Seemingly lost in the glut of utility vehicles and so-called crossovers, plus myriad electric vehicles, are small and inexpensive cars. One of the last still standing 鈥� at least for now 鈥� is the humble Nissan Versa.

Not too long ago, buyers could choose from subcompacts such as the Chevrolet Sonic, Honda Fit, Mitsubishi Mirage, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio. Today, all but the Mirage and Versa have passed on.

The second-generation Versa sedan, which was introduced for 2020, is arguably the best looking of them all. It was improved for 2023 when a cleaner-looking grille replaced the original chrome 鈥淰 Motion鈥� snout. The doors and fenders retained their creased lines while the spoiler-like lip atop the trunk lid gave the plain-looking rear end some semblance of character. There were new 17-inch wheels and an 8.0-inch touch-screen with Wi-Fi hotspot for the top SR trim.

The Versa鈥檚 ride-and-handling also benefited from the 2020 makeover with added structural rigidity and several suspension improvements, including retuned shocks, a larger diameter front stabilizer bar and revisions to the rear torsion-beam setup. A new power-steering system was designed for sharper response.

Nissan didn鈥檛 skimp when designing the interior, which comes with upscale-looking hard- and soft-touch materials and seat coverings. The dashboard controls and attendant analog gauges are straightforward, and the standard flat-bottom steering wheel is a sporty touch.

Passenger space is reasonable considering the Versa鈥檚 dimensions but it鈥檚 understandably tight for adults seated in back.

Compared with the one-size-larger Nissan Sentra, the Versa is about 13 centimetres shorter and gives up about 10 centimetres between the front and rear wheels. Interestingly, the Versa鈥檚 cargo capacity is slightly greater than the Sentra鈥檚.

There鈥檚 just one engine choice for the Versa: A 122-horsepower 1.6-litre four-cylinder with 114 pound-feet of torque. For a car weighing about 2,700 pounds (1,225 kilograms), that鈥檚 only adequate. It does, however, best the Mitsubishi Mirage鈥檚 paltry 76 horsepower produced by its 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine. 

A five-speed manual transmission is only available with the base S trim. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is available in the S but is standard with the SV and SR trims. Fuel economy with the manual is rated at 8.6 l/100 km in the city, 6.7 on the highway and 7.7 combined. With the CVT, the rating improves to 7.4/5.9/6.7.

The base Versa S lists for $23,100, including destination fees. It comes with most of the basics, including air conditioning, seven-inch touch-screen, Bluetooth connectivity with text messaging and a four-speaker audio system. Active-safety technology includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning and rear automatic braking.

The midgrade SV at $24,800 gets, along with the CVT, a split-folding rear seat, 16-inch alloy wheels (the base S has 15-inch steelies), driver鈥檚-seat armrest, wireless phone charging and blind-spot warning with cross-traffic backup alert.

The SR at $26,200 is topped up with climate control, premium interior trim, leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats and side mirrors, LED headlights, 17-inch wheels and a six-speaker audio system. Adaptive cruise control is also added to the list of active-safety tech.

As affordable as the Versa is, its future is uncertain at best. There鈥檚 word than both it and the Mitsubishi Mirage will be cancelled following the 2025 model year. Assuming no other affordable alternatives arrive, new-car buyers on tight budgets 鈥� or those with other financial priorities 鈥� will likely have to shell out a few thousand dollars more for the Nissan Sentra, Honda Civic or Hyundai Elantra, or go shopping in the used market.