Q: I'm very interested in the Nissan Versa. I'm very cautious about it's powertrain though. Is the 1.8L engine and 4-speed auto straight out of the previous generation Sentra, which too had a 1.8L and 4-speed auto? I've heard the last gen. Sentra 1.8L had fuel injection problems and the transmission had a short lifespan. My friend's '05 Sentra started having a hard start condition around 35k miles. I would hate to buy a new Versa and have the same crappy engine and transmission.
A: QG-18DE motor is not the same as the MR18 motor now used. Versa Titidia they are called and the powertrain is very much like the Renault Cleo. However the automatic is Continiously Variable. Six Speed Manual Is plucked right off the Renault assembly line. So don't worry Nissan knew of the old powertrain shortfalls and the new powertrain seens to be dependable. I have been working on several 23,000 mile rent cars lately they seem to hold up quite well.