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2023 Nissan Versa

Gas

Compact Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

92 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 37

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 35 mpg

Starting MSRP4 trims · manufacturer $15,980

2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2023 Nissan Versa is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact hatchback with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Versa, is EPA-rated at 35 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 37 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $15,980 to $19,970 across 4 trims.

Nissan Versa — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Nissan Versa · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitWhich trim should I buy? → Compare a trim →

Trim	Powertrain	Drive	MSRP	HP	Torque	MPG comb	Seats	Cargo (2nd row)	Wheels
S (MT)	Gas	FWD	$15,980	122 hp	114 lb-ft	30 mpg	5	14.7 cu-ft	15 in
S (CVT)	Gas	FWD	$17,650	122 hp	114 lb-ft	35 mpg	5	14.7 cu-ft	15 in
SV	Gas	FWD	$19,270	122 hp	114 lb-ft	35 mpg	5	15 cu-ft	16 in
SR	Gas	FWD	$19,970	122 hp	114 lb-ft	35 mpg	5	15 cu-ft	17 in

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Versa	Gas	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl	32	40	35	$1,900
Versa	Gas	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl	27	35	30	$2,250

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 46356, 46357.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Versa	7 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
Versa	7 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Air Bags

PD103, PD104, PMA34

351 vehicles 86% reported repaired

Problem Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50, and 2023 Rogue vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the driver's air bag inflator may absorb moisture, and cause the air bag to deploy improperly. Risk An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Dealers will replace the front driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD103, PD104, and PMA34.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 24V154000 reported Feb 27, 2024 Nissan North America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Power Train — Reduced Power After Engine Stall closed

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation on March 7, 2024, after receiving twenty (20) consumer complaints and multiple field reports describing reduced power (limp mode) after re-starting the vehicle following a stall on certain 2022-2024 model year (MY) Nissan Versa. A Preliminary Evaluation was opened to gather information and assess whether the subject vehicles contain a safety-related defect. During this investigation, Nissan explained that certain 2022-2044 MY Nissan Versa vehicles equipped with a manual transmission may, under specific conditions, experience a Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) along with reduced engine performance following an engine start-

Opened Mar 7, 2024 · closed Oct 2, 2025 · action PE24007 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Versa

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Nissan publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Nissan’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2023 Nissan Versa, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

37complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

17 per 10,000 built · Nissan reported 21,877 Versa built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2023: 11 · 2024: 19 · 2025: 7

Most-cited components

Engine 23

Power Train 15

Vehicle Speed Control 13

Unspecified 9

Electrical System 7

Fuel/Propulsion System 4

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

I went to take off and cross traffic and lost all power to my car it would barley move. I was almost hit by a Semi truck. This is not the first time this has happened either. My car is barely a year old. It had no warning light on or anything.

Engine Nov 7, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11623958

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I would like to add my experience to others that are currently being investigated under NHTSA investigation PE24007.

Fuel/Propulsion System Dec 29, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11632968

I am adding my own experience to previous reports of the car entering limp mode after popping the clutch. It has happened to me three or four times: when the car has accidentally stalled and turned off, after turning the car back on, the car accelerates very slowly, much slower than normal.

Vehicle Speed Control Dec 20, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11631898

Car stalled on highway. Car would not push pass 20 mph no matter how much I pressed on the gas. Eventually car stopped moving and this happened on the highway while I was driving normally and then it slowed down and then stopped.

Power Train Sep 5, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11612931

I had a oem battery replaced 6 months ago and the battery went dead again in 6 months and now I have to jumpstart the battery to start the car

Electrical System Aug 8, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11607213

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Versa. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined.

Engine at 11,000 miles Oct 18, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11620663

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.

Reported by Nissan itself: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 4.6 per 100,000 built. Every Versa model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	12%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 50

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-04-13

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 50 service bulletins

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Visibility/Wiper, Structure, Forward Collision Avoidance.

NTB09-131C Service bulletin
2026-04-13 · Structure — Body
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides
NTB09-131C Service bulletin
2026-04-13 · Structure — Body
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides
NTB19-042F Service bulletin
2025-02-20 · Electrical System
AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING WARNING LIGHT BLINKING APPLIED SYSTEMS: Vehicles equipped with a lane camera (see Figure 1) SERVICE INFORMATION If the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) warning light or is blinking (but not illuminated steadily) or the customer states it is blinking, and there are no related DTCs, inspect the windshield. A blinking AEB warning light may occur under the following condit
NTB19-033G Service bulletin
2025-02-20 · Electrical System
INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE AND AEB/FEB WARNING LIGHT ON OR RADAR OBSTRUCTION MESSAGE DISPLAYED WITH DTC C1A16 OR C2582 IF YOU CONFIRM IMPORTANT: The purpose of ACTION (on the next page) is to give you a quick idea of the work you will be performing. You MUST closely follow the entire SERVICE PROCEDURE as it contains information that is essential to successfully completing this repair.
NTB19-071D Service bulletin
2024-09-19 · Air Bags
DTC B00A0-00 STORED This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. IF YOU CONFIRM DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed, (continued on the next page)
NTB22-027B Service bulletin
2024-08-15 · Electrical System
DTC B2E01-96 (INTERNAL BATTERY) STORED AS CURRENT IN IVC This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. SERVICE INFORMATION The APPLIED VEHICLES that come equipped with a factory installed SOS switch, located near the overhead map lamp, also come equipped with a wireless communication device called a Telematics Communicati
NTB23-031A Service bulletin
2024-07-22 · Electrical System
DTC B2E1B-06 (AUTOMATIC ECALL) STORED AS CURRENT IN THE IVC APPLIED VEHICLES: 2021-2022 Armada (Y62) 2022-2023 Frontier (D41) 2023 Kicks (P15) 2021-2023 Maxima (A36) 2022-2023 Pathfinder (R53) 2021, 2023 Rogue (T33) 2022-2023 Sentra (B18) 2020-2021, 2023 Titan/Titan XD (A61) 2023 Versa (N18) AMENDMENT HISTORY PUBLISHED DATE REFERENCE DESCRIPTION April 6, 2023 NTB23-031 Original bulletin published
NTB13-107G Service bulletin
2024-05-21 · Electrical System
VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P2615	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 owner reports

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 0.81%

failed emissions

371 initial inspections of 364 vehicles.

Measure	The 2023 Versa	Every 2023 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	0.81%	1.6%	371
Failed the safety inspection	2.2%	1.1%	371
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0%	0.16%	371
Miles driven a year	9,222	10,038	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	30,410	32,673	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Versa by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2025 A 0 12 35 mpg 2024 A 1 96 35 mpg 2023 this page A 1 37 35 mpg 2022 A 0 20 35 mpg 2021 C 3 32 35 mpg 2020 B 2 64 35 mpg 2019 A 1 25 34 mpg 2018 B 3 60 34 mpg 2017 C 3 72 34 mpg 2016 A 0 110 34 mpg

Common questions about the 2023 Versa

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

How much does the 2023 Nissan Versa cost?

Manufacturer pricing runs from $15,980 for the S (MT) FWD to $19,970 for the SR FWD, across 4 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.

Does the 2023 Nissan Versa have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2023 Nissan Versa. The most serious on file is 24V154000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2023 Nissan Versa?

NHTSA gave the 2023 Nissan Versa 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (92/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Nissan Versa?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2023 Nissan Versa, the best EPA combined figure is 35 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Nissan Versa?

Owners have filed 37 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Nissan Versa, most often about engine, power train, vehicle speed control. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2023 Nissan Versa?

The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Nissan Versa is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Nissan Versa?

The manufacturer has filed 50 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Nissan Versa, most often covering electrical system, equipment, visibility/wiper. The most recent is dated 2026-04-13. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2023 Nissan Versa do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Nissan Versa failed the emissions check on 0.81% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.2% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

Which 2023 Nissan Versa trim is the best value?

$3,990 separates the cheapest of the 4 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	37	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	50	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	none	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment	4 trims	Manufacturer press kit	Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

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). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

JSON for this page · API