Nissan has discontinued the base Versa, marking the end of the last 5-speed manual transmission in the US.

      The Versa S was available only in white, black, silver, and grey. Nissan

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      The base model Nissan Versa S, priced at $17,190, is set to cease production as it is the last five-speed manual car available in the U.S. market. As reported by Automotive News, the manual transmission version of the Versa is among the latest casualties of automotive tariffs, as all Versas are manufactured at Nissan’s plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and the base model sees the least demand. It appears that Nissan is looking to maximize cost savings to cope with the 25% tariff on vehicles imported from Mexico.

      A representative from Nissan informed Auto News that the company is focusing on the models that yield the “strongest business performance.” The Drive has reached out to Nissan for further comments and will update this article with any additional information received.

      When visiting Nissan’s website to explore the Versa, the first thing displayed under its name is “Get the Nissan you want free from new tariffs.” This indicates that if Nissan intends to absorb the extra tariff costs for customers, it cannot afford to produce cars that are unlikely to sell. Reportedly, manuals only represented 5% of Versa sales in 2024.

      As the manual transmission version of the Versa is being phased out, the five-speed manual transmission will also be discontinued. What used to be a standard drivetrain configuration will soon become a thing of the past—once the last stick-shift Versa departs from a Nissan dealership, there will be no new five-speed manual vehicles available in the United States, with only six-speed and select seven-speed manuals remaining.

      This isn’t surprising, considering six-speed manuals have been the standard for years. Nissan discontinued the five-speed manual in the previous generation Frontier pickup in 2020, Volkswagen eliminated the entry-level five-speed manual Golf after the Mk7 ended in 2021, and Mitsubishi phased out the Mirage’s five-speed in 2023. Nonetheless, this feels like a minor moment in automotive history.

      The discontinuation of the manual Versa is unlikely to significantly impact sales, given that there was hardly any demand for it, but it will eliminate Nissan’s ability to market a car priced below $18,000.

      It’s always disappointing to see a manual transmission phase out, especially since they are becoming increasingly rare. However, I’m uncertain how many people will be concerned about the outdated five-speed Versa. It’s akin to when Lexus ceased production of the SC430, the last car that had a cassette player. When a technology has long surpassed its relevance, does its loss truly matter?

      If you purchase one of the last stick-shift Versas, or if you already own one, please reach out to share your experiences driving it.

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