Used 2013 Nissan Versa Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2013 Versa, so we've included reviews for other years of the Versa since its last redesign.
Nissan Versa SL
versa_2013, 10/12/2013
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 SL 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
54 of 54 people found this review helpful
Bought a Nissan Versa SL. The cabin has more than enough space for four passengers, as well as providing comfortable seats. The interior is completely made of hard plastic, make sure your foot doesn't hit the door on the way out. The 1.6L engine is adequate around town and really does sip gas. On the highway, there's tons of wind noise, and the CVT, while providing smooth acceleration and excellent fuel economy, can be heard at any speed. Don't be fooled by the 109 hp rating, the car has more than enough get up and go. Excellent visibility all-around, smooth ride.
Great Little Car
Harry Ward, 10/14/2017
updated 12/02/2022
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 S Plus 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
49 of 49 people found this review helpful
At 72 I've driven most car brands since getting my license at 16 -- and this Versa is right at the top for value. Not doing rabbit starts or slamming on the brakes lets me get 40-43 MPG. It is not as luxurious as my old Mercedes -- but adequate and comfortable. I am the original owner and have 68,500 miles on my Versa; and have had zero mechanical problems. I bought a basic maintenance plan (and have a lifetime power-train warranty), but have only changed a set of tires, wiper blades, & front brake pads -- nothing else except fluid(s) and filter(s) changes. The car has all the options except heated seats and navigation. (Google maps is a lot cheaper.) This should be my last car until I'm buried, and that's just perfect for me! UPDATE: 10,000 more miles since my last update and still very happy! UPDATE: Over 100,000 miles now and still very happy! My mechanic says that I'll start to do more serious maintenance around 120,000 miles -- normal wear and tear. I'll install my third set of tires in a few months. It's a great car and I'm still planning on keeping it a long time! UPDATE: still running great. Finally had to change the spark plugs. Just had my 7 year checkup to keep my lifetime powertrain warranty current (never had to use it yet), but haven't had to put on the second set of tires yet. I'll update again later. UPDATE: 111K now, installed new tires, and the Versa just keeps rolling along. Still have zero major (or minor) problems. My basic maintenance plan keeps me regular with oil changes & checkups (3,500 miles/ 3 months). Mileage still over 40 mpg. I enjoy inexpensive & reliable travel -- and intend on keeping it so! UPDATE: Now over 120K and still going strong. Time for my second 60K mile CVT tuneup -- no problems there. Have zero to complain about yet. GREAT car! UPDATE: 138K now and everything is still running great. Changed brake pads, rotate the tires regularly. Mileage still 40+, which is fabulous for over $4 gasoline. It's still a winner! UPDATE: 150K now and still could not be happier. Faithfully doing the regular scheduled maintenance does the job -- both for the Versa and this 77 year old guy!
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Not Reliable
Ashley E., 07/28/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
108 of 110 people found this review helpful
My 2012 Nissan Versa Sedan has 101k miles and the transmission is bad. I have researched and have seen where older Versa models were covered under an extended CVT warranty due to premature transmission failure. Why is this not the case for the 2012? It is completely unacceptable that a 5 year old car bought brand new, maintenanced regularly has a bad transmission. It made me stall and have no power or ability to accelerate in the middle of a busy intersection! It has done this 3 times! My children were in the car! Completely unacceptable. This is dangerous. The CVT is very poorly designed and very unreliable, not to mention dangerous. The Versa has been one problem after another. We had to replace the fuel pump at 60k mileage! That is absolutely ridiculous! This car is extremely poor designed and Nissan is no help, and does not back up its cars. Nissan is not reliable as they were once were in regards to quality and reliability. Extremely disappointed.
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DO NOT PURCHASE VERSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kay, 03/27/2017
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
47 of 48 people found this review helpful
I went to trade in my 2001 Ford Explorer for a more fuel efficient vehicle. The dealership showed me was the 2012 Nissan Versa SV Sedan with the CVT transmission. I loved the look of the car, the price was alright, mileage was great, and as I test drove it around the block it seemed to drive wonderfully. The day after I purchased the Versa, I noticed when driving it was acting funny. As I was accelerating, it acted like it didn't want to go. It lagged terribly and made this odd noise under the hood. I immediately took it to the dealership and asked them to please drive it because it seemed something was wrong. They told me that it was because I was not custom to driving with a CVT transmisson and sent me on. The same thing continued and I kept telling myself I needed to just get used to driving it. A couple months go by and I begin to notice when I am parked or sitting at a light, the entire car will vibrate all over along with this rattle noise. I took it to the dealership and told them about the issues during my service appointment and they gave me the same run around. So I let it go to see if maybe I was still freaking out for no reason. A few more months go by and the acceleration was getting worse and worse. It got to where it took about 3 to 5 seconds for the car to accelerate from a stop, the vibration when idle became worse and louder, and a loud hum noise began to come from the car. I had my service due in a few weeks so I was going to mention it all again then but my visits became early. As I was accelerating from a two-way stop (I was at the stop sign). I saw to my right that nothing was coming and to my left, there was an 18 wheeler coming. I had more than enough time to go on and go. As I did, my car stalled as usual and shut off completely in the middle of the intersection causing the 18 wheeler to drive into the ditch!!! No one was hurt thankfully but it was dangerous! I immediately the nex day went straight to the dealership and told them something had t be done! I wanted a trade in and they wouldn't do this. They suggested fixing the transmission (finally). I was given a rental car for the three weeks it took them to replace my transmission with a new one (@ 74,000 miles). This past Thursday afternoon (3/23/17) I was told my car was ready to be picked up. I went up there to pick it up and immediately as I drive out of the dealership, I notice that the vibration is still there, the humming noise, the brakes acted like they didn't want to work (jerking motion), and the acceleration is better but not perfect. I called my mother and told her that the car is still doing the same things and that I am going back up there tomorrow (Friday... 3/24/17). My mother and I went up there the next morning very angry and upset telling them the same things were still happening and everyone seemed to be getting pissed with us. We were told that the transmission had been fixed and nothing is wrong with my car. I was told that it was in my head and I was worrying for no reason. I overheard a salesman say that we were just looking to trade because I wanted a new car. I had a technician drive the car with me because they suggested him to do so. However, no one would listen to me and drive the car longer than 2 mins around the block. You had to drive it about ten minutes to start to hear the humming sound and feel the vibrations. I became very upset and left because we were just getting the run around AGAIN! Well, as I am driving the rest of the day, the hum noise becomes worse and worse! At about 11:30 pm that Friday night, I am driving home from clinicals and not even a mile from my house, I begin to hear an awful clanking noise coming from under the car and I could feel it in the floorboard. I thought it would be okay til I get home because I was so close. I had one stop sign to stop at before getting to my house. As I accelerate from the stop sign, the hum and clank noise become louder and louder and I notice my car is veering the right. No matter how much I turn my steering wheel to the left, it will not go to the left. I immediately try to brake and the car acts like it does not want to brake. It jerks and is still going to the right. I get down to about 20 miles per hour and I am going off onto the side of the road and finally, I stop by hitting a speed limit sign! I called my mother freaking out asking her to come down the road. We called the sheriff department and wrecker service to come out there. I didn't turn the car off when I got out just because I didn't think about it. As my mother and I are standing out there waiting for them to arrive, we start to hear this loud fan type noise coming from under the hood and see a slight glimpse of smoke. We immediately turned the car off! Now, my car is at the body shop and we are going to the dealership first thing when they open on Monday! PLEASE DO NOT BUY A VERSA!!!!!! I am not the only person I know who has had this type of issue go on with their Versa.
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TOUGH Little Car..
ibervilleroyal, 10/05/2014
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 S Plus 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
33 of 34 people found this review helpful
The day I received a $3500 estimate to fix my 6 year old Prius was the day I TRADED IN that 6 year old Prius & Got my BRAN NEW Versa ... Even Up, No Regrets :) A year later I now have 45,000 miles on my Versa. Ive delivered pizza with it in the ice & snow storms of Northern Wisconsin to the heat indexes & humidity of South Mississippi. I get 36mpg Delivering in town with the air ON and 44mpg on freeways. I only use a full synthetic 0w-20 motor oil and keep the car serviced. Ive Driven this car Long, & Very, Very, Hard - and it has never faltered me or slowed me down. It never ceases to Amaze me how much power and room I can have under 15 Grand all-the-while averaging 40 mpg.
BEWARE OF THE 2012 NISSAN VERSA CVT !!!
Jess B, 09/24/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
71 of 76 people found this review helpful
I have never made an automobile review before but I am so disappointed with this car that I encourage anyone who experienced this to file a class action lawsuit against Nissan. At 64,000 miles the CVT transmission failed. You will be driving on a freeway and the tachometer will start getting wacky. The rpm will jump from 1,000 to 3000 rpm and back. After sometime your transmission will seem to disengage and your rpm will drop to below 1,000 rpm. At that time you are dead! The car will slow down to a halt and even if you press your gas pedal, the engine will not increase rpm. It seems like the cvt transmission is telling the computer to prevent the car from running. I brought this to the dealer and they said they have several problems with Nissan cvt transmission and encouraged us to file our complaints to the Consumer Protection Bureau. I called Nissan and they passed me from one person to another and told me they can't help. They have no solution to the problem other than replace the CVT transmission for $3,000. I told them I never had any car before where I have to replace a transmission at 64,000 miles, 4,000 miles after their warranty expired. It is totally unfair. I reported this to the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA). If our government consumer protection agencies are doing half of their job, no one especially a big manufacturing company should be allowed to get away with this.[non-permissible content removed]
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Versa Sedan S model 5 Speed
toad45, 02/16/2013
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
I was in the market for an affordable car I could pay for with cash and avoid payments. I looked at Hyundai, Ford, Kia and Nissan. I went with the the Versa Sedan with the manual transmission. I plopped down $14,128 out the door with an extended warrenty. (5 year bumper to bumper) It drives great and is quite nimble. The back seat is huge as is the trunk. Milage is in the high 30's. It is a nice family car. It's more than an "economy car". It's solid. I'm happy.
Transmission problem
Teriaune, 06/11/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SL 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
This car is not worth the money are headache. The transmission is awful. Peace of junk. Please let me no when the class action law suit starts are recall because this is ridiculous.
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CVT is an issue
ttheroux, 04/22/2014
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
I run a fleet of vehicles including 5 of these. We typically run our cars between 40k-50k mi. per year. Of the 5, 2 of them had the CVT transmissions fail within the 1st year. One of these now needs a second trasmission replacement at 82K. Our local dealer, Harte Nissan in Hartford, CT, is working with us the best they can with the replacement costs but Nissan is not stepping up to the plate. Nissan knows their CVT's are problematic and have extended their warranties on other years/models, but not this one. I will not be buying any more Nissan's for our fleet. BTW, even when they work correctly, the CVT is a annoying transmission especially with a small, low torque motor.
Very Unreliable
dannybrown92, 11/05/2014
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
21 of 22 people found this review helpful
I purchased a 2012 Nissan Versa SV certified preowned in September of 2013 with 25k miles. For the first seven months, the car was fine, but after that is when all issues started to occur. My brakes were making noises when I would hit them. It was a whistling noise. I paid to my rotors resurfaced, but that wasn't the issue. I needed the rear shoes replaced. About four months later, my transmission failed at 34k miles. Right after that, my starter went bad and right after that I needed new brake calipers. Everything accept rotors were under warranty. The car would make weird noises that went undiagnosed. All of these issues occurred before hitting 36k miles. Traded car in after 1 year.
Realistic expectaiton still to much to meet for this car
manycars1, 12/09/2014
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
44 of 48 people found this review helpful
Just hit 68k and the CVT is shot. First thing to give me problems were the breaks at about 12k. From there is was heat shields on the exhaust to door seals. I bought this car to get back and forth to work (150mile round trip). All I expected was a affordable car to get me to and from work at the most reasonable cost. I purchased the Nissan after comparing it to my normally purchased vehicles and it was a better value, it actually exceeded in over all space in a real world comparison to Chevy and Ford. MPG avg is 37.1 but the 10.9 tank.....10 gal usable, keeps me at the gas station every 2 to 3 days. As of now it is dead in my driveway, will not move.
A Total Disappointment
Wilma Transou, 05/25/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
I purchased this Versa in 2013; after about 68,000 miles I started having transmission problems. I was totally frustrated especially after no one would take responsibility for the problem. It is just a disgrace that so many other owners of the same model are having transmission problem as well and there should be a class action lawsuit against the manufacturers of this vehicle!!!!!
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Not a fancy car but extremely reliable
Lori, 08/27/2018
2012 Nissan Versa 1.8 S 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6M)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
I have had two Nissan Versa hatchbacks. The first one was a 2007 with a CVT. The transmission on it blew out twice. Nissan fixed it the first time for me around 80,000 but wouldn't fix it the second time. So the next one I bought off the lot was a basic manual transmission, a 2012. I didn't have high hopes for it but this car is almost at 200,000 miles now and has not given me one single problem. I would never buy another CVT but the manual is fabulous. Mileage is consistantly around 30 mpg. I put snow tires on it in the winter and I drive all over the place with no problem.
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Awesome little car with a few minor flaws.
Samantha H., 07/29/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.8 S 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 4A)
32 of 35 people found this review helpful
My husband and I bought this car new in 2012, for around $14,000. We have put 97,319 miles on it, and commute out of state monthly. We change the oil religiously, every 4,000, and it averages about $60 for that service. We replaced the battery about a year ago (at roughly 60,000miles), and other than that have NEVER had to do any other maintanence on this vehicle apart from regular tire replacement (every 6-8mos at the rate we drive it). The car is light weight, so even at this mileage we are only halfway through our break pads...and it stops on a dime! The windows are large and virtually panoramic, so there is little-to-no blind spots, and as a hatchback, the seats lay down and can fit and hold an alarming amount of things. (When we got married, we were able to lay the seats down and move my things into his house in only two trips, minus furniture....note-I had lived on my own for several years so it was a Small apartment that we managed to fit into this car with only two trips...not simply a bedroom). We average about 35mpg, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on how conservatively you drive it. My only major gripes about this vehicle, are its lack of a key fob to unlock and lock the car from a distance, there is no cruise control, and...oddly....the front seat cupholders sit BENEATH the stereo column and many "large" size drink containers simply do not fit under it without bemding and sometimes breaking the straw...and you have to tip most cups sideways a bit to get it in...which results in a spill, or having to hold the drink and sip it down far enough to tip it before you can put it in. Overall, its an incredible car for a young person, or young couple, we hope to keep it long enough for our son to use as his first car due to its easy maneuverability and lack of blind spots. But with two car seats now we have to shop for something else. It DOES fit two carseats...surprisingly...but the front seats have to be scooted up pretty far in order to accomodate, which means the driver has to be either as tall as me or shorter (5'5") to fit their legs under the steering wheel to drive in that position...its tight. My husband (6'0") is cramped in the passenger seat with his knees against the dash if the carseats are in it. Overall, it is a terrific little car, harder than hell to break into when youve locked the keys in the car, so that could be a plus or a negative depending on how you look at it (haha!) And having been in three minor collisions in it, you would never know, it brushes off small accidents like nothing...no scratches, dents or anything.
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CVT is defective, should be recalled..
Andrew, 06/06/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
31 of 34 people found this review helpful
Bought the car from a used car dealership and initially had 63k on it in Sept. 2015. Drove great for about 10k miles and then started doing weird things on me which almost felt like the car was choking out from a stop or a rolling acceleration at lower speeds. Got it looked at by goodyear down the road from me and the recommended that i get a fuel injection cleaning, which did seem to help for a little while until it started doing it again a couple thousand miles later. A few thousand miles later my engine light comes on and come to find out it was my cvt transmission all along. Worst purchase of my life hands down, had the car 8 months and put about 15k on it and now it needs a $3500+ dollar repair (as well as many others) to keep it on the road. Nissan to this point has not been helpful in any way even though they know that this is a very common problem on a very poorly manufactured design, would tell anyone and everyone to steer clear of this vehicle with the cvt transmission.
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Absolutely Great Car for the money
Choo Choo Kornitzer, 03/28/2015
2012 Nissan Versa 1.8 S 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 4A)
56 of 64 people found this review helpful
We bought new for our son who decided to go to HS a 45 minute drive away. Price and safety features were the reasons for our choice. He put 60K miles on it in 2.5 years. We bought 1 new set of tires and changed the oil. The car was perfect every day and never a minutes trouble and that's with a teenager driving it.
LUV MY VERSA
luvmyversa, 12/19/2011
2012 Nissan Versa 1.8 SL 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl CVT)
48 of 55 people found this review helpful
This car should be a "top ten pick" for an entry level car. My 2012 Versa Hatchback is a "bang for the buck" with CVT (smooth shifting), Bluetooth & Navigation, 16" wheels, ample trunk space w/fold down seats. Thus far, I recorded 28-29+ mph. I do a moderate amount of around town driving. It has ample pickup & power on freeway. Seat height makes getting in and out easy. Cons - rt knee patella can hit drver side dash (however, my 5' 10" husband is fine w it) - passenger dash is lower decreasing vertical leg room. A happy ex-Murano owner (Nissan makes good cars) I have no regrets buying this car (almost bought an Outback Subaru). Bought 2010 Versa Sedan for my 86 yr old Auntie. She loves it!
Good car, great price!
versatileauto, 10/10/2011
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
29 of 33 people found this review helpful
Car handles and rides nicely. Actually very nicely. It's surprising how smooth the ride is. I have the base model with manual transmission. The car shifts like butter, and the engine has good power delivery. Excellent cabin and trunk space. Ergonomics are good regarding controls in the cabin. Steering wheel feels good in the hand. Price point of base model car cannot be challenged by any car on the market. Seats are very comfortable and supportive and I love the height adjustable driver's seat. Very easy to get in and out of the car. You don't fall down into the car seat. nor do you have to pull yourself up and out of the car. This car is going to do well in my opinion.
Great in-town car
Car Nutty, 05/26/2016
updated 11/28/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.8 SL 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl CVT)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
The Nissan Versa Hatchback is an economical car that is good to use in town (easy to park because of its size) but not a good car for making a long trip. I've been getting about 28 mpg in town and around 32 on the highway. The car is powerful enough to keep up with traffic on the highway but too light weight to feel safe when next to other cars and trucks. UPDATE posted Nov. 26, 2016: On May 27, 2016, I traded my Nissan Versa Hatchback for a used 2014 Kia Sorento SX in order to get a car I felt safer in. And my insurance company agreed by reducing my monthly premium. A friend owned a 2008 Nissan Versa sedan and was broadsided. Her car was totalled! I decided then to trade for a safer car.
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Good Commuter and nice drive
nissanguy81, 05/21/2013
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
Nice car for the value, and price. I leased this Sedan got a great deal 130.00 a month for 24 months. I cant complain, I looked at all vehicles and this was the best deal for a new car lease. Yes, its not a sports car or very smart in terms of technology and drivablility, but its very practicle. Im a student and need a car that is cheap and good MPG, this car was a no brainer. My only complain is that on highway speeds 60mph plus it has a tendency to swerve in high wind drafts, but its not to bad once you get out of the wind tunnels. But the car drives solid, I like the stiff suspension, conering could be improved, but overal for the price its a hands down car.
Loving the Versa
mredct, 10/31/2011
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
25 of 29 people found this review helpful
I have owned my Versa for about a month so far. My mileage has been about 39 mpg, so this car has been quite economical to own. My previous car, a Subaru Outback, got about 22 mpg so I am saving some dough! I took a long distance trip - driving from CT to FL in the Versa and it was so comfortable. In the past I've had to pad seats with a pillow to make the trip tolerable, but the seats on the Versa were just right for me. The cruise control made driving so easy - all I had to do was point the car! When I ran the A/C the car still got good mileage. My average for the trip was 40 mpg. We had our first snow storm yesterday in CT and the traction control handled it like a champ.
The Price reflects the quality
rarereviewer, 08/17/2014
updated 09/05/2017
2012 Nissan Versa 1.8 SL 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl CVT)
16 of 18 people found this review helpful
When I purchased my 2012 Versa hatchback, it was the least expensive new car available in North America. And the car is what it is. On the positive side, the car always started. I consider that a big plus. Also, the interior, which is naturally cheap and flimsy, is designed to feel deceptively roomy. On the negative side, right after my warranty expired, the keyless entry stopped working on the front doors and the hatchback. The front passenger door and the hatchback wouldn't open at all. A part in all the doors had to be replaced, and it was a very expensive repair. The dealership decided to do the work free, due to the car had only been out of warranty for a few weeks. I traded the Versa in for a Honda Accord after owning the Versa about 18 months.
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NOT WORTH IT
palebeachbum, 06/20/2016
updated 12/27/2019
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
This was my first brand-new car and my first Nissan vehicle. I expected good overall long-term quality. I was severely let down. Within the first 1,000 miles of ownership, squeaks and rattles all around the interior began. Primarily at the passenger side of the dash, the headliner, and driver's door. Constant squeaks and chirps. Very annoying from a brand-new car! Next, the front suspension began squeaking badly. I had Nissan take a look. They found nothing wrong, so I had to live with it. Then, the paint began peeling in a couple of areas. At the A-pillar and also around the rear tail lights. Nissan repaired the paint under warranty. Then the car required replacement of the catalytic converter heat shield twice, under warranty. The dealership said it's a defective part and will likely keep breaking and falling off. The transmission NEVER felt right from day one. It made creaking and whistling noises. It was very jerky in operation. It had a lot of behavioral problems and started slipping around 38k miles. I hated the transmission. Luckily, I got rid of the car before it had a catastrophic failure. The windshield wiper linkage was loosening badly. The wiper arm movement became very disjointed and sloppy. Although the interior was cavernous for such a little car, the ergonomics were terrible. In 2yrs of ownerships, I never found a comfortable driving position. The distance between the steering wheel and pedals was wrong. A telescopic steering wheel would have solved this. Ingress/egress was excellent! Massive door openings. The option packaging on this car was comically bad. I owned the mid-spec SV trim. The car was missing some critical features some comparable cars offer in base trim. No split-folding rear seat? No variable intermittent wipers? Only 4 lousy sounding speakers for the stereo? Aside from the transmission issues above, other aspects of the engineering were quite poor as well. The steering was horrible. It was terribly light and offered no road feel at all. Trying to drive in a straight line on the interstate was pretty much impossible. The car liked to dart left and right. Any grooves in the pavement woukd grab the skinny tires. Ride quality was very smooth...until you hit a bump, then it just hammered over it. The brakes were excellent. One bright spot to this car's driving dynamics. Acceleration was adequate, but the transmission made it a clumsy, miserable experience. Handling was pretty decent, but the skinny tires didn't have much grip. If you enjoy driving at all, this is not the car for you. It has no personality at all and drives like an appliance. This car's pluses are its cavernous interior, braking performance, and excellent fuel economy. I absolutely do not recommend this model of car new or used though. Exceptionally poor quality/reliability overall. I was so disappointed in this car. I planned on keeping it until wheels fell off, but due to my lack of trust in the car, I traded it in after only 2yrs and 56k miles and I'm now leery of buying any new Nissan in the future. I switched to a new 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage and am much happier in the 3yrs and 51k miles I've owned it. It doesn't drive nearly as nice as the Nissan Versa, but overall quality and reliability have been vastly better, not to mention a 10y/100k mile warranty and a very comfortable driving position.
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Bad CVT at 72,000 miles
Bryan, 10/10/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
Bought this car in October of 2013. The car had 8,500 miles on it, it was a loaner vehicle that the dealership used so I knew it was in great shape. Purchased the car, and at 30,000 miles the heat shield started coming apart. The cost to replace that was 500 dollars. At 40,000 miles new brakes were needed which is normal, but little to my knowledge the rear brakes were drum brakes, fast forward to 50,000 miles the serpentine belt snapped, the cost to replace that? 650.00 dollars. Finally at 72,000 miles my transmission started going bad, at first it started with a whining at low RPMs, then it had a hard time going into reverse and on multiple occasion would disengage from drive and the car had to be turned off and started again. Finally, when I was on the freeway, the car completely lost all power and stalled (thank goodness I got over to the shoulder). I had the car towed to Nissan, were it was determined that the transmission had failed but they couldn't figure out why because the transmission oil was good and it was at normal levels. I was quoted 4,000 dollars to replace the transmission, I almost called the auto-loan company and told them to take there car back. My uncle works for Nissan, and had me make a call to Nissan USA. After explaining my frustration with a bad transmission on a four year old car, I would never buy another Nissan product or recommend Nissan to any friend or family member. The service request was sent to a supervisor, about a week later Nissan called back and covered 3,600 dollars of the expenses. It took about 3 weeks to get the car back, as there was only one tech in the entire shop who knew had to drop a CVT and put in a new one. I've had the car back and it has about 77,000 miles on it now. Guess what? The whining came back and the car is having a hard time going into reverse. I am trading this thing in as soon as I can get the negative equity paid off on it. The car goes back into the shop Tuesday, the transmission has a year warranty on it.
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serves its purpose
Andrew, 07/12/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
Bought the car new in sept 2012. drive it about 12k miles a year as i bought this as a second vehicle for daily driving because my other vehicle is a suburban. What sold me was the extremely low price tag. I hate how a lot of car companies these days force you to buy things you dont need like back up cameras, etc. If i want to know whats behind me ill just turn around thanks. It has great interior space, a big trunk, gets great gas mileage, has a radio with aux plug in for my phone, has a/c, heat, and nissan reliability. What else do you really need?
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Nissan doesn't stand behind warranty.
Ken Putnam, 04/06/2016
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
Clutch catastrophically failed at 47,000 miles of mostly highway driving. Despite a 60,000 mile power train warranty that was 100% silent on clutch exclusion, Nissan just said "no". They said they couldn't prove it was a defect-maybe I abused it, therefore they refused to cover it. I've been driving vehicles with standard transmissions for 40 years without one ever failing on me, so I know with 100% certainty it is a defect in their vehicle. When I asked their mechanic who did the work on it how long a clutch should last, he said a hydraulic clutch on a vehicle like this should easily last 150,000 miles, but his name wasn't on the dealership sign. When I appealed to the Nissan Regional manager he just said "no" with no explanation other than "he had reviewed it".
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fuel pump went out at 50k
A. Ellison, 03/13/2016
updated 09/20/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I have a love/hate thing with this car. It's roomy for a compact car, great mpg, attractive, easy and comfortable to drive. The problem is, numerous recalls, fuel pump went out at 50k miles, just outside of warranty, and pretty expensive repair. Have had R headlamp go out every 90 days or so, turns out to be a fuse, and now the same with reverse lamp. I would not recommend this car, and it pains me to say because I have always loved/been loyal to Nissans. Update: about 6 months/approx 6 to 8 thousand miles later, the transmission went bad. My dealer quoted an almost $6,000 repair bill. Our payoff was less than that, so after pleading and arguing with Nissan North America, who basically told us we were on our own, we took our business elsewhere and traded in the awful car for a different brand. Not only are Nissans no longer quality vehicles, but Nissan North America doesn't give one thought if you are a loyal customer and have bought multiple vehicles from them. They will NOT stand behind their vehicles. Never again will I purchase another Nissan.
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WORST CAR EVER!!!!
ms mechanic, 03/14/2020
updated 03/17/2021
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
If I could I would have given this car a no star, but it wouldn't let me. My Daughter bought one of these cars and bought it with low miles used. It still has under 50,000 miles and has had nothing but trouble with it. The car makes a loud humming noise when driving and the car jerks all the time and hesitates to go. The car is unsafe to drive and I highly think Nissan should recall every one of these vehicles! UPDATE-Well shortly after I did this review my daughters car, the Nissan Versa, broke down completely. I am so glad that I was the one behind the wheel when it happened because it truly was a scary situation. We were actually on our way to trade the POS in for something else when it happened. I was on the freeway trying not to piss anyone off because the car wouldn't go over 45mph when all the sudden the car started smoking and it felt as if the rear tires were not rolling. As if the car was dragging itself. It became almost impossible to steer. That along with the occasional moment where the car would jerk forward as if it was fine dam near got us both killed.
A Great Way To Save Some Cash
toddp77, 01/21/2013
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I have enjoyed saving cash and driving a manual transmission. I drove a 1983 Nissan Sentra in high school and this car provides some nostalgia for me. This is a very inexpensive vehicle and it shows in several ways that may be deal breakers for some people but reminds me of how much money I saved. The handling and power are sacrificed for savings and fuel efficiency. I was also swayed by the large interior with numerous air bags and better than you would expect safety ratings.
Solid for the $'s
neekmeister, 08/30/2011
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
42 of 52 people found this review helpful
I purchased this vehicle approximately 10 days ago and so far have been very happy with it. Clearly this is not a race or luxury car by any means. However, if you are like me needing cheap commuter transportation with the occasional requirement to transport a family of four around while getting excellent MPG this is the way to go.
Good value (if it doesn't break)
hdykiel, 05/31/2014
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
13 of 15 people found this review helpful
I own the most basic model of the versa. For the price, the value is pretty good. The car is very roomy, more than what you would expect. Looks are also ok. Driving, it has enough power to get you places but take it easy on the road because it does not grip well and gets tossed around by the wind like a leaf. Reliability has been terrible for my car, I would be broke if it wasn't for the warranty. In one year and less than 18,000 miles, it's had 4 significant mechanical problems already. Loose muffler shield, damaged sway bar links, malfunctioning valve, and foggy headlight.
Nisan Versa 2012 Sucks
Rose, 01/19/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
It is worse car ever. Too much of maintenance required.
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Made for MPG, not for YOU
saltsman, 08/31/2013
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 S Plus 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 23 people found this review helpful
Perhaps the most uncomfortable car I've driven. To be fair, this is a long-term rental, so I don't have an emotional attachment. With that said, I find the Versa a hard car to love. A slight breeze can be dangerous. Driving in windy Texas is especially challenging as it requires constant corrections to keep it pointed between the stripes. You don't drive the Versa, the Versa drives you. Sometimes I fell it has a death wish. It's loud and uncomfortable on long trips. MPG's are good. A solid 37.5 MPG on long 75 MPH highway stretches, but a 10 gal tank requires frequent stopping. It's not for tall people. No telescoping steering wheel and the sit up straight seats wear you out.
terrible
cgklaskin, 08/05/2014
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
24 of 30 people found this review helpful
If I could give this negative stars, I would. This was the first brand new car that we had ever owned. We took such good care of it, changed the oil religiously, did all maintenance, everything we were supposed to. Two years and 80,000 miles later, the car is toast. The transmission is shot and there are so many other problems, the dealership said it was probably not worth fixing. Nissan refused to even discuss any kind of deal. They refused to give the name of the operations manager who refused help. I will never buy another Nissan and will tell everyone how awful they are. Do not buy Nissan.
ZERO STARS: The BIGGEST MISTAKE I've ever ma
Autumn Asters, 05/08/2020
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
If youve noticed, everyone is saying the same thing about the CVT. Its detective therefore, the vehicle should be recalled. I have owned my Versa for only 4 years, I am faced with the misfortune of needing to replace it. The CVT is a MINIMUM of 3000 to replace so it makes no sense to keep it. Definitely looking to file a class action suit. Given the fact that this 8 year old vehicle seems to have the same result rather buyers have owned their vehicles for 1 year or 5 years makes me distrust Nissan from here on.
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What a roomy car, and economical.
slinky58, 03/06/2012
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Extremely roomy, the Nissan Versa is what I was looking for. High sitting seats, so I dont have to "duck" into the car. I can slide in/out like an SUV w/o the gas guzzling. Economical. Cons: has a "ping" when you run the AC. I found this to be true of the previous Altima I had. Also, I could use more leg room. But I love this car. The seats are extremely comfortable, blue tooth is outstanding, and the car drives very well, solid for an economical car. I love it.
Buyer Beware
Renee B, 10/08/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SL 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
I have had nothing but trouble with this car. I took it to the dealership 3 months after purchasing it because there was a squealing noise when it was shifting through the gears. I drove it with the mechanic and he didn't hear anything when I pointed the noise out. They checked it out and told me there was nothing wrong. They also said that I shouldn't worry because Nissan warranties this particular transmission up to 100,000 miles. 6 months later I brought it back in because it was jerking other road, would not accelerate and my check engine light came on. I had just made it to 68,000 miles at this point and figured it would not be a problem. They informed me that the warranty had actually expired at 60,000 miles and any repairs would be at my expense. They couldn't recreate the problem so they reprogramed it thinking the check engine light was a computer glitch. 3 months later the transmission has completely failed on the car. The total cost for the transmission is $3,000 without labor. If you have this car and it is in working condition, please sell it asap.
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2013 Versa 3800miles
wakeride, 07/05/2013
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 SL 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Has no storage for driver to access items like center console. Drove me crazy so I bought one off ebay for $45 works and matched perfect. No place for glasses either. Cup holders are placed odly to far up and the others to far back. No inside trunk release. Complained to dealer right corner panel loose and no place to hang gas cap they told me all versas are like that? Very squirley on fwy in wind and rides a little rougher than I would expect for a new car . but I do like the car even with these negatives see favorite features.
bad experience
Mary Tim, 02/19/2016
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
11 of 13 people found this review helpful
nissan versa is the worst car that i never had, junk, transmission broke after 60.000 miles, of course the warranty is over after 60, so i have to pay for a new one because this stupid car need a special transmission...... it cost me almost 3.000 thousand dollars, after one year the radiator broke and the starter doesn't work, i am sick and tired of this car, i hate it
Unique Small Car!
aeh4, 09/22/2012
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SL 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
11 of 13 people found this review helpful
We test drove almost every subcompact model before choosing the Versa sedan. No other car had quite the combination of interior room, excellent visibility and outstanding fuel efficiency. It is not as stylish as other cars, but we could not find another vehicle that was as easy to drive and can truly fit four 6-foot adults. The Versa sits about 6 inches taller than other small cars. So visibility is excellent in all directions, and it is very easy to get in and out all four doors. The interior is basic hard plastic, but there are six cup holders and all controls are easy to reach. Seats in the SL trim are soft and comfortable. Outstanding fuel efficiency - see below.
2012 VERSA Constant High Pitched Noisy Whine
versadisaster, 11/15/2011
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
31 of 40 people found this review helpful
I bought my new Versa in late Sept. and it started making a constant, high pitched, very loud, whiney noise. I returned it to Benson Nissan in Easley, S.C. and the mechanics heard the sound right away. They said that there have been several complaints about this noise and it is coming from the CVT. When Nissan figures out the noise problem there will be a re-call. This is not the kind of sound that one can get used to. Also, the Versa has a highly toxic glue smell in the interior and I discovered that the Versa has many toxic chemicals in the interior materials and is rated the No.1 Most Toxic Car in America. I Do Not recommend this car.
Brake failure
anadeau2, 08/08/2013
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
35 of 46 people found this review helpful
I was driving at 30 miles an hour and my new versa with 7000 miles. All of the sudden my computer went off and i could not use the brakes. I was lucky to avoid an accident. I said I do not feel safe in this car to Nissan and Lokey of Clearwater and they said they will just repair the car. At first they didn't know what was wrong and then they fixed the ABS chip and recalibrated the computer. I drove the car and one week later I was going 50 mph and the brakes were all the way in and they were barely stopping. Luckily I avoided the accident. I called Nissan and they ignored me and said that there is nothing they can do for me. So now they fixed the master cylinder. I feel very unsafe driving.
Steer clear of Nissan Versa
Stevo, 06/01/2020
2012 Nissan Versa 1.8 SL 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl CVT)
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
Where do I begin to tell you why Nissan needs to recall this POS car. At 73,000 miles the CVT transmission failed. I've never had any cars (and I've had many many) that the transmission crapped out under 100k! The noise from the transmission will start to sound like a sand paper scratching effect when the car is accelerating or decelerating. Took it to the Nissan dealer and was told that the technician could not hear the sound coming from the transmission box. We took it home. Well, four months later, the noise got louder and louder and the car will slow down to a halt and even if you press your gas pedal, the engine will not increase rpm. It seems like the cvt transmission is telling the computer to prevent the car from running. I brought this back to the dealer and they said they have several problems with Nissan cvt transmission and encouraged us to file our complaints to the Consumer Protection Bureau. I called Nissan and they passed me from one person to another and told me they can't help. They have no solution to the problem other than replacing the CVT transmission for $4,400. I told them I never had any car before where I have to replace the transmission at 73,000 miles. This is a total BS on Nissan! Recall the damn car model! I am so disappointed in the quality and lack of response from Nissan. Never will I buy from Nissan, again!
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200,000 miles +
Cheryl B, 02/14/2018
2012 Nissan Versa 1.8 SL 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
It’s a great overall get around car and it’s been great for me and my family. I’ve had it 6 years and the only downsize to it, is that my kids have totally outgrown it. But I’ve had to do very little maintenance on it and it’s been very reliable for me.
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Pleasantly surprised to say the least
arg76, 11/02/2012
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
I have a long comute around 110 miles a day and i was getting a little tired of my SUV and it 17mpg, i wanted two things, great fuel economy and no car payment. I looked at the Honda, i looked at the Toyota Yaris and corolla they just felt cheap, then i noticed Nissan were offering the Versa for under 11k. It turned out the 11k version was a manual trans, wind up windows basic stereo and seat cloth that felt like twine, its a new car for 11k i get its not going to be mega luxury, so the dealer showed me the SV version, a little more 16.5k but much nicer interior and CVT box and ipod plug and nicer seats. I drove and bought it that day, amazing mpg more than they claim, and really a great car
Versa: Car with Toy Transmission
D Roughton, 03/01/2017
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
CRT guaranteed to fail just beyond warranty period.
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My little red car Versa SL
Charlene Leber, 06/15/2018
updated 06/20/2022
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 SL 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I have had two Versa cars. The 1st one a 2007 hatchback model. The 2nd one I still have. It is red and very nice looking with alloy wheels. It may take a few seconds longer to merge into traffic. You just allow a few more seconds. The gas mileage is outstanding at 35 average and 40 mpg on the highway. This car is a 2013. I have had this car for 6.5 years and haven't had to spend hardly extra money on it. just to change the oil. This is a great little car to drive around town and does very well on the highway too. I had to buy new tires last year (2018) Why do you want to know my weight, reviewing a car? I DON'T OWN THIS CAR ANYMORE
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Solid car 4 the $$$
mrfrugal2, 04/08/2013
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
"Bought an SV model and have close to 200 miles in. It's terrific!! Just what I was looking for. It get's me from point A to point B without spending lot's of hard earned cash. If you are looking for luxury then recommend the Acura line, or possibly Honda, but for normal commute, it's perfect. Getting about 36 mpg average and loving it. The CVT doesn't bother me so far (based on reviews) - actually it is smoother than most normal tranny cars I've driven. I did own a Datsun B-210 (manual) and an Altima so I do like Nissan. LOTS of room. My opinion - this car's ingenuity sticks out at me and I'm definitely loving it. Take one out for a test drive and you'll see. I did, and now I own one!!"
Just Say No to the 2012 Nissan Versa SV
Ken, 03/02/2018
updated 03/08/2019
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Quite possibly the worst car I've ever purchased. I would never recommend this car to anyone I liked. If I could give it negative or zero stars in the value and reliability categories I would. This car has terrible problems with its CVT. Average failure is at 69,000 miles, just beyond warranty for those who care. The CVT can't actually be fixed by a transmission shop and must be replaced with either a re-manufactured unit or a used unit. Every transmission shop I visited said the same thing, the CVT will absolutely fail no matter what between 120 and 160 thousand miles, if not sooner. Mine failed at 93,583. Costs run between 3,000 to 4,500 to replace with a re-manufactured unit. Unless you can get a 3 yr warranty with a used unit I wouldn't touch it.
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Stay away from this car!
Jeff Jones, 05/23/2018
2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 SV 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
The CVT went out with only 66,000 miles. We had every scheduled maintenance on it. Save your self the trouble avoid buy a Nissan versa.
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