2018 Nissan Versa
Gas Compact car
The 2018 Nissan Versa is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact car with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Versa, is EPA-rated at 34 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 58 complaints, most often about electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Versa | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 31 | 39 | 34 | $1,850 |
| Versa | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 27 | 36 | 30 | $2,100 |
| Versa | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 26 | 35 | 29 | $2,150 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2018 Nissan Versa is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
Compare coverage →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Data on this page is never influenced by that.
Recalls (3)
Back Over Prevention
minorProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) num
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
Electrical System
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over time, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Air Bags
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018 Nissan Versa Note vehicles. During deployment of the side curtain air bag, a component of the air bag inflator may detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection," and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk: If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA investigations
Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module — Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (open)
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Opened Sep 17, 2021 · action EA21002
Owner complaints
58 complaints filed
12 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 10 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2017: 2 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 12 · 2020: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 5
Most-cited components
- Electrical System — 17
- Engine — 14
- Unknown Or Other — 14
- Air Bags — 13
- Power Train — 12
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | 14% |
| 5 HB FWD | not rated | ★★★☆☆ | not rated | ★★★★☆ | 15% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Other Versa model years
2025 Versa
0 recalls · 11 complaints
A2024 Versa
1 recalls · 95 complaints
A2023 Versa
1 recalls · 37 complaints
A2022 Versa
0 recalls · 20 complaints
C2021 Versa
3 recalls · 31 complaints
C2020 Versa
2 recalls · 64 complaints
A2019 Versa
1 recalls · 25 complaints
C2017 Versa
3 recalls · 72 complaints
A2016 Versa
0 recalls · 108 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 39334, 39335, 39336). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.