The latest model of the car with a five-speed manual will soon leave the US market
Manual transmissions are slowly losing ground in the US market and buyers will soon lose another option. Nissan is discontinuing the Versa model with a manual transmission, which means the soon disappearance of the most affordable car in the US and the last five-speed 'manual' in this market.
Here's What We Know
Automotive News reported, citing an anonymous source, that the Japanese manufacturer is stopping production of the Versa with a five-speed manual transmission at its plant in the Mexican city of Aguascalientes. Nissan representatives, commenting on the situation for Motor1, officially confirmed the decision: "Production of the Versa S with the manual transmission will be discontinued, while production of the other versions of the model will continue as normal."
Nissan offers a manual transmission exclusively in the base Versa S. The latter was priced at $18,330 for the 2025 model (including a $1,140 delivery charge). With the elimination of this version, the brand's most affordable offering becomes the Versa S with a CVT transmission starting at $20,130.
Nissan Versa SR. Photo: Nissan
With new car prices at record highs, Nissan's budget models are experiencing a period of explosive sales growth in America. Versa sales are up 156 per cent in the first quarter of 2025. Sentra, Altima and Kicks models, all with a price tag under $30,000, have also seen a marked increase in demand.
Despite the Versa's overall popularity, manual versions account for less than five per cent of the model's cumulative sales. There are even rumours that Nissan may pull the Versa completely off the production line after the 2025 model year ends, to be replaced by an electric sedan. This kind of talk occurred during the Versa's sales slump, but market conditions have changed significantly since then. Clearly, consumers are interested in low-cost models but don't want to shift gears on their own.
While the Versa represented the last car with a five-speed manual transmission at U.S. retail, there are still numerous six-speed manual transmission alternatives available on the market.
