The 2024 Nissan Versa SR Punches Well Above Its Price Point
Life is full of compromises. Typically, it’s something along the lines of the old adage “You get what you pay for.” However, every once in a great while, you find something that offers exceptional value without dropping the ball in the fun department. Such was the case with my week in the 2024 Nissan Versa SR.
The 2024 Nissan Versa SR might not win many races, but it’s a bargain beyond its dwindling competition
The 2024 Nissan Versa starts at around $16,680 before destination, tax, title, and dealer fees. That puts the Versa and its trims in a competitive space with, well, just one other competitor: the Mitsubishi Mirage (and its G4 sedan variant). Therein lies the Versa’s party piece: value.
| Model | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Versa S | $16,680 |
| Versa SV | $19,970 |
| Versa SR | $20,690 |
I recommend the range-topping SR trim. My 2024 Nissan Versa SR featured automatic climate control, a bright 8.0-inch touchscreen, wireless device charging, and a digital display. However, the digital display’s placement featured a straight boundary that created a bit of an awkward gap between the display and the analog gauge.
Nissan says the Versa will manage around 32 mpg city and 40 mpg highway with its continuously variable transmission (CVT). Much to my delight, my experience rang true, averaging close to 40 mpg on the highway and 30 mpg driving city streets.
Better yet, my little Versa packed the brand’s sport mode button on the rear of the gear selector. Thumbing the little button tricks the Versa’s brain into allowing the CVT to stay in higher rev ranges. In short, it returned a more enthusiastic throttle response. Oh, yes. Fun fun, indeed.
Needless to say, you’ll find a similar setting in a 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage G4, but it prompts me to scratch my head. With a paltry 78 horsepower on tap, calling the Mirage “sporty” is a bit of wishful thinking. On the other hand, while the Versa’s 122-horsepower 1.6L four-cylinder heart isn’t going to win many drag races, the sport mode does make for a more joyful experience.
However, the 2024 Nissan Versa’s appeal to fun-seekers isn’t in its straight-line performance. No, it’s in its surprisingly compliant platform, steering feedback, and brakes. Spirited drivers on a budget won’t have to compromise to have fun. Of course, my Versa SR could’ve benefited from a set of paddle shifters. However, you can’t have everything. But what you can have is a joyful compact car with a manual parking brake. Some things should never die.
Stay tuned for my pros and cons list of the Versa!
