Nissan Versa is an automobile brand name used by the Japanese automotive manufacturer Nissan Motor Company to brand several other models in the Americas. The models include the Tiida, the Pulsar, the Note, the Sentra, and the Sunny/Almeira. The Nissan Versa was introduced in 2006, as a small, affordable car with excellent fuel economy, available as a sedan or hatchback.
Here we are going to take a look at the three generations of the Versa and how they have evolved over the years. Please follow through.
2006 – 2011
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The first generation Nissan Versa (aka Nissan Tiida in Japan) was introduced in 2006 for the 2007 model year. It was based on a variant of the Nissan B platform and was initially available as a five-door hatchback with a four-door sedan released in 2007. The 2007 Versa was available in a base S or a better-equipped SL trim.
The 2006 Versa’s styling is a bit boxy, which helped to create a very spacious interior. Rear seat occupants are treated with enough headroom, shoulder room, and legroom similar to what you’ll get in many large family cars. It also offers unparalleled headroom and shoulder as well. The front seats are practically as large as those found in big cars, with their adjustment levers placed unconventionally between the two seats.
The cargo area of both the hatch and sedan are substantial, with the high-end Tiida hatch adding sliding rear seats that enable further adjustment to increase the size by decreasing the extra back seat legroom.
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Standard features included manual windows, manual locks, six airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), and an air conditioning and audio system as options. The SL added Bluetooth connectivity and alloy wheels.
Under the hood, the 2007 Versa came fitted with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 122 hp. In 2009, a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 107 hp was introduced to the lineup. These engines were mated with either a six-speed manual transmission as standard or a four-speed automatic as an option. A Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) was available on the SL trim only.
2012 – 2018
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Nissan unveiled the second-generation Versa in 2012 for the 2013 model year. It was based on Nissan’s global V platform. It was available in three trim levels: the base S, the medium SV, and the topline SL. The hatchback was now offered as a separate sub-model known as the Versa Note.
The outgoing Versa’s cabin was already roomy, Nissan made the 2012 Versa sedans cabin even more spacious, with better rear-seat space and headroom.
The 2012 Versa came with several new features depending on the trim which included Bluetooth connectivity, keyless entry, keyless start, and built-in navigation. More features were added to the 2013 model which included a four-speaker sound system, cruise control, and a rear spoiler.
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In 2015, the Versa received a mid-cycle facelift with changes in the exterior styling, with some other changes including Bluetooth connectivity becoming standard. In 2018 further upgrades were undertaken, with the introduction of a new infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen introduced, USB connectivity, satellite radio, and a backup camera. In 2019 Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were introduced as well, but it was too late as the third-generation model was about to be unveiled.
The 2012 Versa came fitted with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 109 hp with was 13 hp less compared to the previous model, but was significantly more fuel-efficient. This engine was mated with a five-speed manual transmission as standard on S and SV trims and CVT optional, while a Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) was standard on the topline SL.
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2019 – Present
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Nissan unveiled the third-generation Versa in 2019 for the 2020 model year. Like the outgoing model, this model was also based on Nissan’s V platform, but this time the Versa was only offered as a sedan. It is available in three trim levels: S, SV, and SR.
The 2020 Versa came fitted with several standard features that include a 7.0-inch, touchscreen audio system, a push-start button, power windows and door locks, and cruise control. Topline models add a TFT LCD instrument cluster display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, the Nissan Intelligent Key system, a combination of cloth and leatherette seating surfaces, LED daytime running lights, and aluminum-alloy wheels.
Safety-wise, the 2020 Versa comes fitted with the Nissan Safety Shield of driver assistance technologies which encompass several safety features such as Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist, RearView Monitor, Intelligent Cruise Control, and Intelligent Driver Alertness as standard equipment on the SV and above trims.
Under the hood, the 2020 Versa came fitted with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 122 hp. This engine was mated with a five-speed manual transmission as standard and an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) as standard on the topline model, and an option on the base models. Although the engine was the same as the one on the previous model, it received some tuning that made it a more potent engine.
There were no changes to the Nissan Versa for 2021 or 2022.
Conclusion
The Nissan Versa is known to be a small, inexpensive car with great fuel efficiency figures. And from our review, we have concluded the same.
The Nissan Versa will prove to be a great buy for the economically conscious buyer. Apart from the economies, the Versa is also spacious and practical with its interior configurable in multiple ways to accommodate cargo.
We at BE FORWARD have a large stock of used Nissan Versa (Nissan Tiida, Nissan Note, and Nissan Almera ) listed for sale. Please pay a visit to our online store to find your next car.
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I am a Telecom & ICT specialist with a career spanning over 15 years in the demanding Tanzanian telecom industry.
I am also an avid DIYer with a good knack for everything technical and a wealth of vocational skills, with automotive being the top, and here I am writing about cars.
In 2017 a guy created a WhatsApp group called MyCar for the sole purpose of members helping each other with all matters regarding cars. I joined this group in 2018, and with my enormous wealth of knowledge regarding cars, and my readiness to share the knowledge with others, I became a top contributor, and that didn’t go unnoticed, as one member thought I was a potential writer and had contacts with Be Forward Japan who were looking for writers then. Fast forward to January 2020, I began writing for the Be Forward blog with 2024 being my fourth year.
As far as I can remember, I love cars, and growing up in the farming and tourist city of Arusha Tanzania in the ’80s and ’90s, I ended up being drawn to the Ranger Rover Classic for leisure and Land Cruiser 70 pickup as a workhorse. These were tough cars then, cars that could take you anywhere any time no matter the weather.
