Nissan makes the worst CVT transmissions!! They WILL fail early. So never buy CVT from Nissan. BTW, my Nissan Versa 4-speed automatic has 145,000 miles and runs like new. I love it!
As an owner of a 2020 Nissan versa Sr, I can confirm the cvt is janky at low speeds or in bumper to bumper traffic. But I still LOVE this car. And no I wouldn't trade it for the manual transmission. That base version is old news. U want the future proof tech in the Sr with the convenience package. Overall I love it, (except for the cvt in traffic)
I have a 2021 manual. Hard to find but seriously underrated. It's cheap, fun to drive, and gets way better mpg than advertised. Only those with a very strong leadfoot will get the advertised fuel economy, and I'm averaging 36 city/41 highway.
I’m so glad to hear that the advertised MPG is a under estimate! Going to be getting a 2023 versa s next week. Driving 100 miles a day in a ‘99 outback was getting old lol
@@jonney8046 All manufacturer's lie.and underrate the fuel.economy on purpose to move people to automatics and cvts. You can get better fuel economy in a stickshift with some practice on top of better performance and reliability.
@@dddes2328 they go out incredibly fast. Mine was on its second transmission and started slipping at only about 30000 miles of the transmission’s life.
I have a 2011 manual Versa hatchback. It's time for an upgrade, so we started looking at the new Versa, and I was so excited to see that they are still making them in manual.
I test drove this yesterday and am seriously considering getting it. I'm 6'4 and this was actually comfortable for me. Far more comfortable than the elantra and impreza I also test drove.
I bought a 2024 a couple of months ago. I just got home from my first road trip, put over 1200 miles on it on this trip. I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable and capable it was on the freeway. The only negative I can say was that when you are directly behind a semi, at highway speed, the car does get buffeted around a little bit - nothing scary. Just don't tailgate semis. After this trip, my overall average is 44.6 MPG. It was a very relaxing car to drive, even through construction zones. The small size and ease of maneuvering is much nicer than my F150 with an 8 ft bed. LOL
@@timmyseaton9190 I had zero problems with freeway driving. But I do tend to think that speed limits are actually something to be considered when driving. The only negative I could report is that the car does get buffeted around a little when following a semi closely. Noting scary, just drop back a little to get out of the wake turbulence.
I just test drive a Versa a week ago and then bought it that day. But didn’t have an issue with rev matching (blipping) also if anyone is curious the foot room with big boots is plenty. It’s more spacious than a fiesta. I feel like the Versa now is what the Sentra was size wise too
i got it in 2019, no issues till now after long road trips across several states. not much power, but gets the job done. go for manual stick shift, its the best
$15k is a very good price for the Versa in this tight market. You could find them discounted to $13.8k, pre-pandemic, but we won't be seeing those discounts anymore for years to come.
I bought this exact car just over a year ago.Great Car if you're not trying to impress anyone. The mileage is way better than advertised. Also the final drive in the trans is 4 to1,so you really dont need to blip it for deceleration just let off the gas.Blipping for a downshift to power through a turn etc will only be necessary if you want to abuse the car.You get plenty of low end from the final drive,under 45 mph you could casually downshift from 5 to 4 etc. It has conventional port fuel injection to avoid direct injection related carbon problems. With the manual trans I avois the cvt issues I found a set of mag rims from a 2018, steelies were the only option on the trim level with manual trans. Now Im set for a while
@@cw4623 The lifespan of a CVT is much lower than a slush box auto or a manual. The only company that's really came up with a remedy is Toyota. They just use a legitimate first gear and the CVT starts from around a second gear ratio. An eCVT is a different story. Likely the most reliable transmission ever made. Nissan is under several class action lawsuits for their recent CVTs. Including the models up to 2024.
The good thing about manual is you dont have to worry about transmission going out, just replacing the clutch after 100,000 - 150,000 miles which is relatively inexpensive to do.
No need to worry about a jatco cvt because it has the traditional manual gearbox This thing I can’t believe I’m saying this about a Nissan, can probably go over 200,000 miles troublefree if you maintain it properly
That's what I was thinking too. I bought the 2016 for 10k now they want 16k for "standard" electronic doodads I don't want or need. KISS keep it simple stupid
Rear & back-up features is what caused the price to go up. Don't blame the economy, blame the politicians who made this a requirement for all new cars produced from 2019 and up.
I had a 1993 Ford Festiva that i bought brand new and kept for 10 years with about 160,000 and it still ran 100%, 1.3 with about 65 HP, that had 12-inch wheels, so THAT'S small. I paid $6300.00 cash.
@@Razz-x6g Mine was $19,600 +/- some change back in August. I just got home from my first road trip, put over 1200 miles on it. I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable and capable it was on the freeway. The only negative I can say was that when you are directly behind a semi, at highway speed, the car does get buffeted around a little bit - nothing scary. Just don't tailgate semis. After this trip, my overall average is 44.6 MPG. It was a very relaxing car to drive, even through construction zones. The small size and ease of maneuvering is much nicer than my F150 with an 8 ft bed. LOL
I had a 2018 Versa with a manual transmission, it didn’t have any options at all. It had a radio with an aux port no Bluetooth capabilities except for making calls. No back up camera, no power windows, no cruise control, just a very basic car. The only thing I liked about it was the mpgs, and the transmission. It was fun to drive.
I have the 2018 Versa Manual that I bought new, now with about 50,000 miles. Since I keep my cars forever I wanted one with the least tech possible so it wouldn't fail or be obsolete in 10 years. I live in a rural part of Oregon so all my driving is rural highways, no city driving, so parking sensors, backup cameras etc., are useless to me. No problems with the car except for one noisy wheel bearing that I replaced myself for under $40. 41 mpg average since I bought it.
The problem with "blipping" you're having is a combination of the slow-to-rev engine and the close gear ratios. If you want to rev match a downshift you have to spend the extra time to get those revs up higher than you normally would.
Just bought this the other day! Watched this video and some others prior to though. Had the 2017 versa with the CVT and had problems with the CVT. Needed something reliable and inexpensive as I’m not rich you know 😄 love it so far although there is a bit louder highway noise- still overall the best deal going I think for all that comes with it!😁👍👌🏼
Good value, basic personal transportation & interesting to see a base model tested for once - a quite stylish, cheap to run & unpretentious car targeting buyers prioritising economical motoring. The road tester seems to acknowledge the above on the whole by regularly referencing the price & (mercifully) drives steadily (as most owners would) - my only criticism is repeated & irrelevant (gear box) 'down shifting' comparisons to a Porsche.
Agreed. No point to compare one thing between cars from different segment because it has no merits to potential shoppers like me. Comparing MT between Mirage G4, Versa and the likes make sense for example.
I'm kind of tight on money right now, would getting one of these straight off the lot a good idea? i can afford the monthly payments and all that i just don't want something that is going to be living in the dealer shop after 50k miles.
At lease it has a spare many don't even have one nowadays. I do prefer a standard anytime I have a small motor such as this. I feel it allows me to get out of the way quicker. The fact any car at this price has collision assist in unheard of!
I’m wondering how many miles these things will go without having engine trouble, the old 4cylinder Sentra used to have very bad head gasket issues, but for 16k out the door, this is a steal for a new car. I’d rather find one used and get it just that much cheaper tbh.
Yep, my gas loving old trk is my weekend warrior and my '16 manual versa is my 42mpg daily commuter. 75k on it now with only oil changes for maintenance. I'm shootin for another 5yrs @ 150k with only minimal repairs, belt, alternator, oil and water pumps ect and I'll be thrilled. My truck should last forever now doing just trk stuff instead burning up miles going to work and buying groceries.
@Dwigt : you should. In 2012 had a Dodge Ram V8 Hemi Magnum and I love it, it was my first truck. Thats what i drove to High School so I had great memories on it but it was killing me with the gas when the gas prices went up, I was spending between $520 to $640 in gas a month. So I looked for a cheap but reliable car and I came up with a 2012 Nissan Versa SV, so I sold my truck with 284K miles on it for $3500 and got the a new 2012 Nisan Versa. Since I gave 0 down the payments were $235 a month and the insurance was $110 since I was under 25 and had a speeding ticket the insurance was a little high and I was spending and average of $120 in gas a month. So the payment of the car the insurance and the gas was less then what I was wasting in gas on my truck, so pretty much its paid it self off and I still had extra money that I was saving on gas.
This guy says that the throttle is a "little touchy," boy is that an understatement! This thing has so much ref-hang that it is literally impossible to shift it smoothly at any speed let-alone when trying to do so quickly! He's also confused about why he can't blip the throttle and down shift, well, once again this is due to an extraordinary amount of rev-hang! I know all manuals suffer with rev-hang since drive-by-wire throttles were introduced and used to lower emissions but this throttle is very poorly tuned causing extreme ref-hang which makes this thing a real chore to drive! This is a great car but I'd avoid the manual and take my chances with the CVT! I have a 2012 CVT Versa with 190k on it and it's still going strong.
I'm heavily considering a 2021 Versa S with a manual. I'm really leaning toward the Versa over the Hyundai Accent for a few reasons. The Versa has much more safety features standard. The Accent only has forward Collison and that's only of their top of the line model. I think the Versa has a more contemporary look to it and feels more user friendly. The base accent only had a cheap 5 inch screen while the versa has a 7 inch screen. My only two huge gripes with the Versa are that Android Auto is not available on the base model and unlike the Accent, the Versa doesn't have a 6th gear. I like the 6 speed manual in the Accent and I like the better warranty. But I'm not sure if that's enough to make be go with that over the Versa. Ita a hard call, but that's the downside to buying an entry-level car. You have to decide what matters more and what doesn't.
Buy a 2019 altima for the same price fully loaded or almost fully loaded with leather bose and sunroof as well as pro pilot assist and a heated steering wheel. There alot of them for very close for the price of a versa and it gets better mpg on the highway.
@@occckid123 I don't want an Altima. It's too big for me. I'm single and no kids. A Versa is just the right size car for me. Also, I want a manual transmission. I hate automatics.
@@RedNekLvr22 if its like the kicks i drove then kts a good car but the thing I didn't like is that the width of the car is narrow. The armrest on the door was so small that my elbow kept sliding off of it and the right armrest if a base versa even has 1 was placed 2 high.
@UCzm8IKpsricnfi1zzKaqzYw thanks for the honest report. I ended up buying a 17 camry se with 112k miles for 15k cash. It's not perfect but it's pretty goodd and had a clean carfax. I hope I have good luck with it. I test drove a versa 5 speed with 95k and faded paint. They wanted 10k. I've never considered buying a new car, but I may buy one the next time I get one. It's alot of money, but it would be great to have a car I know was treated right from day 1.
Priced out a 22 with shipping for $16900. Nissan website. Manual. You might have to wait for delivery. Anything cheap is scarce and it's got no option boxes ticked
Funnily enough the CVT version of the same base model versa actually have a 60:40 split rear seats.... dunno why they differentiate it like that. Also $16k with all that features? dang thats a bargain, might as well buy it with a discount!
Get the manual transmission and this vehicle will easily last +20 years. People are getting screwed with modern CVT automatic transmissions which hardly make it to 5 years and start getting issues.
I’m looking for a car to learn a transmission. Thinking about a versa. More likely a older model. 16k for the 2021 model. Sadly , I personally choose over Toyota Mazda or a Honda any day (reliability). The price range for the versa is beatable then most of three company
Technology has come a long way. For today's vehicles, reliability usually comes down to how well you maintain it and don't abuse it all the time. Unless it's a Fiat/Chrysler
You probably only had any kinda legroom in back cuz front seat was all the way up, sit behind me 6'4 & see how that goes? Manuals are fun though and 35 mpg doesn't hurt either... You go Ben 😎
I get annoyed with reviews where the top trim model with all the bells and whistles is tested. Who gets those cars? People get the base model with maybe a few extras in hopes of keeping the cost down. This review of the manual transmission Nissan Versa is more in line with what we can afford. Steel wheels with hubcaps! Yay!
What year is your Versa and how many miles do you have on it so far? Would you recommend a cvt automatic Versa or a 5 speed manual Versa for possible daily city or daily city to highway driving? Is it hard to learn to drive a 5 speed manual or manual car overall? I prefer a cvt or automatic, but am willing to learn to drive a 5 speed manual car or manual car overall to save myself from future long term reliability car headaches.
@@user-wv3jt9xg8xI have a 2020 with about 11,000 miles on it. for my uses the cvt is the better option. I do a lot of highway driving and the cvt really helps keep the rpms lower at highway speeds. Manual is VERY easy to learn. Hardest part is getting it rolling. Just a matter of foot control and getting the rhythm of how the clutch and gas work together. Hands down though, the manual is going to be more reliable. It's always easier to replace a clutch for a few hundred than one of these cvts. Pretty sure the cvt alone is $5,000 before install.
@@dwoodrow9721 Are you planning to trade your cvt Versa for a 5 speed manual Versa, due to perhaps possiblly encountering cvt issues down the road? Would you overall recommend, 5 speed manual versa for daily city driving, and traffic congested roads in the city?
In many ways it's like my then new 1997 Mazda Protégé LX 5 speed but with modern safety/tech and more power (though the 1.5 Protégé was quite slow but it wads fun to rev the snot out of and still got great mpg). MSRP with destination was like 14k then, and when adjusted for inflation that's 23k in 2021 dollars. This is a real bargain if it drives well.
Ooof, with that money, you might as well just tell them to swap it to a manual trans. I have a 2016 Versa Note S base with manual trans. Not the best for beginners to manual but I didn't wreck the clutch either
@@wesc.addle.9789 Do you have a 2021? My 2012 cvt versa had lots of road noise on the highway also I did not like the CVT it was finicky, but other than those two issues I love the car. I would still be driving it but it got flattened by a tree a gew days ago, so I'm looking at possibly buying a 2021 standard 5 speed soon.
@@wesc.addle.9789 I'm going to try to test drive a manual transmission 2021 versa and a manual transmission 2021 Sentra hopefully this week. The Sentra is a little out of our price range, but who knows iif it seems to drive a lot better maybe i can swing it. The 16,000 to 19,000 $ price range is tuff to find a brand new sedan. I absolutely hate shopping for cars it should be fun not stressful lol.
Seriously needs a 6th gear. Highway revs are much too high. I live in Mexico and have rented both the manual and cvt. I drove both in the USA and at 80 to 90 mph, the manual is just too noisy due the high revs. The cvt actually ran quite well at those speeds; I was very surprised. I drove from Laredo, TX to Cincinnati so it was long enough to make a decent comparison. Not sure though I would buy the cvt unless the reliability issues have been worked out. .
If that new Nissan Versa is a Manual Transmission, then that car will most likely to Outlast a Sentra or Altima that are Run by CVT's! That Little Versa with a Manual Transmission Will Last just like an Old Corolla. Except the part where most cars nowadays have push button start which is so Stupid and most likely to break overtime. But overall that car is great, it's practical and could be a great daily commuter car!
Not very.....I bought a 2022 Nissan Versa manual in December of 2022. I've driven sticks for 30+ years and have NEVER had a problem right out the gate. I noticed that if you stall the 2022 Versa and immediately restart it, the car had no acceleration. I took it back to the dealer for repair (fault code P2615). They replaced the camshaft position sensor and harness.
Nissan should revive the SE-R Spec V, but on the Versa instead, by throwing a 2.0L 4 cylinder turbocharged engine with a 6 speed manual transmission, a sunroof, and a rear spoiler
I want this exact vehicle in a manual transmission only, in white, and with 30% tint level for windows all around. (except the front windshield of course) but it's sooooo difficult to find in my city. 😐
About 20 to 21,000.now. You can get a real deal on a manual because the majority of young don’t know how to drive one. You definitely don’t want one of those cvt transmissions. They won’t make it 100k miles Manual will outlast the engine
Probably so. You might have to drive to a different dealer or order one. Basic manual is $16665 including the shipping. I don't know how to avoid the destination charges which makes a $15600 car $16665. A dealer with one on the lot keeps this a secret.
damn i would get it maybe an automatic not to sure about the realibility of it though I had a 2017 nissan sentra that car had cvt and gave out idk maybe just keep for two years then switch it over to toyota haha.
The 5 speed will run for a long time, avoid the CVT transmission.
Bought the manual myself, but had a cvt Kia Rio before I totaled it, cvt was great on the Rio
@@Zachery_ That's because it was a KIA. NISSAN makes terrible CVT transmissions that break easily. They are simply weak transmissions.
Nissan makes the worst CVT transmissions!! They WILL fail early. So never buy CVT from Nissan. BTW, my Nissan Versa 4-speed automatic has 145,000 miles and runs like new. I love it!
Research your car before you buy it. Nissan uses jatco cvts that suck. Other brands also use jatco trannys
As an owner of a 2020 Nissan versa Sr, I can confirm the cvt is janky at low speeds or in bumper to bumper traffic. But I still LOVE this car. And no I wouldn't trade it for the manual transmission. That base version is old news. U want the future proof tech in the Sr with the convenience package. Overall I love it, (except for the cvt in traffic)
I have a 2021 manual. Hard to find but seriously underrated. It's cheap, fun to drive, and gets way better mpg than advertised. Only those with a very strong leadfoot will get the advertised fuel economy, and I'm averaging 36 city/41 highway.
Any noticeable rev-hanging with this car?
@@henrygutetama3173 tons, but it's easy to deal with.
I’m so glad to hear that the advertised MPG is a under estimate! Going to be getting a 2023 versa s next week. Driving 100 miles a day in a ‘99 outback was getting old lol
@@henrygutetama3173 All modern cars have rev hang. Its just hiw electronic throttle cars are. Dont be too bothered by it.
@@jonney8046 All manufacturer's lie.and underrate the fuel.economy on purpose to move people to automatics and cvts. You can get better fuel economy in a stickshift with some practice on top of better performance and reliability.
The 2017 model saved my life during a head-on collision going 65mph. I'm looking to get another one Versa soon
Best part about these cars are their cheap, really good mpg and extremely reliable
@Jonathan Losito why not?
@@dddes2328 the “reliable” bit in the original comment becomes invalid as they’re pieces of shit
@@HughRussell06 the manuals are very reliable.
Nissan is all things but reliable not one of them
@@dddes2328 they go out incredibly fast. Mine was on its second transmission and started slipping at only about 30000 miles of the transmission’s life.
in a world filled with 80k + trucks, this seems like a bargain
It’s the definition of “it’s a car and it drives.”
A trick: you can watch series on flixzone. I've been using it for watching lots of of movies during the lockdown.
@@bjornwilder2073 No
@Bjorn Wilder Yup, I have been watching on flixzone for since december myself :D
@Bjorn Wilder Yea, I've been using Flixzone for since november myself =)
I have a 2011 manual Versa hatchback. It's time for an upgrade, so we started looking at the new Versa, and I was so excited to see that they are still making them in manual.
Go for it and go for the manual. This is a car for practical sensible people.
Can I have your old one? 😂
I test drove this yesterday and am seriously considering getting it. I'm 6'4 and this was actually comfortable for me. Far more comfortable than the elantra and impreza I also test drove.
has more front leg room than impreza!
no way this has more space then those cars, that’s impressive
I bought a 2024 a couple of months ago. I just got home from my first road trip, put over 1200 miles on it on this trip. I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable and capable it was on the freeway. The only negative I can say was that when you are directly behind a semi, at highway speed, the car does get buffeted around a little bit - nothing scary. Just don't tailgate semis. After this trip, my overall average is 44.6 MPG. It was a very relaxing car to drive, even through construction zones. The small size and ease of maneuvering is much nicer than my F150 with an 8 ft bed. LOL
@@LyleBialk it does seem nice. does the low hp screw over the car on freeways at all?
@@timmyseaton9190 I had zero problems with freeway driving. But I do tend to think that speed limits are actually something to be considered when driving. The only negative I could report is that the car does get buffeted around a little when following a semi closely. Noting scary, just drop back a little to get out of the wake turbulence.
I just test drive a Versa a week ago and then bought it that day. But didn’t have an issue with rev matching (blipping) also if anyone is curious the foot room with big boots is plenty. It’s more spacious than a fiesta. I feel like the Versa now is what the Sentra was size wise too
i got it in 2019, no issues till now after long road trips across several states. not much power, but gets the job done. go for manual stick shift, its the best
Just bought one for 15k before taxes, $16,657.04 was the total after taxes and registration
You got ripped lol
@@robertwilliams5618 They start at $14,830. So $2k more with tax, fees, registration. It sounds about right.
Nicely done. What was the sticker price and how did you get the price knocked down?
$15k is a very good price for the Versa in this tight market. You could find them discounted to $13.8k, pre-pandemic, but we won't be seeing those discounts anymore for years to come.
I bought this exact car just over a year ago.Great Car if you're not trying to impress anyone.
The mileage is way better than advertised.
Also the final drive in the trans is 4 to1,so you really dont need to blip it for deceleration just let off the gas.Blipping for a downshift to power through a turn etc will only be necessary if you want to abuse the car.You get plenty of low end from the final drive,under 45 mph you could casually downshift from 5 to 4 etc.
It has conventional port fuel injection to avoid direct injection related carbon problems.
With the manual trans I avois the cvt issues
I found a set of mag rims from a 2018, steelies were the only option on the trim level with manual trans.
Now Im set for a while
When you replaced the rims, did you stay with the 15" or go with the larger ones like the other Versa models have
Rented one of these bad boys driving from PA to Florida and back, averaged 39 mpg all the way there. Definitely getting one lol
Very good call on the CVT transmission. If you buy one, get a manual. Nissan has notorious problems from the CVT automatics.
It’s not just Nissan all cvt transmissions are junk.
Nope. That's a tired early/mid-2000s swan song you're singing, Bud. New Nissan CVTs are reliable.
@@cw4623 The lifespan of a CVT is much lower than a slush box auto or a manual. The only company that's really came up with a remedy is Toyota. They just use a legitimate first gear and the CVT starts from around a second gear ratio. An eCVT is a different story. Likely the most reliable transmission ever made. Nissan is under several class action lawsuits for their recent CVTs. Including the models up to 2024.
The good thing about manual is you dont have to worry about transmission going out, just replacing the clutch after 100,000 - 150,000 miles which is relatively inexpensive to do.
No need to worry about a jatco cvt because it has the traditional manual gearbox
This thing I can’t believe I’m saying this about a Nissan, can probably go over 200,000 miles troublefree if you maintain it properly
Yea but I also had over 200k trouble free miles in my cvt lol
Heck, with the 5 Speed, you should be able to get 300K miles, just replace the clutch around 150K miles.
@@thomasward00 I'm at 337k miles on my cvt right now. I doubt a clutch could last that long especially with how many 0-60 runs I have done lmfao
@@occckid123 Yep if you change the fluid like you are supposed to, the CVT’s will last a long time.
What's the real world MPG?
I think four years ago this car was 10k brand new. Insane how prices have skyrocketed.
That's what I was thinking too. I bought the 2016 for 10k now they want 16k for "standard" electronic doodads I don't want or need. KISS keep it simple stupid
Rear & back-up features is what caused the price to go up. Don't blame the economy, blame the politicians who made this a requirement for all new cars produced from 2019 and up.
I had a 1993 Ford Festiva that i bought brand new and kept for 10 years with about 160,000 and it still ran 100%, 1.3 with about 65 HP, that had 12-inch wheels, so THAT'S small. I paid $6300.00 cash.
Just bought a 2024 Versa Manual - love it so far. Getting 42.5 - 43 MPG, mixed driving. Very easy manual to drive.
How much you paid for it OTD? Looking to buy one!!
@@Razz-x6g Mine was $19,600 +/- some change back in August. I just got home from my first road trip, put over 1200 miles on it. I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable and capable it was on the freeway. The only negative I can say was that when you are directly behind a semi, at highway speed, the car does get buffeted around a little bit - nothing scary. Just don't tailgate semis. After this trip, my overall average is 44.6 MPG. It was a very relaxing car to drive, even through construction zones. The small size and ease of maneuvering is much nicer than my F150 with an 8 ft bed. LOL
I think this is a great buy. With the manual transmission, it's fairly quick. I don't need any fancy tech. It's comfortable and plenty roomy.
It’s basically equipped like a 2014 top trim anything else. Lol. And it has something even a new Porsche doesn’t have... a manual!
i'm just watching these videos while in my 5 speed civc waiting for my mom to finish shopping
I had a 2018 Versa with a manual transmission, it didn’t have any options at all. It had a radio with an aux port no Bluetooth capabilities except for making calls. No back up camera, no power windows, no cruise control, just a very basic car. The only thing I liked about it was the mpgs, and the transmission. It was fun to drive.
I have the same thing in the 2014 Note Hatchback. I added a BOSCAM K7 back up camera from amazon works great!
I have the 2018 Versa Manual that I bought new, now with about 50,000 miles. Since I keep my cars forever I wanted one with the least tech possible so it wouldn't fail or be obsolete in 10 years. I live in a rural part of Oregon so all my driving is rural highways, no city driving, so parking sensors, backup cameras etc., are useless to me. No problems with the car except for one noisy wheel bearing that I replaced myself for under $40. 41 mpg average since I bought it.
Gotta love the suv that pulls out to the far left lane at 9:20 then continues on to make a right turn from it lol
My wife is having a 2012 model with manual transmission, and the car still runs smooth.
The problem with "blipping" you're having is a combination of the slow-to-rev engine and the close gear ratios. If you want to rev match a downshift you have to spend the extra time to get those revs up higher than you normally would.
Just bought this the other day! Watched this video and some others prior to though. Had the 2017 versa with the CVT and had problems with the CVT. Needed something reliable and inexpensive as I’m not rich you know 😄 love it so far although there is a bit louder highway noise- still overall the best deal going I think for all that comes with it!😁👍👌🏼
Fun Facts: you can actually make higher fuel economy that CVT if you gear up at 1500-2000 rpm
Would take this over the cvt one anyday, admittedly not in this base spec one tho
Can only get the manual in the base S trim
Good value, basic personal transportation & interesting to see a base model tested for once - a quite stylish, cheap to run & unpretentious car targeting buyers prioritising economical motoring.
The road tester seems to acknowledge the above on the whole by regularly referencing the price & (mercifully) drives steadily (as most owners would) - my only criticism is repeated & irrelevant (gear box) 'down shifting' comparisons to a Porsche.
Agreed. No point to compare one thing between cars from different segment because it has no merits to potential shoppers like me. Comparing MT between Mirage G4, Versa and the likes make sense for example.
I test drove a 2018 with 95k miles and faded paint. The dealer wants 10k for a car that was 12 when it was new, so I'm considering a new one.
I'm kind of tight on money right now, would getting one of these straight off the lot a good idea? i can afford the monthly payments and all that i just don't want something that is going to be living in the dealer shop after 50k miles.
As long as you keep up with basic maintenance you should be fine, I would say go for it
Question please❓Do you remember if (in this "S" model) the rear seats fold down? Thank you.
The rear seats in the Versa S model do NOT fold down. Might be a dealbreaker for me, regrettably.
Mine do. Then again i have a 2022 automatic.
Love this guys reviews
My mom has a 2020 absolutely Class, I’m going to get one and tune the heck out of it, has great potential for a rally, don’t spread the word 🤫
At lease it has a spare many don't even have one nowadays. I do prefer a standard anytime I have a small motor such as this. I feel it allows me to get out of the way quicker. The fact any car at this price has collision assist in unheard of!
I’m wondering how many miles these things will go without having engine trouble, the old 4cylinder Sentra used to have very bad head gasket issues, but for 16k out the door, this is a steal for a new car. I’d rather find one used and get it just that much cheaper tbh.
How old on the Sentra? I had a 2001 and a 2006. They had the same motor and they ran awesome never any problems.
They did change after 06 though.
I should park my truck and buy this to commute with.
Yep, my gas loving old trk is my weekend warrior and my '16 manual versa is my 42mpg daily commuter. 75k on it now with only oil changes for maintenance. I'm shootin for another 5yrs @ 150k with only minimal repairs, belt, alternator, oil and water pumps ect and I'll be thrilled. My truck should last forever now doing just trk stuff instead burning up miles going to work and buying groceries.
@Dwigt : you should. In 2012 had a Dodge Ram V8 Hemi Magnum and I love it, it was my first truck. Thats what i drove to High School so I had great memories on it but it was killing me with the gas when the gas prices went up, I was spending between $520 to $640 in gas a month. So I looked for a cheap but reliable car and I came up with a 2012 Nissan Versa SV, so I sold my truck with 284K miles on it for $3500 and got the a new 2012 Nisan Versa. Since I gave 0 down the payments were $235 a month and the insurance was $110 since I was under 25 and had a speeding ticket the insurance was a little high and I was spending and average of $120 in gas a month. So the payment of the car the insurance and the gas was less then what I was wasting in gas on my truck, so pretty much its paid it self off and I still had extra money that I was saving on gas.
This guy says that the throttle is a "little touchy," boy is that an understatement! This thing has so much ref-hang that it is literally impossible to shift it smoothly at any speed let-alone when trying to do so quickly! He's also confused about why he can't blip the throttle and down shift, well, once again this is due to an extraordinary amount of rev-hang! I know all manuals suffer with rev-hang since drive-by-wire throttles were introduced and used to lower emissions but this throttle is very poorly tuned causing extreme ref-hang which makes this thing a real chore to drive! This is a great car but I'd avoid the manual and take my chances with the CVT! I have a 2012 CVT Versa with 190k on it and it's still going strong.
I'm heavily considering a 2021 Versa S with a manual. I'm really leaning toward the Versa over the Hyundai Accent for a few reasons. The Versa has much more safety features standard. The Accent only has forward Collison and that's only of their top of the line model. I think the Versa has a more contemporary look to it and feels more user friendly. The base accent only had a cheap 5 inch screen while the versa has a 7 inch screen. My only two huge gripes with the Versa are that Android Auto is not available on the base model and unlike the Accent, the Versa doesn't have a 6th gear. I like the 6 speed manual in the Accent and I like the better warranty. But I'm not sure if that's enough to make be go with that over the Versa. Ita a hard call, but that's the downside to buying an entry-level car. You have to decide what matters more and what doesn't.
Buy a 2019 altima for the same price fully loaded or almost fully loaded with leather bose and sunroof as well as pro pilot assist and a heated steering wheel. There alot of them for very close for the price of a versa and it gets better mpg on the highway.
@@occckid123 I don't want an Altima. It's too big for me. I'm single and no kids. A Versa is just the right size car for me. Also, I want a manual transmission. I hate automatics.
@@RedNekLvr22 if its like the kicks i drove then kts a good car but the thing I didn't like is that the width of the car is narrow. The armrest on the door was so small that my elbow kept sliding off of it and the right armrest if a base versa even has 1 was placed 2 high.
What did you ultimately decide?? Funny enough I'm on the same boat right now
Is the audio system USB port compatible with android phones?
I wish it was 16,000... more like 19,500 out the door with dealers
I have the perfect title for when Ben reviews the Kia Rio: 2021 Kia Rio: Did Kia do enough to save the tiny tiger?
LOL
I have never bought a new car. How much does the dealership stick you for in fees above the msrp?
@UCzm8IKpsricnfi1zzKaqzYw thanks for the honest report. I ended up buying a 17 camry se with 112k miles for 15k cash. It's not perfect but it's pretty goodd and had a clean carfax. I hope I have good luck with it. I test drove a versa 5 speed with 95k and faded paint. They wanted 10k. I've never considered buying a new car, but I may buy one the next time I get one. It's alot of money, but it would be great to have a car I know was treated right from day 1.
Full blown acceleration (shifts at 4800 RPM). Is that thing a diesel lol?
I'd actually love to have one of these little cars. Tough to find though apparently.
Someone in the comments stated that they saw versa in 2016 sell msrp for $10,000.00 what state was this in?
Priced out a 22 with shipping for $16900. Nissan website. Manual. You might have to wait for delivery. Anything cheap is scarce and it's got no option boxes ticked
not a bad price.
Funnily enough the CVT version of the same base model versa actually have a 60:40 split rear seats.... dunno why they differentiate it like that. Also $16k with all that features? dang thats a bargain, might as well buy it with a discount!
Get the manual transmission and this vehicle will easily last +20 years. People are getting screwed with modern CVT automatic transmissions which hardly make it to 5 years and start getting issues.
I have never heard of the word "blipping". What does it really mean, if there's no synonym for it ??
I’m looking for a car to learn a transmission. Thinking about a versa. More likely a older model. 16k for the 2021 model. Sadly , I personally choose over Toyota Mazda or a Honda any day (reliability). The price range for the versa is beatable then most of three company
Technology has come a long way. For today's vehicles, reliability usually comes down to how well you maintain it and don't abuse it all the time. Unless it's a Fiat/Chrysler
You probably only had any kinda legroom in back cuz front seat was all the way up, sit behind me 6'4 & see how that goes? Manuals are fun though and 35 mpg doesn't hurt either...
You go Ben 😎
Thank you for reviewing this model
I really miss manual transmission. But driving in L.A. traffic sucks
I get annoyed with reviews where the top trim model with all the bells and whistles is tested. Who gets those cars? People get the base model with maybe a few extras in hopes of keeping the cost down. This review of the manual transmission Nissan Versa is more in line with what we can afford. Steel wheels with hubcaps! Yay!
I see one at the dealer, new 2021, 5spd for 16,300... is this too much? I thought they start at 14K?? how much did you pay for a new versa 5spd?
Great video! Thanks.
Good review & great Nissan.
What discounts does Nissan have for this car? I have a 16 year old daughter that wants a stick shift.
Thanks for any advice.
What does blip mean?
I actually like this little thing but I want the higher trim with a manual
I have a cvt model and so far so good. I'm tempting to trade for the manual. Also, that's my twin lol. Mines silver too
What year is your Versa and how many miles do you have on it so far? Would you recommend a cvt automatic Versa or a 5 speed manual Versa for possible daily city or daily city to highway driving? Is it hard to learn to drive a 5 speed manual or manual car overall? I prefer a cvt or automatic, but am willing to learn to drive a 5 speed manual car or manual car overall to save myself from future long term reliability car headaches.
@@user-wv3jt9xg8xI have a 2020 with about 11,000 miles on it. for my uses the cvt is the better option. I do a lot of highway driving and the cvt really helps keep the rpms lower at highway speeds. Manual is VERY easy to learn. Hardest part is getting it rolling. Just a matter of foot control and getting the rhythm of how the clutch and gas work together. Hands down though, the manual is going to be more reliable. It's always easier to replace a clutch for a few hundred than one of these cvts. Pretty sure the cvt alone is $5,000 before install.
@@dwoodrow9721 Are you planning to trade your cvt Versa for a 5 speed manual Versa, due to perhaps possiblly encountering cvt issues down the road? Would you overall recommend, 5 speed manual versa for daily city driving, and traffic congested roads in the city?
So the gear shift stick came off and it won't stick back in and is loose. Any advice
I'm interested in the outcome of this. Did you have to get a new one? Don't tell me the threads were bad on the stick? 🤔
This is my car, I need help taking off the stick knob, can someone please help me, I’ve tried absolutely everything and I can’t get it off
In many ways it's like my then new 1997 Mazda Protégé LX 5 speed but with modern safety/tech and more power (though the 1.5 Protégé was quite slow but it wads fun to rev the snot out of and still got great mpg). MSRP with destination was like 14k then, and when adjusted for inflation that's 23k in 2021 dollars. This is a real bargain if it drives well.
My car is: 2015 Versa Note SV, 90K Miles, I paid $4,200 for a new CVT in the first two months.
Ooof, with that money, you might as well just tell them to swap it to a manual trans. I have a 2016 Versa Note S base with manual trans. Not the best for beginners to manual but I didn't wreck the clutch either
What does "blip" mean?
Wonder how loud the interior is while driving on the freeway 🛣
It’s super quiet.
@@wesc.addle.9789 Do you have a 2021? My 2012 cvt versa had lots of road noise on the highway also I did not like the CVT it was finicky, but other than those two issues I love the car. I would still be driving it but it got flattened by a tree a gew days ago, so I'm looking at possibly buying a 2021 standard 5 speed soon.
@@flipflat4814 I have a 2020 but I’m sure they’re identical. Only thing I wish this car had was a sixth gear.
@@wesc.addle.9789 I'm going to try to test drive a manual transmission 2021 versa and a manual transmission 2021 Sentra hopefully this week. The Sentra is a little out of our price range, but who knows iif it seems to drive a lot better maybe i can swing it. The 16,000 to 19,000 $ price range is tuff to find a brand new sedan. I absolutely hate shopping for cars it should be fun not stressful lol.
@@flipflat4814 good luck finding a Sentra with a manual transmission. They’re super rare.
I wish the Altima or maxima had a manual
Can the anti theft system be removed?
Seriously needs a 6th gear. Highway revs are much too high. I live in Mexico and have rented both the manual and cvt. I drove both in the USA and at 80 to 90 mph, the manual is just too noisy due the high revs. The cvt actually ran quite well at those speeds; I was very surprised.
I drove from Laredo, TX to Cincinnati so it was long enough to make a decent comparison. Not sure though I would buy the cvt unless the reliability issues have been worked out. .
11:28 Body roll? No car will have body roll at that speed in a long curve.
What do you mean by blip?
What is a blip?
Do these have a coolant guage?
No, does not even have a "warm-up" light. You have to guess or add one yourself.
So its $16k new? But why am I seeing them listed for $22-24k used with 20k miles on them? WTactualF?
Because car prices are ridiculously high now
Ben ❤️
If that new Nissan Versa is a Manual Transmission, then that car will most likely to Outlast a Sentra or Altima that are Run by CVT's! That Little Versa with a Manual Transmission Will Last just like an Old Corolla. Except the part where most cars nowadays have push button start which is so Stupid and most likely to break overtime. But overall that car is great, it's practical and could be a great daily commuter car!
The Sentra also comes with manual trans
It is a key car, at least the 2023 is
And turning the key won't break overtime?
Great car 🚗 I wish we had this in New Zealand 🇳🇿 good price 👍
I think is a new 1992 Nissan Sentra 1.6 L my first car very reliable manual transmission
Is this Utah?
Anyone know how reliable these 1.6L engines are?
Not very.....I bought a 2022 Nissan Versa manual in December of 2022. I've driven sticks for 30+ years and have NEVER had a problem right out the gate. I noticed that if you stall the 2022 Versa and immediately restart it, the car had no acceleration. I took it back to the dealer for repair (fault code P2615). They replaced the camshaft position sensor and harness.
You were short shift in a bit for full-blown acceleration it’ll turn 6000 and you were shift in buy 5000
Looks much better than the 2nd generation ones.
Maybe I missed it but what is the advertised mpg for the manual?
27 city 35 highway
@@velocityxl2009 if so, I'm disappointed as it probably won't make sense for me as I need a brand new MT car with high MPG in city.
Can you get android auto on the manual trans model?
Negative. AA and AC are only available on upper trim level at the expense of CVT only.
Does manual transmission solve most of nissan unreliability?
Yes, it does
This thing should really be sold as a hatchback
Nissan should revive the SE-R Spec V, but on the Versa instead, by throwing a 2.0L 4 cylinder turbocharged engine with a 6 speed manual transmission, a sunroof, and a rear spoiler
I want this exact vehicle in a manual transmission only, in white, and with 30% tint level for windows all around. (except the front windshield of course) but it's sooooo difficult to find in my city. 😐
What is a blip???
Does the rear seat fold?
Yes
True I learned driving manual thru a diesel truck
About 20 to 21,000.now. You can get a real deal on a manual because the majority of young don’t know how to drive one. You definitely don’t want one of those cvt transmissions. They won’t make it 100k miles Manual will outlast the engine
Probably so. You might have to drive to a different dealer or order one. Basic manual is $16665 including the shipping. I don't know how to avoid the destination charges which makes a $15600 car $16665. A dealer with one on the lot keeps this a secret.
Sentra review next?
I’ve reviewed it, just not posted
@@BenHardyCars oh ok, looking forward too it
Is it possible for a Altima sr
I can review that
Can you do a Altima AWD? I have a 2012 SL
Yes
@@BenHardyCars thanks hope you are feeling better
damn i would get it maybe an automatic not to sure about the realibility of it though I had a 2017 nissan sentra that car had cvt and gave out idk maybe just keep for two years then switch it over to toyota haha.
Rate pls
Just wish they had a 6 speed
The only difference is on the long highway miles.