MODELYEARINDEX

Nissan Versa

1,448 complaints across 12 scored model years and 24 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Nissan Versa Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2012 vs model median 3.6×
Model median3× median
Drivetrain 75
Airbags & Restraints 36
Engine 26
Avoid

2012 · 2014

Best

2019 · 2020

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.67× 51 C
2011
1.04× 76 C
2012
3.65× 269 F
2013
1.56× 124 C
2014
2.59× 163 F
2015
2.34× 166 F
2016
1.18× 69 C
2017
0.95× 69 C
2018
0.90× 52 C
2019
0.33× 30 A
2020
0.66× 62 B
2021
0.59× 36 B
2022 P
0.46× 35 A
2023 P
1.21× 72 C
2024 P
2.37× 157 F
2025 P
0.32× 17 A

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

Combined MPG32.5
City / Highway29.5 / 37.5
Engine1.6L, 4 cyl
DriveFront-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost$1,900

Recalls

24 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
19V654000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2018, 2019 1,228,830
17V449000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2012 515,394
16V349000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2011 413,852
20V008000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2011 307,962
15V507000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL 2012–2015 298,747
15V573000 SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS 2010–2012 218,019
18V551000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION 2017, 2018 153,047
17V028000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2012 152,554

+ 16 further campaigns

Others in Subcompact Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Model Years to avoid Grade
Chevrolet Aveo
none flagged
B
Chevrolet Sonic
20122013
C
Chevrolet Spark
20132014
B
Fiat 500
20122014
C
Fiat 500L
2014
C
Ford Fiesta
20112013
C
Honda FIT
20132015
C
Hyundai Accent
20122013
C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2012 Versa
Complaints in window
269
Severity-weighted
464
Model median (weighted)
127
vs model median
3.65×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
11
Open investigations
1
Score 6.7 F