Compare the2022 Hyundai AccentVS 2022 Nissan Versa

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Accent has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Versa doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Accent Limited has a standard Blue Link, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Versa doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Accent and the Versa have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes and daytime running lights.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Accent is safer than the Nissan Versa:

	Accent	Versa
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	290	364
Neck Injury Risk	26%	36%
Neck Stress	250 lbs.	326 lbs.
Neck Compression	40 lbs.	298 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	60/64 lbs.	354/296 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	56%	57%
Neck Stress	198 lbs.	271 lbs.
Neck Compression	93 lbs.	137 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	33/31 lbs.	236/194 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Accent is safer than the Nissan Versa:

	Accent	Versa
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	214	232

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, its “Acceptable” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Accent the rating of “Top Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Versa has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Accent comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Versa’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Accent 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Versa. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Versa ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Accent’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Versa’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Accent for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Versa.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Accent first among small cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Versa isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 21st.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 7 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Accent gets better mileage than the Versa:

			MPG
Accent
	Auto	1.6 DOHC 4-cyl.	33 city/41 hwy
Versa
	Manual	1.6 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/35 hwy
	Auto	1.6 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/40 hwy

The Accent has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Versa (11.9 vs. 10.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Hyundai Accent comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Versa.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Accent’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Versa:

	Accent	Versa
Front Rotors	11 inches	10 inches

The Accent SEL/Limited has standard antilock four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the Versa. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

The Accent stops shorter than the Versa:

	Accent	Versa
70 to 0 MPH	173 feet	178 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	124 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Accent Limited’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Versa SR’s 50 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Accent’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Versa’s (33.5 feet vs. 34.8 feet).

Chassis

The Accent is 4.4 inches shorter than the Versa, making the Accent easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Hyundai Accent amounts to more than styling. The Accent has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .28 Cd. That is lower than the Versa (.288 to .319) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Accent get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The Accent has .8 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 2.5 inches more rear legroom, .7 inches more rear hip room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Versa.

Cargo Capacity

The Accent’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Versa S Manual doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Accent Limited’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Versa doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Accent and the Versa have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Accent is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Versa prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Accent SEL/Limited’s driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control. The Versa’s driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

Consumer Reports rated the Accent’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the Versa’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

The Accent offers an optional center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Versa doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Accent has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Versa doesn’t offer rear vents.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Accent owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Accent will cost $220 to $1600 less than the Versa over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Accent is less expensive to operate than the Versa because typical repairs cost much less on the Accent than the Versa, including $5 less for a muffler, $49 less for front brake pads, $47 less for a starter, $88 less for a fuel pump, $75 less for front struts and $367 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Accent will be $1491 to $1873 less than for the Nissan Versa.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Accent, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Nissan Versa isn't recommended.