It’s a bad time to be shopping for cars on a budget. According to the analysts at Cox Automotive, the average transaction price for a new vehicle in October stood at $49,766, and that’s not just due to a boom in high-end stuff. There’s only one car left under $20,000, and that sedan is reportedly about to ride off into the sunset. I’m talking, of course, about the Nissan Versa.
According to a report from Canada’s The Car Guide, “[the outlet] has learned from a company spokesperson that production of the small Japanese sedan came to an end in September.” Last I checked, September was months ago, which could mean that Nissan’s been coasting along on existing inventory for a while. The stick-shift model was already phased out back in May, and with prior reports from Automotive News claiming there’d be no 2026 Versa, it was only a matter of time. Needless to say, I’ve reached out to Nissan regarding this report and will update you as I learn more details.
If Nissan did indeed phase out production of its most affordable car three months ago, that’s a shame because America needs the Versa. True, it was a bit tinny and got blown around in crosswinds and took about 10 seconds to reach 60 mph from a dead stop, but what do you expect from America’s cheapest car? I’ll tell you what you didn’t expect: A flat-bottom steering wheel, cruise control, LED headlights, three standard USB ports, and rear automatic emergency braking. Okay, admittedly, the lack of standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a miss considering the dearly departed and even cheaper Chevrolet Spark came with both of these phone-mirroring technologies, but once the Versa became the cheapest thing on wheels, it gained a little more leeway in that department.
Plus, the Versa has been on a bit of a sales tear. Through the third quarter of 2025, Nissan sold 41,463 of these little sedans in America. That’s up 41.5 percent over the same period last year, no doubt driven by necessity. When people need reliable cars with warranties and easy financing, and everything’s expensive, lots of drivers will go cheap and cheerful. Indeed, you can walk into a Nissan showroom with zero down and still walk out with a payment under $350 a month on a long enough term with good enough credit. That’s a difficult task these days.
I know, I know, there’s the argument for just buying a used Corolla, but for those with limited credit history or bad credit history, it’s often easier to get financing approval on a new car than on a used one from a reputable dealer. Plus, a warranty is huge peace of mind. According to a recent Bankrate study, 34 percent of Gen Z Americans and 28 percent of Millennial Americans have no emergency savings. For those who need to get around but can’t afford extra repairs, having all the oily bits save for consumables covered helps with sleep at night.
The Nissan Versa might not be quick, or massively glamorous, or luxurious, but it can be a ticket to a better quality of life. In some ways, it represents freedom better than any supercar or new 4×4, which is why I’ll be sad to see it go. Regardless of the production situation, we’re nearly in December and there’s no 2026 Versa on Nissan’s website. If this is indeed the end, we should all miss Nissan’s cheapest car when it’s gone.
Top graphic image: Nissan
I am guessing this was done to push people into the slightly more profitable Sentra. Oh and also because of tariffs on cars built in Mexico.
Gen2 was meh, but I’ve always respected the Versa. It’s an honest no-bullshit car. If the latest one was a hatchback and manual, I’d possibly be driving one. The US economy now is all about appeasing the desires and budgets of the wealthy.
I picked up a CPO 2023 Corolla Hybrid with 11k miles for $21,000 a year and a half ago. Thing feels bullet proof, I pull between 50 and 60 mpg on my commute, and I can fit two car seats in the back seat and a stroller in the trunk. I feel increasingly lucky as the affordable car market continues to erode.
You will own nothing and be happy!
A new car payment under $350 a month? Hello I have a mortgage payment on a 3 bedroom house with a detached garage on a 15 year loan at $400. I bet you could buy old Toyota manufacturer equipment and build and sell great cheap cars under $20k all day long.
User name checks out
How? Maybe Mr cheapskate
I actually told him to go by Mr Sarcatic Asshole, but maybe that user name was taken already? Truth be known, he’s really witty, kinda rude and all, but in reality is a nice person. Now if he is with private equity, I’ll bring the wood and rope to build the gallows.
Good for you. My home, and car are paid off but the ever increasing property taxes, insurance, and HOA fees (Private equity bought it) will be the death of me. The rate it is going with inflation involved, I’ll be homeless by 85. I’m gathering from your previous posts that you work or have worked in a call center environment. I have too since covid destroyed my lungs, business, and life!. At my current job, Our latest campaign working for a major Medicare insurer as I do, is to call people and apologize for their food benefit being taken away in 2026 and offer the contact info to their nearest food pantry. How fucked up is that? The Autopian is my escape from the harsh realities of life LOL
I legit get angry that none of the manufacturers in the US can build a high volume low cost anything. Every manufacturer is going for profit per unit. Racing apparently doesn’t trickle down. Higher $ models apparently can’t share tech with low tech models to amortize costs. I would love to buy a new car with a warranty but no mfr can do it without fluffing the cost. Dealers drive this the most as they stock lowest denominator models. “What can I get you into today?” That’s part of what killed the MT. Part of what gets you white/silver colors. Ugh
I agree wholeheartedly with your legit anger. It’s 100% justified.
Car companies don’t give a shit about affordable. Only Highly Profitable per unit. Most seem to be pretty bad with QC, so the recalls are easier with the high end vehicles, although GM really is pounding sand with the V8s.
It feels like it’s going to come to a head where the average person is forced into an 84 mo loan, as the affordable used cars dry up. Affordable being ones that won’t require dealers to fix. Hahaha
I agree 100% and thank goodness I’m not the only one here that does 2-3 posts in a row to make a point. I just watched a video about how cash for clunkers killed the cheap used car market.
It didn’t. It was 17 years ago and destroyed a small fraction of the used cars in inventory that year. The impact of Cash for Clunkers today is near zero.
I think it was a stupid program, don’t get me wrong, but people attribute an outsized influence to it.
Insane prices for scrap wiped out a massive number of runners and parts vehicles.
Didn’t help when vehicle thefts went up by multiples during covid, at least here.
Theft was high before that.
Recoveries nearly nonexistent now.
The Nissan Versa is the epitome of “drive it like a rental” My rental Versa from Phoenix to Vegas was treated just that way. At the time, I was an experienced “small car fast” driver and knew just how to treat this temporary mode of transportation!
One of my favorite PJ O’Rourke quotes has always been along the lines that the best performance car you’ll ever drive is a rental, b/c you’ll push it closer to its actual limits compared with anything else you’ll drive simply b/c it’s problems aren’t yours.
So you gave the Sentra the big brother Altima treatment?
Oh how I hate the Altima! Had one as a rental in FL and I could barely get in the driver’s seat without hitting my head on the severely raked A-pillar!