CarBrief

NHTSA has 110 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Nissan Versa[1]. The power train group is the biggest, with 30 complaints[2].

110owner complaints[1]
29–34MPG combined (EPA)[3]
4★NHTSA overall rating[4]

Most reported problems

Owners filed complaints across several parts of the car. Here are the groups, biggest first.

Recalls

NHTSA's records show 0 recalls for the 2016 Versa[12].

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version City / highway / combined MPG Annual fuel cost
Versa, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive[3] 31 / 39 / 34 $1,950
Versa, 1.6L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive[13] 27 / 36 / 30 $2,250
Versa, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive[14] 26 / 35 / 29 $2,300

Safety ratings

Version Overall Frontal Side Rollover Rollover risk
4 DR FWD[4] 4 4 4 4 14.3%
5 HB FWD[15] 4 3 5 4 14.7%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine Horsepower
2016 Nissan Versa with 1.6L 4-cylinder[16] 109 hp

How 2016 compares with other years

2007: 354 complaints, 8 recalls20072008: 381 complaints, 7 recalls2009: 504 complaints, 7 recalls20092010: 269 complaints, 7 recalls2011: 269 complaints, 6 recalls20112012: 486 complaints, 10 recalls2013: 204 complaints, 1 recalls20132014: 343 complaints, 4 recalls2015: 254 complaints, 2 recalls20152016: 110 complaints, 0 recalls11020162017: 72 complaints, 3 recalls20172018: 60 complaints, 3 recalls2019: 25 complaints, 1 recalls20192020: 64 complaints, 2 recalls2021: 32 complaints, 3 recalls20212022: 20 complaints, 0 recalls2023: 37 complaints, 1 recalls20232024: 96 complaints, 1 recalls2025: 12 complaints, 0 recalls2025
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Versa model year. The 2016 is highlighted[12].
Show the numbers
Model yearComplaintsRecalls
20073548
20083817
20095047
20102697
20112696
201248610
20132041
20143434
20152542
20161100
2017723
2018603
2019251
2020642
2021323
2022200
2023371
2024961
2025120

NHTSA's counts for the Versa show 110 complaints and 0 recalls for 2016[12]. Among the 19 model years listed, 9 have fewer complaints than 2016 and 9 have more[12]. The fewest complaints are for 2025 (12) and the most are for 2009 (504)[12]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2016 Versa?

The 2016 Versa has 110 complaints on file[1]. The power train group has 30 of them[2] and the air bag group has 26[5]. Brakes have 15 complaints[7], and owners describe some worrying stories there. These are unverified reports sent in by owners, and they are not adjusted for how many cars were sold. Read the recalls and the by-year section on this page before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Nissan Versa?
Owners filed 110 complaints in total[1]. The power train group has the most, with 30[2], followed by air bags with 26[5].
Does the 2016 Nissan Versa have any recalls?
The Recalls section on this page lists recalls by code. Our by-year data shows 0 recalls for 2016[12].
How many miles per gallon does the 2016 Nissan Versa get?
See the fuel section of this page. It is built from EPA data.
Is the 2016 Nissan Versa reliable?
Owners filed 110 complaints with NHTSA[1]. These reports are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so use them as a guide only.
Is 2016 the best year for the Nissan Versa?
Check the by-year comparison on this page. It puts the model years side by side.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Nissan Versa

Compare all model years of the Nissan Versa

Other Nissan models from 2016

All Nissan models

Similar cars from 2016: compact cars

All compact cars we cover

Facts and sources

  1. NHTSA has 110 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Nissan Versa (16 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 20 injuries, 1 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
  2. 30 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 81,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  3. EPA rating for Versa, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 31 city / 39 highway / 34 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $1,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  4. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 4 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 14.3%. NHTSA vehicle records
  5. 26 complaints name the air bags component group (10 crashes, 0 fires, 12 injuries, median mileage at failure 30,761). NHTSA vehicle records
  6. 24 complaints name the unknown or other component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 54,710). NHTSA vehicle records
  7. 15 complaints name the brakes component group (4 crashes, 1 fires, 7 injuries, median mileage at failure 10,980). NHTSA vehicle records
  8. 14 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 45,750). NHTSA vehicle records
  9. 10 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  10. 8 complaints name the steering component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 10,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  11. 7 complaints name the speed control component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  12. Owner complaints and recalls for every Nissan Versa model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
  13. EPA rating for Versa, 1.6L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 27 city / 36 highway / 30 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,250. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  14. EPA rating for Versa, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 26 city / 35 highway / 29 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  15. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 5 HB FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 3 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 14.7%. NHTSA vehicle records
  16. EPA Test Car List, 2016 Nissan Versa with 1.6L 4-cylinder: rated 109 hp. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.