Nissan Versa vs Chevrolet Spark: which is more reliable?
The Nissan Versa is ahead of the Chevrolet Spark on the federal record, 78/100 against 74/100 — a real but narrow gap that a bad model year on either side closes.
The record, side by side
Nissan Versa
- 13 model years scored
- 1,719 owner complaints on record
- about 14 complaints per year on the road
- 34 recall campaigns, 23 safety-critical
- best year 2019 (95/100) · worst 2012 (26/100)
Chevrolet Spark
- 9 model years scored
- 524 owner complaints on record
- about 5 complaints per year on the road
- 19 recall campaigns, 12 safety-critical
- best year 2018 (94/100) · worst 2014 (38/100)
Mean score is the average across model years from 2013 on, where both records are comparable. How the score works.
Year by year: Versa against Spark
The comparison that decides the purchase. A nameplate is not one car — a redesign can move the record sixty points inside two years, and the two nameplates rarely move together.
What owners actually complain about
Nissan Versa
- Power Train — 471 complaints
- Air Bags — 441 complaints
- Engine — 279 complaints
Chevrolet Spark
- Power Train — 127 complaints
- Engine — 109 complaints
- Electrical System — 99 complaints
Both nameplates have Power Train as their largest complaint group, so the choice between them is about how often, not about what.
Years to avoid on each
Nissan Versa — avoid: 2012, 2014, 2024.
Chevrolet Spark — avoid: 2013, 2014.
A year scores below 45 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. Every car’s years to avoid.
What each costs today
A recent used Nissan Versa prices at about $16,700 and a Chevrolet Spark at about $12,000 — the Chevrolet Spark is roughly $4,700 less, and they return 35.0 against 33.0 MPG combined.
Class-level estimates re-priced to your country, not a valuation of one car. Method.
FAQ
Is the Nissan Versa or the Chevrolet Spark more reliable?
On the NHTSA record the Nissan Versa scores 78/100 against the Chevrolet Spark's 74/100, averaged across every model year we hold. The gap is small enough that the model year matters more than the badge.
Which Nissan Versa and Chevrolet Spark years should I avoid?
Nissan Versa: 2012, 2014, 2024. Chevrolet Spark: 2013, 2014. Each of those scores under 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns.
What goes wrong on the Nissan Versa and the Chevrolet Spark?
The largest complaint group on the Nissan Versa is Power Train (471 complaints); on the Chevrolet Spark it is Power Train (127).
Is the Nissan Versa or the Chevrolet Spark cheaper to own?
A recent used Nissan Versa prices at about $16,700 and a Chevrolet Spark at about $12,000, before insurance and the maintenance band. Both pages carry the five-year running-cost figure.