Nissan Altima vs Nissan Versa

There simply aren’t as many sedans on sale today as there once were. Crossover SUVs offer more space and for many shoppers, better value. But for those who still want a sedan, there are plenty of familiar names available. The Altima, now in its sixth year since a noteworthy redesign, continues on in 2024 as a staple of the segment.

Verdict: With an attractive starting price and an impressive array of standard safety tech, the 2024 Nissan Altima looks like a good value. Standard all-wheel drive in Canada and an upgraded touchscreen display on higher trims only further the appeal.

It’s getting hard to find a basic subcompact sedan, but Nissan is keeping the faith.

The Nissan Versa returned to the Canadian line-up in the 2021 model year after a six-year hiatus, slotting below the Sentra in the lineup. The most recent redesign was just a year earlier, for the 2020 model year. For 2023, the Versa gets a handful of updates, including freshened styling and more available tech features. In addition to the Versa S, the lineup includes SV and SR models; we tested the latter for this review.

Since the Versa has been on sale, the ranks of subcompact cars have thinned considerably. The Chevrolet Sonic, the Ford Fiesta, the Honda Fit, the Hyundai Accent, and the Toyota Yaris are no longer sold in North America. That leaves the Kia Rio and the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback as the Versa’s main competitors, and the Rio is on its way out of Canada for 2024 as well. But, as is always the case in this market segment, shoppers must also consider whether to buy a new car like the Versa or a potentially better-equipped used car for similar money.