Versa is available with a choice of two four-cylinder engines. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, while a four-speed automatic is optional. EPA-estimated fuel economy with the manual is 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the 1.8 S trim. The four-speed automatic is optional on the 1.8 S trim and standard on the 1.8 SL sedan, while the 1.8 SL hatchback gets a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

Every "Nissan Versa" comes standard with front side airbags and side curtain airbags. Antilock brakes are optional on the base car and standard on all other trim levels. Without antilock brakes, we found the Versa could stop from 60 mph in 132 feet, which is about average for this type of car. In government crash tests, the Versa scored four out of five stars for all occupants in both front- and side-impact tests.

In the government's new, more strenuous crash testing for 2011, the Nissan Versa earned an overall rating of two stars out of a possible five, with three stars for overall frontal crash protection and two stars for overall side crash protection.

The 2011 Nissan Versa has a remarkably roomy cabin. Looks-wise, the car's interior is quite bland, but overall interior quality is high. The car's overstuffed front seats are comfortable during hour-long commutes, but support fades on longer drives. Unlike Honda's Fit, the Nissan Versa hatchback's split rear seat doesn't fold down in a way that provides a flat cargo floor, but lowering it reveals a sizable 50 cubic feet of space.

Thanks to its softly tuned suspension, the 2011 Nissan Versa offers the sort of pillow-like ride that's usually reserved for much larger cars.

The base 1.6-liter engine in the Nissan Versa gets an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway/29 combined fuel-economy rating with the five-speed manual. The optional 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine delivers a slightly lower 26 mpg city/31 mpg highway/28 mpg combined when paired with the manual transmission, and 24 mpg city/32 mpg highway/27 mpg combined with the same automatic as available in the base engine. The top trim level is available with a CVT automatic transmission that increases fuel efficiency up to 28 mpg city/34 mpg highway/30 mpg combined.