What is the Real MPG of a Nissan Versa?

August 16th, 2026 by

 

Photo Source/Copyright: NISSAN USA

 

How impressive is the official MPG of a Nissan Versa on open roads? The MPG of a Nissan Versa reaches up to 40 miles per gallon on the highway and 35 miles per gallon combined when the subcompact sedan is equipped with its available Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Those ratings belong to a nameplate that has closed its run: the 2025 model year was the Versa’s last in the United States, and production ended that December. Here’s how those ratings broke down by configuration, along with fuel tank capacity, estimated driving range, and the engineering behind the numbers.

 

What Is the MPG of a Nissan Versa?

Fuel economy splits cleanly along transmission lines. Versa sedans built with the Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) carried EPA-estimated ratings of 32 MPG city, 40 MPG highway, and 35 MPG combined. The five-speed manual, offered only on the base S, rated 27 MPG city, 35 MPG highway, and 30 MPG combined.

 

Those CVT figures held constant across the S CVT, SV, and SR variants; trim level didn’t affect efficiency once the transmission was fixed. Every configuration was front-wheel drive and ran on regular gasoline, which kept fill-up costs low and made the ratings easier to realize in everyday driving.

 

  • S with Five-Speed Manual: 27 city / 35 highway / 30 combined EPA-estimated MPG*
  • S CVT, SV, and SR: 32 city / 40 highway / 35 combined EPA-estimated MPG*
  • Drivetrain and Fuel: front-wheel drive, regular gasoline, all trims

 

How Transmission Choice Shaped Fuel Economy

The five-MPG spread between the two setups came down to how each managed engine speed. A Continuously Variable Transmission has no fixed gears, so that it can hold the 1.6-liter engine near its most efficient operating range as road speed changes. A five-speed manual moves in fixed steps, which leaves the engine running above or below that range more often, and the ratings reflect that in city, highway, and combined measures alike.

 

The manual was also withdrawn late in the Versa’s final model year, leaving the CVT as the only transmission still in production when the line closed. Shoppers comparing used examples should confirm which transmission a car carries, since it determines the rating set.

 

  • Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT): no fixed gears, holding engine speed near its efficient range; delivered the 35 MPG combined rating; standard on SV and SR, available on S
  • Five-Speed Manual Transmission: offered on the base S only, rated at 30 MPG combined, and withdrawn late in the final model year
  • Final-Production Setup: CVT-only at the conclusion of U.S. production, so the latest examples weren’t offered with a manual

 

Fuel Tank Capacity and Estimated Driving Range

Every Versa trim carried a 10.8-gallon fuel tank, a modest capacity that the sedan’s efficiency more than offset. Multiply the combined rating by that tank, and a CVT-equipped car covers roughly 375 miles between fill-ups; lean on the highway rating, and the figure climbs to approximately 430 miles.

 

These are arithmetic estimates rather than published values, since neither the EPA nor Nissan certifies driving range, but they illustrate why the MPG of a Nissan Versa mattered more than tank size on long trips. A larger tank in a thirstier car often delivers less. The Versa’s advantage came from consumption, not capacity. For commuters, the practical result was a sedan that needed the pump less often than its small tank suggested.

 

  • Fuel Tank Capacity: 10.8 gallons, all trims
  • Estimated Highway Range: approximately 430 miles with the CVT*
  • Estimated Combined Range: approximately 375 miles with the CVT*

 

The Engineering Behind the Ratings

A single powertrain served the entire lineup: a 1.6-liter DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder rated at 122 horsepower at 6,300 revolutions per minute (RPM) and 114 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 RPM. Those are modest numbers, and that was the point. Nissan sized the engine to the car rather than chasing headline output, and the efficiency ratings are the direct result.

 

The rest of the package followed the same logic. At 177 inches long, the Versa stayed compact enough that the small engine never had to work hard. Independent strut front suspension, a semi-independent torsion-beam rear, electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and front-wheel drive rounded out a mechanical package built for economy rather than complexity.

 

Find Your Pre-Owned Nissan Versa

The Versa is no longer built for this market, but its ratings still make it one of the more economical used subcompacts available. If the MPG of a Nissan Versa is what brought you here, our pre-owned and Certified Pre-Owned inventory is worth a look.

 

Moreover, our Nissan-trained technicians continue to service the vehicle long after its final model year. Browse current availability to see what is on our lot.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimers:

 

*EPA-estimated fuel economy. Actual mileage will vary with driving conditions and vehicle condition; use for comparison purposes only. Range figures are estimates derived from EPA-estimated ratings and fuel tank capacity, and are not EPA- or manufacturer-published values.

Posted in Nissan Versa