Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 37 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Nissan Versa, and it carries 1 recall. 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 | 7 | 19% |
| Engine | 5 | 14% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 11% |
| Power train | 3 | 8% |
| Power train | 2 | 5% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 5% |
| Power train | 2 | 5% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I'm an employee at a driving school in Colorado and have experienced numerous occasion when loss of power is experienced. The most recent was in 10/05/2025 at 02:10pm. No warning light came on. The car was not accelerati
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Recently began driver training on this vehicle with my son (at approximate vehicle mileage of 12,500). Vehicle is manual transmission and had never previously been stalled. Once vehicle had been stalled during driver tr
NHTSA complaint: Engine
I purchased my 2023 Nissan Versa on December 30th, 2023. Since then I had two incidents occur where the car turned off suddenly while in drive. The first incident occurred April 15th, 2024. As I slowed down to stop at a
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
This problem has occurred several times since the car was bought new in 2023: The driver is at a red light. When the light changes, the driver depresses the accelerator and the car accelerates very slowly. The RPM go
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Car sometimes stall after releasing clutch too soon on first gear and goes into limp mode. Luckily I haven’t gotten hit from behind yet when this has happened but came close multiple times. The limp mode is what scares m
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Car has manual transmission: If engine stalls from starting on a hill or any other reason, when restarted it runs on limp mode with severe loss of power. Problem usually resolves on next restart, but may take up to 2 re
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Accelerated from a stop sign on a hill. Heard something snap up front and the car rolled backwards. Luckily no one was behind me. Had car towed to Nissan Dealer in Frederick Md where we bought it. The transmission and
NHTSA complaint: Power train
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. I h
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2023 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 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 improper
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
| Reliability raw | 87 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 80 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 78 | 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 37 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 7 of them (19%). There is 1 recall 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 2023 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 78/100. 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.