The 2023 Nissan Versa is a breath of fresh air in an industry where every carmaker is trying to become a luxury marque. According to Auto Trader, the average price of a new car in Canada hit an all-time high of $61,821 in Q1 2023 and the average price of a used car hit $39,235. The average price of new vehicles saw an increase of 17.4% over the previous year. These prices do seem ridiculously high; the car makers would like to blame these prices on industry-wide shortages, but I’m inclined to think it has something to do with a word that rhymes with “creed” and starts with a “G”.

Inflation is real and prices are bound to increase, but some of these prices are just unacceptable. That’s why I’m glad cars like the Nissan Versa exist. The Nissan Versa doesn’t pretend to be a luxury car with fancy materials and tech features that may not be necessary. It’s a basic form of transportation but it still offers a decent number of safety, tech, and convenience features.

Below you’ll find our expert opinion, specs, and prices of the 2023 Nissan Versa.

2023 Nissan Versa Prices

In Canada, the 2023 Nissan Versa comes in three trims. The Versa S starts at $19,798, the Versa SV starts at $21,498, and the Versa starts at $22,798; Freight & PDI is an additional $1,800. Prices have increased slightly compared to the 2021 Versa we reviewed, but everything is more expensive now (except for Tesla cars).

In the United States, the 2023 Nissan Versa is also offered in three trims, however, the base trim comes with a manual transmission. The Nissan Versa S starts at $15,980, the Versa S CVT starts at $17,650, the Versa SV starts at $19,720, and the Versa SR starts at $19,970. Freight & PDI is an additional $1,095.

2023 Nissan Versa Engine/Driving

All trims of the 2023 Nissan Versa are powered by 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engines, producing 122 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 114 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Driving the Versa is a decent experience, I like the dynamics of this car and what it stands for. It could be quite fun, were it not for the CVT. The manual transmission would be a better choice, but unfortunately, Nissan doesn’t offer it anymore in Canada. Nissan does make some of the best feeling CVTs, but CVT on the Versa feels like the CVTs of old, when they were first introduced. The CVT has that dreaded “rubber band” feel, and the engine gets quite loud under heavy acceleration. But once up to speed, it feels fine.

Zipping in and out of traffic can be quite fun thanks to the light weight of the car and its small size. Again, this would be even more fun with a manual transmission. The suspension is soft, making it a perfect commuter. Driving on the highways, the Versa is easily able to keep up with traffic, however, passing needs a bit of pre-planning, as the CVT takes a while to get you up to passing speed.

According to Nissan, the 2023 Versa should consume 7.4/5.9/6.7 liters/100 kilometers in city/highway/combined driving. We averaged 6.5 L/100 km in 50/50 city/highway driving.

2023 Nissan Versa Styling

The Nissan Versa isn’t going to win any beauty pageants, but looks are subjective. It looks like an economy car, especially as a sedan. I think it would look better as a hatchback, which used to be offered in previous generations but not anymore.

Our review SR trim was equipped with bigger 17” wheels, which look pretty good and the face is pretty decent. The side profile is what gives it that “economy car” look. The rear end is also not too bad, in my opinion. The SR trim comes with a fake body-colored diffuser.

Interior

The interior has a simple layout, with an 8” touchscreen display. The lower trims get a 7” touchscreen. The touchscreen is decent, it’s not that fast when interacting, but it’s acceptable. The materials are hard plastics, which is expected. The SR trim also benefits from red/orange stitching on the dashboard, steering wheel, seats, and door inserts. The seats are covered with cloth, with orange/red inserts, giving the interior a somewhat “sporty” look. The gauge cluster is half digital and half analog, with the digital side showing information like fuel consumption, trip meter, etc.

The interior is quite roomy for a small car, I felt like there was more than enough room for my 5’ 8” frame. Taller passengers should find a decent amount of leg and headroom.

The Versa, especially in the top trim, comes with some modern features like remote engine start, wireless charging pad, heated front seats, automatic climate control, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, hill start assist, Automatic Emergency Braking, Rear Automatic Braking, Lane Departure Warning, high beam assist, tire pressure monitoring, traction control, and more. These are pretty good features in my opinion.

Final Thoughts on the 2023 Nissan Versa

Although a $19,798 starting price might not seem cheap, it’s one of the most affordable cars you can currently buy in Canada (there are a couple of like the Mitsubishi Mirage and the Kia Rio). It’s a decent car for getting you from one place to another in a reliable and comfortable way. I do wish Nissan would offer the manual transmission, as that would make it somewhat fun to drive.