Podcast Episode Details

America Loses Its Last Subcompact Sedan as Nissan Kills the Versa in 2026

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Subcompact Sedans: Officially Extinct in America

There was a time when there were loads of options for subcompact sedans in America. Some notable examples include the Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Mitsubishi Mirage, and the main topic of this story, the Nissan Versa. The Versa would be the last of its kind after the discontinuation of the Mirage in 2024.

Now, it's the Versa's turn to bow out. The Drive reports that America's last subcompact sedan will be no more in 2026.

"In line with Nissan’s product strategy, the Nissan Versa ended production in December 2025 for the U.S. market. Nissan remains committed to offering affordable and stylish vehicles in the sedan segment with models like Sentra and Altima, while also offering strong value in the compact SUV segment with the Kicks," Nissan Senior Product Communications Manager Josh Clifton told the publication.

An Odd Legacy

Granted, the Versa won't go down in history as one of the greatest cars, let alone the greatest Nissans, ever made. Still, the discontinuation of the small sedan means there will be no more sub-$20,000 brand-new cars in America once remaining stocks dry up.

So, not only is the Versa the last subcompact sedan in America, but it's also the last car anyone can buy for under 20 large. It may not seem like it, but this is a significant moment, and its cancellation is guaranteed to bring up average new car prices in the country. It's unlikely we'll ever see a brand-new car stateside costing that little.

For reference, the Versa carried a base price of $17,390 for the S trim with a manual transmission. If you can't be bothered with a clutch, the S CVT was still under $20,000 at $19,190.

Some Parts of the World Will Still Get it

That said, subcompact sedans remain a significant market outside the US. Latin America is one, and the same goes for Southeast Asia and the Middle East. If there's a need to prove that, a heavily facelifted version of the Versa was spied in Mexico just a few weeks back.

In other parts of the world, the Versa is also known as the Sunny and the Almera. It's called the Sunny in the Middle East, while the Almera name is used in Southeast Asia. The Latin American Versa will likely retain the 1.6-liter engine in its facelifted guise, and the same goes for the Middle Eastern Sunny. Meanwhile, the Southeast Asian Almera uses a 1.0-liter turbo to skirt tax regulations.

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Published on 4 days, 3 hours ago