2021 Nissan Versa Makes a Come Back Before Canadian International Auto Show

2021 Nissan Versa brings back the Versa sedan which was discontinued in 2014
New Versa will serve as Nissan’s entry-level model this year
Old Versa sedan was one of the most affordable cars in Canada

Six years after pulling the plug on the original Canadian Nissan Versa, Nissan is bringing the nameplate back. The 2021 Nissan Versa was unveiled tonight prior to the Canadian International Auto Show that takes place in Canada.

With the Versa Note axed last year and news that the Nissan Micra wasn’t returning, Nissan had an opening at the entrance of its lineup. The Versa will slot below the redesigned Sentra in terms of price, size, power, and just about everything else. It won’t be short on features, however.

Powering the new 2021 Nissan Versa is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder with 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque. That’s considerably more power than the outgoing Micra (109 hp) could manage, and above average for the segment. A 5-speed manual will be standard with an Xtronic CVT automatic being optional. The 5-speed gearbox is definitely retro, but the take rate should be minimal and it’s really only to lower the Versa’s starting price for marketing purposes.

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What that starting price will be hasn’t been confirmed. The previous Versa was $11,898 the year it left Canada. A starting price in the $12,500 to $13,500 would make sense for the 2021 Versa.

The engine will average under 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres and there are 425 litres of total cargo space in the back. That’s more than many compact sedans, let alone subcompacts the Versa competes with.

In terms of safety, the 2021 Versa will offer the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of active safety technologies. Standard safety equipment will include automatic braking with pedestrian detection, emergency rear braking, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams. All of that will be standard. Optional safety features include blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

Thoughts on the 2021 Nissan Versa

Here’s the deal with the Versa. An all-new design, safety features everywhere, decent engine, and a lot of cargo space. So far, so good. The thing is, we could describe the Nissan Kicks in the exact same way we just described the Versa, only with more cargo space. Now, the Kicks will also be more expensive, that’s pretty much a given.

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So Nissan is thinking that they need a car to appeal to buyers with a small budget who would normally turn to a pre-owned vehicle if cars like the Versa weren’t available. The Micra was a huge success in certain areas of Canada, and Nissan is surely hoping to capture some of that success with the new Versa.

In other words, the price will be the determining factor. $1,000 too expensive and the car will flop. Hit that price sweet spot and they will sell enough to justify bringing the Versa back.