I have a 2021 manual. Hard to find but seriously underrated. It's cheap, fun to drive, and gets way better mpg than advertised. Only those with a very strong leadfoot will get the advertised fuel economy, and I'm averaging 36 city/41 highway.
I’m so glad to hear that the advertised MPG is a under estimate! Going to be getting a 2023 versa s next week. Driving 100 miles a day in a ‘99 outback was getting old lol
@@jonney8046 All manufacturer's lie.and underrate the fuel.economy on purpose to move people to automatics and cvts. You can get better fuel economy in a stickshift with some practice on top of better performance and reliability.
@@dddes2328 they go out incredibly fast. Mine was on its second transmission and started slipping at only about 30000 miles of the transmission’s life.
Nissan makes the worst CVT transmissions!! They WILL fail early. So never buy CVT from Nissan. BTW, my Nissan Versa 4-speed automatic has 145,000 miles and runs like new. I love it!
As an owner of a 2020 Nissan versa Sr, I can confirm the cvt is janky at low speeds or in bumper to bumper traffic. But I still LOVE this car. And no I wouldn't trade it for the manual transmission. That base version is old news. U want the future proof tech in the Sr with the convenience package. Overall I love it, (except for the cvt in traffic)
I test drove this yesterday and am seriously considering getting it. I'm 6'4 and this was actually comfortable for me. Far more comfortable than the elantra and impreza I also test drove.
I have a 2011 manual Versa hatchback. It's time for an upgrade, so we started looking at the new Versa, and I was so excited to see that they are still making them in manual.
$15k is a very good price for the Versa in this tight market. You could find them discounted to $13.8k, pre-pandemic, but we won't be seeing those discounts anymore for years to come.
I just test drive a Versa a week ago and then bought it that day. But didn’t have an issue with rev matching (blipping) also if anyone is curious the foot room with big boots is plenty. It’s more spacious than a fiesta. I feel like the Versa now is what the Sentra was size wise too
i got it in 2019, no issues till now after long road trips across several states. not much power, but gets the job done. go for manual stick shift, its the best
I bought this exact car just over a year ago.Great Car if you're not trying to impress anyone. The mileage is way better than advertised. Also the final drive in the trans is 4 to1,so you really dont need to blip it for deceleration just let off the gas.Blipping for a downshift to power through a turn etc will only be necessary if you want to abuse the car.You get plenty of low end from the final drive,under 45 mph you could casually downshift from 5 to 4 etc. It has conventional port fuel injection to avoid direct injection related carbon problems. With the manual trans I avois the cvt issues I found a set of mag rims from a 2018, steelies were the only option on the trim level with manual trans. Now Im set for a while
@@cw4623 The lifespan of a CVT is much lower than a slush box auto or a manual. The only company that's really came up with a remedy is Toyota. They just use a legitimate first gear and the CVT starts from around a second gear ratio. An eCVT is a different story. Likely the most reliable transmission ever made. Nissan is under several class action lawsuits for their recent CVTs. Including the models up to 2024.
No need to worry about a jatco cvt because it has the traditional manual gearbox This thing I can’t believe I’m saying this about a Nissan, can probably go over 200,000 miles troublefree if you maintain it properly
The good thing about manual is you dont have to worry about transmission going out, just replacing the clutch after 100,000 - 150,000 miles which is relatively inexpensive to do.
That's what I was thinking too. I bought the 2016 for 10k now they want 16k for "standard" electronic doodads I don't want or need. KISS keep it simple stupid
Rear & back-up features is what caused the price to go up. Don't blame the economy, blame the politicians who made this a requirement for all new cars produced from 2019 and up.
Yep, my gas loving old trk is my weekend warrior and my '16 manual versa is my 42mpg daily commuter. 75k on it now with only oil changes for maintenance. I'm shootin for another 5yrs @ 150k with only minimal repairs, belt, alternator, oil and water pumps ect and I'll be thrilled. My truck should last forever now doing just trk stuff instead burning up miles going to work and buying groceries.
@Dwigt : you should. In 2012 had a Dodge Ram V8 Hemi Magnum and I love it, it was my first truck. Thats what i drove to High School so I had great memories on it but it was killing me with the gas when the gas prices went up, I was spending between $520 to $640 in gas a month. So I looked for a cheap but reliable car and I came up with a 2012 Nissan Versa SV, so I sold my truck with 284K miles on it for $3500 and got the a new 2012 Nisan Versa. Since I gave 0 down the payments were $235 a month and the insurance was $110 since I was under 25 and had a speeding ticket the insurance was a little high and I was spending and average of $120 in gas a month. So the payment of the car the insurance and the gas was less then what I was wasting in gas on my truck, so pretty much its paid it self off and I still had extra money that I was saving on gas.
I had a 1993 Ford Festiva that i bought brand new and kept for 10 years with about 160,000 and it still ran 100%, 1.3 with about 65 HP, that had 12-inch wheels, so THAT'S small. I paid $6300.00 cash.
I had a 2018 Versa with a manual transmission, it didn’t have any options at all. It had a radio with an aux port no Bluetooth capabilities except for making calls. No back up camera, no power windows, no cruise control, just a very basic car. The only thing I liked about it was the mpgs, and the transmission. It was fun to drive.
I have the 2018 Versa Manual that I bought new, now with about 50,000 miles. Since I keep my cars forever I wanted one with the least tech possible so it wouldn't fail or be obsolete in 10 years. I live in a rural part of Oregon so all my driving is rural highways, no city driving, so parking sensors, backup cameras etc., are useless to me. No problems with the car except for one noisy wheel bearing that I replaced myself for under $40. 41 mpg average since I bought it.
Good value, basic personal transportation & interesting to see a base model tested for once - a quite stylish, cheap to run & unpretentious car targeting buyers prioritising economical motoring. The road tester seems to acknowledge the above on the whole by regularly referencing the price & (mercifully) drives steadily (as most owners would) - my only criticism is repeated & irrelevant (gear box) 'down shifting' comparisons to a Porsche.
Agreed. No point to compare one thing between cars from different segment because it has no merits to potential shoppers like me. Comparing MT between Mirage G4, Versa and the likes make sense for example.
Just bought this the other day! Watched this video and some others prior to though. Had the 2017 versa with the CVT and had problems with the CVT. Needed something reliable and inexpensive as I’m not rich you know 😄 love it so far although there is a bit louder highway noise- still overall the best deal going I think for all that comes with it!😁👍👌🏼
I get annoyed with reviews where the top trim model with all the bells and whistles is tested. Who gets those cars? People get the base model with maybe a few extras in hopes of keeping the cost down. This review of the manual transmission Nissan Versa is more in line with what we can afford. Steel wheels with hubcaps! Yay!
The problem with "blipping" you're having is a combination of the slow-to-rev engine and the close gear ratios. If you want to rev match a downshift you have to spend the extra time to get those revs up higher than you normally would.
Get the manual transmission and this vehicle will easily last +20 years. People are getting screwed with modern CVT automatic transmissions which hardly make it to 5 years and start getting issues.
This guy says that the throttle is a "little touchy," boy is that an understatement! This thing has so much ref-hang that it is literally impossible to shift it smoothly at any speed let-alone when trying to do so quickly! He's also confused about why he can't blip the throttle and down shift, well, once again this is due to an extraordinary amount of rev-hang! I know all manuals suffer with rev-hang since drive-by-wire throttles were introduced and used to lower emissions but this throttle is very poorly tuned causing extreme ref-hang which makes this thing a real chore to drive! This is a great car but I'd avoid the manual and take my chances with the CVT! I have a 2012 CVT Versa with 190k on it and it's still going strong.
I’m wondering how many miles these things will go without having engine trouble, the old 4cylinder Sentra used to have very bad head gasket issues, but for 16k out the door, this is a steal for a new car. I’d rather find one used and get it just that much cheaper tbh.
At lease it has a spare many don't even have one nowadays. I do prefer a standard anytime I have a small motor such as this. I feel it allows me to get out of the way quicker. The fact any car at this price has collision assist in unheard of!
I'm kind of tight on money right now, would getting one of these straight off the lot a good idea? i can afford the monthly payments and all that i just don't want something that is going to be living in the dealer shop after 50k miles.
I'm heavily considering a 2021 Versa S with a manual. I'm really leaning toward the Versa over the Hyundai Accent for a few reasons. The Versa has much more safety features standard. The Accent only has forward Collison and that's only of their top of the line model. I think the Versa has a more contemporary look to it and feels more user friendly. The base accent only had a cheap 5 inch screen while the versa has a 7 inch screen. My only two huge gripes with the Versa are that Android Auto is not available on the base model and unlike the Accent, the Versa doesn't have a 6th gear. I like the 6 speed manual in the Accent and I like the better warranty. But I'm not sure if that's enough to make be go with that over the Versa. Ita a hard call, but that's the downside to buying an entry-level car. You have to decide what matters more and what doesn't.
Buy a 2019 altima for the same price fully loaded or almost fully loaded with leather bose and sunroof as well as pro pilot assist and a heated steering wheel. There alot of them for very close for the price of a versa and it gets better mpg on the highway.
@@occckid123 I don't want an Altima. It's too big for me. I'm single and no kids. A Versa is just the right size car for me. Also, I want a manual transmission. I hate automatics.
@@RedNekLvr22 if its like the kicks i drove then kts a good car but the thing I didn't like is that the width of the car is narrow. The armrest on the door was so small that my elbow kept sliding off of it and the right armrest if a base versa even has 1 was placed 2 high.
@UCzm8IKpsricnfi1zzKaqzYw thanks for the honest report. I ended up buying a 17 camry se with 112k miles for 15k cash. It's not perfect but it's pretty goodd and had a clean carfax. I hope I have good luck with it. I test drove a versa 5 speed with 95k and faded paint. They wanted 10k. I've never considered buying a new car, but I may buy one the next time I get one. It's alot of money, but it would be great to have a car I know was treated right from day 1.
Funnily enough the CVT version of the same base model versa actually have a 60:40 split rear seats.... dunno why they differentiate it like that. Also $16k with all that features? dang thats a bargain, might as well buy it with a discount!
You probably only had any kinda legroom in back cuz front seat was all the way up, sit behind me 6'4 & see how that goes? Manuals are fun though and 35 mpg doesn't hurt either... You go Ben 😎
I’m looking for a car to learn a transmission. Thinking about a versa. More likely a older model. 16k for the 2021 model. Sadly , I personally choose over Toyota Mazda or a Honda any day (reliability). The price range for the versa is beatable then most of three company
Technology has come a long way. For today's vehicles, reliability usually comes down to how well you maintain it and don't abuse it all the time. Unless it's a Fiat/Chrysler
What year is your Versa and how many miles do you have on it so far? Would you recommend a cvt automatic Versa or a 5 speed manual Versa for possible daily city or daily city to highway driving? Is it hard to learn to drive a 5 speed manual or manual car overall? I prefer a cvt or automatic, but am willing to learn to drive a 5 speed manual car or manual car overall to save myself from future long term reliability car headaches.
@@user-wv3jt9xg8xI have a 2020 with about 11,000 miles on it. for my uses the cvt is the better option. I do a lot of highway driving and the cvt really helps keep the rpms lower at highway speeds. Manual is VERY easy to learn. Hardest part is getting it rolling. Just a matter of foot control and getting the rhythm of how the clutch and gas work together. Hands down though, the manual is going to be more reliable. It's always easier to replace a clutch for a few hundred than one of these cvts. Pretty sure the cvt alone is $5,000 before install.
@@dwoodrow9721 Are you planning to trade your cvt Versa for a 5 speed manual Versa, due to perhaps possiblly encountering cvt issues down the road? Would you overall recommend, 5 speed manual versa for daily city driving, and traffic congested roads in the city?
So many poeple buy 10 year old used cars for this price with less tech on board just because its a BMW or an Audi or any SUV. Why isn't this the best selling car in the US?
Ooof, with that money, you might as well just tell them to swap it to a manual trans. I have a 2016 Versa Note S base with manual trans. Not the best for beginners to manual but I didn't wreck the clutch either
In many ways it's like my then new 1997 Mazda Protégé LX 5 speed but with modern safety/tech and more power (though the 1.5 Protégé was quite slow but it wads fun to rev the snot out of and still got great mpg). MSRP with destination was like 14k then, and when adjusted for inflation that's 23k in 2021 dollars. This is a real bargain if it drives well.
Priced out a 22 with shipping for $16900. Nissan website. Manual. You might have to wait for delivery. Anything cheap is scarce and it's got no option boxes ticked
If that new Nissan Versa is a Manual Transmission, then that car will most likely to Outlast a Sentra or Altima that are Run by CVT's! That Little Versa with a Manual Transmission Will Last just like an Old Corolla. Except the part where most cars nowadays have push button start which is so Stupid and most likely to break overtime. But overall that car is great, it's practical and could be a great daily commuter car!
Nissan should revive the SE-R Spec V, but on the Versa instead, by throwing a 2.0L 4 cylinder turbocharged engine with a 6 speed manual transmission, a sunroof, and a rear spoiler
Seriously needs a 6th gear. Highway revs are much too high. I live in Mexico and have rented both the manual and cvt. I drove both in the USA and at 80 to 90 mph, the manual is just too noisy due the high revs. The cvt actually ran quite well at those speeds; I was very surprised. I drove from Laredo, TX to Cincinnati so it was long enough to make a decent comparison. Not sure though I would buy the cvt unless the reliability issues have been worked out. .
I want this exact vehicle in a manual transmission only, in white, and with 30% tint level for windows all around. (except the front windshield of course) but it's sooooo difficult to find in my city. 😐
About 20 to 21,000.now. You can get a real deal on a manual because the majority of young don’t know how to drive one. You definitely don’t want one of those cvt transmissions. They won’t make it 100k miles Manual will outlast the engine
Probably so. You might have to drive to a different dealer or order one. Basic manual is $16665 including the shipping. I don't know how to avoid the destination charges which makes a $15600 car $16665. A dealer with one on the lot keeps this a secret.
@@wesc.addle.9789 Do you have a 2021? My 2012 cvt versa had lots of road noise on the highway also I did not like the CVT it was finicky, but other than those two issues I love the car. I would still be driving it but it got flattened by a tree a gew days ago, so I'm looking at possibly buying a 2021 standard 5 speed soon.
@@wesc.addle.9789 I'm going to try to test drive a manual transmission 2021 versa and a manual transmission 2021 Sentra hopefully this week. The Sentra is a little out of our price range, but who knows iif it seems to drive a lot better maybe i can swing it. The 16,000 to 19,000 $ price range is tuff to find a brand new sedan. I absolutely hate shopping for cars it should be fun not stressful lol.
