Compare the2023 Toyota CorollaVS 2023 Nissan Versa

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

Safety

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The Corolla has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Versa doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Corolla has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Versa doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Corolla has standard Safety Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, 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 Corolla and the Versa have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

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

	Corolla	Versa
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	187	364
Neck Injury Risk	27%	36%
Neck Stress	243 lbs.	326 lbs.
Neck Compression	50 lbs.	298 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	330/310 lbs.	354/296 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	27%	57%
Neck Stress	165 lbs.	271 lbs.
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	137 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 flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla is safer than the Nissan Versa:

	Corolla	Versa
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	92	145
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	216 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	250
Hip Force	367 lbs.	461 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Corolla is 1.3% less likely to roll over than the Versa.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Versa has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Versa.

There are over 15 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Nissan dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Corolla’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Corolla’s reliability 31 points higher than the Versa.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Corolla second among compact cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Versa isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Nissan is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Nissan is ranked 15th.

Engine

The Corolla’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 47 more horsepower (169 vs. 122) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (151 vs. 114) than the Versa’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Toyota Corolla is faster than the Nissan Versa (automatics tested):

	Corolla	Versa
Zero to 60 MPH	7.9 sec	10.4 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	22.2 sec	33.9 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	8.6 sec	10.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	18 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87 MPH	79 MPH
Top Speed	117 MPH	115 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Corolla has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Versa (13.2 vs. 10.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Toyota Corolla 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 Corolla’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Versa:

	Corolla	Versa
Front Rotors	10.8 inches	10 inches
Rear Rotors	10.2 inches	8” drums

The Toyota Corolla has standard 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 Corolla stops much shorter than the Versa:

	Corolla	Versa
70 to 0 MPH	163 feet	178 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	124 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Corolla has larger standard tires than the Versa (205/55R16 vs. 195/65R15). The Corolla SE/XSE’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Versa (225/40R18 vs. 205/55R16).

The Corolla’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Versa S’ standard 65 series tires. The Corolla SE/XSE’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Versa SR’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Corolla has standard 16-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Versa S. The Corolla SE/XSE’s 18-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Versa SR.

The Toyota Corolla’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Nissan Versa only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Corolla has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Nissan Versa has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Corolla has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Corolla flat and controlled during cornering. The Versa’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Corolla’s wheelbase is 3.2 inches longer than on the Versa (106.3 inches vs. 103.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Corolla is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Versa.

The Corolla handles at .89 G’s, while the Versa SR pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Corolla SE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Versa SR (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Corolla has 3 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear hip room than the Versa.

Cargo Capacity

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

Ergonomics

The Corolla’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Versa has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the Corolla and the Versa have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Corolla 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 Corolla’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Versa’s power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Versa can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Corolla’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Versa’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Corolla XLE/XSE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Versa doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Corolla has a standard 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 Corolla has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Versa doesn’t offer rear vents.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Nissan Versa isn’t available as a four door hatchback or wagon.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Corolla is less expensive to operate than the Versa because it costs $46 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Corolla than the Versa, including $44 less for front brake pads, $47 less for a fuel pump, $8 less for front struts and $47 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

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

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Nissan Versa by almost 21 to one during 2022.