Nissan offers the front-wheel-drive Versa in three trim levels – S, SV, and SR – which all have a 122-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. While the S by default gets a five-speed manual gearbox, it’s eligible for the continuously variable transmission (CVT) that comes standard in the others. According to EPA estimates, the S with the manual tranny pulls off 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. While that’s certainly a commendable return, the CVT squeaks out better fuel economy, achieving 32 mpg city/40 mpg highway.
The S is a solid base trim with a good assortment of amenities, including remote keyless entry, cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats (six ways for the driver and four for the passenger), air conditioning, a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, three USB-A ports, power-adjustable side mirrors, automatic headlights, a rearview camera, and 15-inch steel wheels with covers. With the optional S+ Package, this trim will also get a 60/40-split folding rear seatback, 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and a superior multimedia system (see the Infotainment & Connectivity section for details).
The SV gets the contents of the S+ Package as standard equipment, along with enhanced fabric upholstery, push-button start, a wireless phone charger, one USB-A port and two USB-C ports, and a reconfigurable 7-inch multi-information display. The range-topping SR introduces proximity keyless entry, remote start, sport cloth upholstery, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, automatic climate control, heated power-adjustable side mirrors with turn-signal indicators, and LED headlights.
The ’24 Versa is equipped with the cutting-edge Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite, which bundles forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, rear automatic braking, and automatic high beams. The SV and SR add blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and driver attention monitoring; the SR also gains adaptive cruise control.
The multimedia system in the entry-level S consists of a 7-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming, Siri Eyes Free, a six-speaker audio system, and a hands-free text messaging assistant. Smartphone integration (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay) is added at the SV level, but this feature is also available for the S via the S+ Package along with an enhanced 8-inch touchscreen. The SR has the most advanced infotainment system, featuring that same 8-inch touchscreen as well as SiriusXM satellite radio.
