Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 4 | 13% |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 10% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 10% |
| Power train | 2 | 6% |
| Engine | 2 | 6% |
| Air bags | 2 | 6% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Automatic CVT failure confirmed by Future Nissan of Roseville CA. No warning prior to failure. Replaced by Kirkwood Autoworx Mechanical since Nissan Corporate denied a good-will replacement. Reason: 15k miles over warra
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Hi, My name is [XXX] and I live in [XXX] . In October 2023 I purchased a used Nissan Versa 2021 from a dealership. It only had 30k miles on it when I bought it. On May 9, 2026 I was driving to work when my car experienc
NHTSA complaint: Power train
I got into the car and started it up. Put in reverse car shuts off. Re started and put in reverse. Was able to drive out of apartment parking lot then no power to speed and car was a little jerky and on dashboard it said
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Cvt Transmission failed While driving transmission popped and no forward drive leaving us in traffic unable to move in forward. Had to get out and push the car to the side of the road. No warning lights no warning sign
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Transmission failure 2 Times. First time experienced jerking and some smoke coming out and second time same jerking and smoke along with electrical system failure. Nissan paid 40% the first time to help and I paid 60% e
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
My 2021 Nissan Versa was struck at high speed while parked and required extensive repairs that exceeded the vehicle’s value. After the repairs, the transmission began acting erratically. The car shudders, hesitates, and
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Mileage: Approximately 45,000 Current Status: Inoperable; held at Joe Machens Nissan pending evaluation by Nissan Consumer Affairs. Description of the Problem The vehicle has become completely inoperable, making it unsaf
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Need to put in complaint the CVT transmissions has been doing a lot of whining and jerky. Spoke to the dealership they stated had no idea what it was. Started to investigate and found out there were recalls in the 2012 t
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2021 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 2020-2021 Titan, Titan XD, and Versa vehicles. The front right and/or left turn signal bulb can crack and fail to illuminate.
Risk: Inoperable front turn signals cannot alert on-coming drivers and/or pedestrians that the vehicle will be turning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the bulbs as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 20, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Versa and Kicks vehicles. An intermittent electrical connection in the electric power steering (EPS) torque sensor can disable the power steering assist.
Risk: Loss of power steering assist can increase the steering effort required, especially at low speeds, and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the steering column torque sensor lot code, and replace the column, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 9, 2022. Owners m
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Versa and Kicks vehicles. An intermittent electrical connection in the electric power steering (EPS) torque sensor can disable the power steering assist.
Risk: Loss of power steering assist can increase the steering effort required, especially at low speeds, and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the steering column torque sensor lot code and replace the steering column assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September
| Reliability raw | 87 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 80 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 68 | good |
| Performance | 41 | below average |
| Efficiency | 57 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 4 of them (13%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 87/100 (excellent) 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 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2021 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 76/100. 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.