If you need a new car under warranty and don’t have much to spend, the least expensive option in 2025 is a Nissan Versa. The Versa, in bare bones S trim, starts at $18,330 after a $1,140 delivery fee.
It’s available at the same price with either a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) or a 5-speed manual gearbox — the last new 5-speed stick on the American market. If you can find one already on a dealership lot.
A new report says Nissan has ended production of manual-equipped Versas.
Industry publication Automotive News cites “a person with knowledge of the matter” in its report.
Tariffs to Blame
Aggressive tariffs on new cars and car parts get the blame for the axe falling. AN explains, “The Versa is one of three U.S.-market nameplates Nissan assembles in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The vehicles combined to account for nearly a third of the brand’s U.S. volume last year.”
The company had trouble making the subcompact car profitably “even before geopolitics pushed its cost up.”
Nissan has struggled to stay afloat since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A rumored plan might see Nissan end production of almost all sedans, the Versa included, to focus on more profitable sport utility vehicles.
The company unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a merger with rival Honda earlier this year. New reports say it may put its Yokohama headquarters building up for sale.
Tariffs could put the final nail in the Versa’s coffin. They could force automakers to cut their least-expensive cars from their lineups. Automakers know that the shopper considering a Versa, Kia Soul, or Chevy Trax is unlikely to buy it at a significantly higher price.
Companies that can rely on selling large numbers of more profitable models might be able to use profits from those sales to offset the added levies on their inexpensive cars. Struggling Nissan cannot.
For now, Nissan continues production of CVT-equipped Versas.
