When you’re looking for a new car, the compact sedan class is one of the smallest segments, but it is hotly contested. Two of the class leaders are the Nissan Versa and the Toyota Corolla. They both feature stylish designs, comfortable feature-packed interiors, economical powertrains, and advanced safety technologies.
But how do they match up side-by-side? If you’re in the market for this class of car, it’s important to choose the right small sedan for your needs. Here at Burleson Nissan in Burleson, Texas, we’ve compiled this detailed 2024 Versa vs. Corolla comparison to help you make the right decision.
Interior Comfort and Design: Which Offers a Better Driving Experience?
You can choose the 2024 Nissan Versa in S, SV, and SR models, each offering sleek, elegant styling and a surprisingly spacious and well-equipped cabin for a compact sedan. For 2024, the Toyota Corolla is available in LE, SE, Nightshade, and XSE trims with increasing equipment as you move up the trim levels.
Seating and Comfort
The Versa’s cabin has a more upscale cabin than its price suggests. Every design element features high-quality materials and fine craftsmanship. It seats five people in comfort. The six-way adjustable driver’s seat includes height adjustments, helping you find the perfect position.
In the S trim, you’ll find stylish cloth upholstery while the SV and SR have sophisticated premium cloth seating. The zero-gravity front seats offer more support and help reduce fatigue on longer trips. Front seat passengers get a generous 44.5 inches of legroom compared to 42 inches in the Corolla. The SR features heated front seats and automatic climate control.
The Corolla features an airy cabin with a simple layout and seating for five. Most trims have fabric seats, while the top XSE model offers simulated leather upholstery and heated front seats. The Toyota’s driver’s seat has sufficient adjustment to set it to your preferred position. Automatic climate control is standard.
Cargo Space
In the Versa’s trunk, you get up to 15 cubic feet of cargo space and the low and wide opening makes it easy to load and unload. Folding down the available 60/40-split folding rear seats gives you room for larger items. The Corolla has a smaller 13.1 cubic foot trunk and the rear seats don’t fold as low making it awkward to load bulkier items.
Head-to-Head: Performance and Efficiency
The Versa’s compact size makes it easy to maneuver around the city streets, while its refined ride and composed handling make it a pleasure to drive on the open highway and the winding back roads. Despite having a more powerful engine, the Corolla doesn’t accelerate much faster than the Versa. It offers a smooth ride but leans a lot during cornering.
Engine Specifications and Power
Under the Versa’s hood is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 122 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. The S trim comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission or the option of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that’s standard on the SV and SR trims.
The Corolla is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired with a standard CVT that transfers power to the front wheels.
Fuel efficiency: Nissan Versa vs. Toyota Corolla
Both the Versa and Corolla offer fuel-efficient performance. When equipped with a manual transmission, the Versa returns up to 30 mpg for combined city and highway driving. CVT-equipped Versa and Corolla models both reward you with 35 mpg for combined driving.
Safety and Technology: A Comparative Overview
The 2024 Versa and Corolla have many standard and available safety and technology features usually found in larger vehicles.
Advanced Safety Features
Standard driver assistance technology for the Versa includes lane departure warning, automatic reverse braking, frontal collision warning, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. The SR adds blind-spot alert and rear cross-traffic alert. The Corolla has a lane-keeping system, lane departure mitigation, and frontal collision mitigation. With the XSE, you get blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning.
Safety ratings: Versa vs. Corolla
The NHTSA has awarded both the 2024 Versa and 2024 Corolla a Five-Star Overall Vehicle Safety Rating.
2024 Compact Car Features Battle: Versa vs. Corolla
The base Verso trim features an infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, voice recognition, and three USB ports. The SV adds Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration and a wireless charging pad, while the SR has an 8-inch display. The top two trims have a 7-inch digital instrument display.
With the Corolla LE, you get a multimedia system with an 8-inch touchscreen and wireless smartphone integration. The Corolla XSE offers a wireless charger and a 7-inch digital gauge cluster.
Value for Money: Pricing
When choosing between the Versa and Corolla, value for money is an important factor.
Price comparison: Nissan Versa and Toyota Corolla
The starting MSRP for each of the Versa trims are:
- Versa S Manual: $16,680.
- Versa S CVT: $18,350.
- Versa SV: $19,970.
- Versa SR: $20,690.
For the Corolla, the starting MSRPs are:
- Corolla LE: $22,050.
- Corolla SE: $24,490.
- Corolla Nightshade: $25,490.
- Corolla XSE: $27,150.
Every Nissan Versa represents superb value for money compared to the equivalent Toyota Corolla. Even the top-of-the-range Versa has a lower starting price than the base Corolla model.
Final Verdict: Choosing the Right Sedan for Your Needs
These two compact sedans are very similar, but which one best suits your needs?
Weighing the Pros and Cons
The Nissan Versa and Toyota Corolla both have roomy, well-equipped cabins, but the Versa offers more front legroom and cargo space. The Corolla has a bigger engine but similar fuel economy. The biggest difference between the two models is the price. The Versa is the ideal car for the daily commute and is great value for money.
Schedule a Test Drive of the Nissan Versa in Burleson
Now you can hopefully make an informed decision about the compact sedan for you. Visit us at Burleson Nissan or explore our online inventory to find the Nissan Versa you want. Contact us to schedule a test drive to experience this superb sedan for yourself. Our team is committed to helping you find the perfect vehicle.
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