The Drive says that there won’t be a Nissan Versa for the 2026 model year. Before production ended this month, the 2025 Versa was Nissan’s cheapest new car. It had a starting price of $18,585. The Versa is no longer offered, so customers now have to choose the Kicks Play, Kicks, or Sentra, all of which cost over $22,000. It was clear what would happen when Nissan stopped making the manual-transmission Versa earlier this year. The three-pedal version of America’s cheapest new car was canceled because not many people bought it, and the Trump administration’s taxes made it more expensive. Nissan’s plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico, continued to make the Versa using automated machines, but production was officially put on hold this month. According to an early story in The Drive, Nissan later said the Versa would not return for the 2026 model year. When Invoice-Pricing called Nissan to confirm the story, a spokesperson said, “In accordance with Nissan’s product strategy, the Nissan Versa will end production in December 2025 for the U.S. market.” Nissan is still dedicated to making stylish cars with fair prices, like the Sentra and Altima, as well as offering great value in the small SUV market with the Kicks. Since the Versa was discontinued, no Nissan model starts under $19,000. In 2025, the entry-level Versa started at $18,585, and the top-tier trim cost $22,585. Until 2026, unless it is canceled then, Nissan’s new market entry will probably be the $23,000 Kicks Play, an extended version of the previous model Kicks. Still, most people who want to buy a new, affordable Nissan car will have to choose between the Kicks small SUV (starting at $23,925) and the newer Sentra compact sedan (starting at $23,845).
