NAPLES, Florida — And then there were none.

My subcompact 2025 Nissan Versa sedan tester was the last of its breed: a new car that starts under $20,000. The $18,350 Versa ceased production for sale in the United States at the end of 2025. The subcompact Kia Soul SUV takes over as the most affordable new 2026 vehicle on the market at $21,935.

The affordable end of the U.S. market has been squeezed for some time as strict federal emissions regulations were more difficult for small cars to make, while must-have technology like digital screens added cost, and safety regulations piled on new mandated features like backup cameras, anti-lock brakes, airbag safety systems. That, and cars have become so doggone reliable that high-mileage used cars are a serious alternative. Heck, Ford — which doesn’t sell a new vehicle under $29,990 (once you include destination, title and other fees) — axed its Versa competitor, the Fiesta, waaaay back in 2019.

Want a car under $20K, sir? Let me show you what we have on the pre-owned lot.

The entry-level Versa S kept its price low the old-fashioned way: with a manual, five-speed transmission, minimal features and production by cheap labor south of the border. The good news is you can still buy new 2025 production models at your local Nissan dealer — as long as they last.

Good luck finding the base $18.4K model.

On a trip to Naples, Florida to thaw out from the Michigan winter, I scoured the rental agencies for the cheapest car on the lot. I found a 2025, $21,685 Versa S. In a nationwide search for the base manual Versa S, I found ... zip.

Zero. Zilch.

Not that you’d want one. The base S lacks some of Mrs. Payne’s fundamental requirements for a vehicle: automatic transmission, blind-spot assist, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto phone app compatibility. The latter wasn’t even available as an option on the manual model.

There was only one new Versa in all 50 states available for under $20K: an automatic Versa S in Victoria, Texas, priced at $19,760 (sans my wife’s essentials, I might add).

Find another two grand in your cookie jar and my $21,685 S rental with S+ package ($250 cheaper than that entry-level Kia Soul) becomes more desirable: automatic transmission, blind-spot assist, wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, sharp 16-inch alloy wheels (replacing the “meh” standard steelies). Mrs. Payne cracked a smile.

Exiting the airport in Fort Myers, I plugged in my Android phone with a handy USB cable (have you noticed how many new cars require hard-to-find USB-Cs these days?) and barked directions to Google Maps:

Navigate to Fifth Avenue and Tamiami Trail, Naples, Florida!

Done. The directions appeared on the seven-inch digital dash screen and we were off. Fifth Avenue, of course, is the site of Naples’ annual Cars on 5th show — a must-see for car addicts (me) who want to see endless rows of Lamborghinis, McLarens, Ferraris, Porsches, Corvettes and other exotica.

The Sentra can’t hold a candle to these supermodels in the design department, but — thanks to the miracle of modern electronics — it is neck-and-neck when it comes to electronics. Google Maps is an essential feature of any vehicle these days, and we navigated on cruise control at 75 mph down I-75 listening to my favorite Sirius XM Comedy Channel — no different than any of the above supercars.

Want adaptive cruise control? Fork over another $1,000 for the $22,585 Versa SV. But, ahem, you won’t find ACC on a $400K McLaren or $200K Corvette ZR1.

I’ve suffered through some mighty uncomfortable cloth seats over the years, but the Versa’s cloth thrones fit like a glove over our week-long stay across multiple trips up and down Florida’s west coast. Fuel economy was an impressive 35 mpg — another advantage for the automatic over the 30-mpg manual.

Rear seats are tight but a six-footer can comfortably sit behind themselves — a welcome feat in a pint-sized subcompact.

Walk up two segments to the midsize Nissan Altima, which shares many of the same design cues with Versa — plunging V-notion grille, floating roof, high shoulder line — but is prettier because its lines are draped over an eight-inch-longer wheelbase. Nevertheless, the versa-tile Versa (get it?) manages its smaller packaging for 31 inches of rear legroom (compared to Altima’s 35) and 14.7 cubic feet of trunk space — just 0.7 cubic feet shy of the 15.4 cubes in the back of Altima.

Of course, Altima’s 188 horsepower is no comparison to the Versa’s gerbil wheel. The subcompact’s 122 horses (gerbils?) struggle to get to 0-60 mph in a snail-like 9.5 seconds. But it doesn’t feel that bad thanks to Nissan’s clever continuously variable transmission, which simulates gear shifts for a sporty feel compared to the drooooone of some of its industry peers (looking at you, Toyota).

Cruising I-75, the Versa’s steering wheel ergonomics were decent, its raised buttons allowing me to adjust cruise control speed and radio volume without having to take my eyes off the road. With their better speed/volume button spacing and toggle switches, Honda, Subaru and Hyundai all do it better, however.

At my favorite Cove Inn Coffee Shoppe breakfast place in Naples, I parked Versa next to a $45,000 (in today’s dollars), 2019 Volvo S60 sedan — front-wheel drive, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, standard cruise control like the Versa. And the Nissan didn’t look shabby next to the sleek Volvo. How far Nissans have come in six years.

But so has everyone else.

When I looked at used cars available for the price of a new, $18,350 manual Versa, I found it hard to defend keeping the sub-$20K car in the market.

For example, I found a pre-owned, base 2023 Subaru Impreza on the other side of Lake Erie in Buffalo with superior hatchback utility, 152 horsepower, all-wheel drive, 31 mpg, standard blind-spot assist, automatic transmission, cruise control, wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and better steering wheel ergonomics. Just 50,000 miles on the odometer. Cost? $18,900.

Ouch. Versa, we’ll hardly miss you.

2025 Nissan Versa

Vehicle type: Front-wheel-drive, five-passenger sedan

Price: Base $18,350, including $1,245 destination charge ($21,685 automatic with S+ package as tested)

Powerplant: 1.6-liter inline-4 cylinder

Power: 122 horsepower, 114 pound-feet torque

Transmission: Continuously variable automatic

Performance: 0-60 mph, 9.5 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 115 mph

Weight: 2,652 pounds (as tested)

Range: EPA est. mpg. 27 city/35 highway/30 combined (manual); 32 city/40 highway/35 combined

Report card

Highs: Last of the sub-$20K segment; good ride

Lows: Better deals in used car market; lags competitor ergonomics

Overall: 3 stars

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