Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Nissan Versa, and it carries 3 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 10 | 16% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 6% |
| Power train | 4 | 6% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 6% |
| Structure | 3 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 5% |
| Engine | 3 | 5% |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 3% |
| Seat belts | 2 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The vehicle was involved in a side impact collision at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss after the accident, as the side impact was the drivers side door and wheel well. The air bags never deploye
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
To whom it may concern the tint on all four of my doors is obstructing my site with Windows up my back window has bubbles all through it. Mike Erdman Nissan has replaced that one one time and it’s bubbled again. They ref
NHTSA complaint: Visibility/wiper
On 3/21/25 I was informed by Malik's Auto Repair that I need my transmission replaced after a diagnostic of my car making a vacuum noise. After researching, I found that many Nissan vehicles have been experiencing this
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Car was purchased September 2024 for my grandson. This car was garaged until mid-March when my grandson received his driver's license. End of March 2025, car was in the dealership for service and a complimentary multip
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Hood latch allowed hood to fly open at 30 mph, causing $3100 worth of damage to car, Potentially causing serious other vehicular/occupant injuries. Apparently the latch was inadvertently engaged, but the secondary latch
NHTSA complaint: Structure
These vehicles have a cowl drain located on the passenger side under the wiper blades. The drain is really small so it clogs easily. When there are heavy rains, my car floods. It has happened on several occasions, includ
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Driver side airbag system completely broken. No crashes or accidents caused this. It happened out of nowhere one day.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Versa. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the transmission downshifted, and the vehicle decelerated to 5 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull to t
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Nissan Versa. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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 t
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 conta
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2017 Versa vehicles manufactured August 1, 2016, to August 16, 2016. A seam in the fabric section of the side curtain air bags may tear during side curtain air bag deployment, potentially affecting the performance of the air bag.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating side curtain air bag deployment, if the side curtain air bags do not deploy as intended there would be an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 2, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-80
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Versa, and Versa Note vehicles. The ring plate that secures the air bag cushion to the passenger frontal air bag assembly may fail, possibly causing the air bag to deploy improperly in the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began June 12, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261
| Reliability raw | 77 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 76 | good |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 54 | average |
| Performance | 41 | below average |
| Efficiency | 57 | average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 10 of them (16%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 77/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 76/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2017 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 69/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.