Versa a dog on hills?

[riot]

Just bought a used Versa with 45,000 miles on it. Great car except for one thing, its slow as hell going up hills. As soon as you hit an incline the car begins to bog down and slow down. You have to depress the pedal quite a bit to get the engine to downshift so you can get up the hill. Is this normal? Thanks!

[alonsorules8]

I assume you have the A/T? If so then yes it is normal. another way around depressing the gas to the floor is to push the overdrive off button and that will give you quicker response going up hills.

[dee_tymz_sl]

Wow, wow... relax guys. Whenever I'm driving and I reach an incline I never have a problem going up that hill. A matter of fact, from what I have noticed the Versa does quite better than most car climbing that hill. U might need to get something looked at.

[fjwagner]

yes! Especially with the A/T.

[dee_tymz_sl]

yes! Especially with the A/T.

fjwagner agrees... yeah

[Mubbly]

YES! Terrible on hills. It's embarrassing, actually.

I hate having to rev past 4,000rpms to maintain a measly 60mph up a hill.

Living in California, I really wish the salesmen would have strongly recommended the SL. If I only knew!! This is an auto only issue.
Modified by Mubbly at 3:50 PM 5/28/2009

[Urq]

do you have a auto or a CVT?

[iluvmyVersa08]

Wow, wow... relax guys. Whenever I'm driving and I reach an incline I never have a problem going up that hill. A matter of fact, from what I have noticed the Versa does quite better than most car climbing that hill. U might need to get something looked at.

My V doesn't have any problems either going up a hill. I find it has quite a bit of power.

[Ginsu]

Yes! Finally! I've waited for this day for so long. The day when I would finally have something up on somebody else for living in the flat-a** prairies! LOL

[Mubbly]

Yes! Finally! I've waited for this day for so long. The day when I would finally have something up on somebody else for living in the flat-a** prairies! LOL

You're not kidding! My wife is from Regina.. flat land as far as the eye can see.

[DrivingHabit]

Depends on much speed you are giving your Versa plus factor grade % of the hill.

Out here we have the dreaded Sunset Hill with 5% grade into downtown Spokane. I have no problems, sometimes I give the pedal short bursts on the gas pedal. Today I did some errands went up the hill with a steady foot grip on the gas pedal and passed two vehicles both were ''using the passing lane far left lane" in Washington State one rule of the road is stay to the right except for passing. Speed limit up and down the hill is 60 mph and through the downtown area but lately the freeway is under construction speed limit is down to 50 mph. ''which most people don't follow"
Modified by DrivingHabit at 5:01 PM 5/28/2009

[silverarrow27]

I agree with you about it being weak uphill. I've mentioned it before, but no one seems to think theirs' is the same. I drive consistently at 70 mph most of the time, by the time I end up on the top of the hill I'm at like 60 mph unless I floored it some going up which would have raised the rpm from the usual 2500 rpm to 3-4500 rpm.

[VersaMG08]

You guys think the V has no power going up a hill? Try going up a mountain in CO or anywhere else, it lags behind pretty bad and I have a CVT.

[Codelicious]

My Versa drives great everywhere. I never have troubles getting up any hills or anything. I go up and down hills all day because I live in Canby right now and I have to drive up a hill to get to OC. I usually am NEVER over 3 RPMs.

I have a SL CVT. So I don't know. Maybe thats why...

[APEXi240]

Hills and highway on-ramps are the Versa's arch nemeses.

[silverarrow27]

You guys think the V has no power going up a hill? Try going up a mountain in CO or anywhere else, it lags behind pretty bad and I have a CVT.

And you don't think southern california has no mountains? I live in the valley of two mountain ranges and I've been up both with the Versa.

[williamk10]

Hills and highway on-ramps are the Versa's arch nemeses.

Don't forget heavy wheels

[kc5f]

...I never have troubles getting up any hills or anything... I have a SL CVT. So I don't know. Maybe thats why...

I think it makes a big difference. I drive a CVT in western NC, up and down the "Blue Ridge Escarpment" every day. The CVT can start to increase RPM as soon as you start up a hill instead of having to wait to downshift until the car has already slowed down significantly.

When I'm going up the three-mile 5-6% grade I head in at 70mph, hold the RPM at 3000 and top out at 65mph. If I want to push it to 3500 RPM I can hold 70 or better all the way up.

[VersaMG08]

And you don't think southern california has no mountains? I live in the valley of two mountain ranges and I've been up both with the Versa.

I know socal has mountains. But you have to think about it, in CO especially around Denver, we are not close to sea level. It's around 5,280 feet in Denver so driving in the mountains toward the west is more difficult given the elevation at 10k feet or greater.

[biggie]

I had no real problems going up the mtns to football games, very steep hills for miles. But having the manual transmission helped, just put it in 5th and keep rpms at or above 3k.

[riot]

Thanks for all the responses! I have the automatic transmission. Seems that everyone else has the same problem with the AT too, so must be normal.

[grogman]

Thanks for all the responses! I have the automatic transmission. Seems that everyone else has the same problem with the AT too, so must be normal.

the versa s is more powerful with a manual....but the rpm level @ 70 mph is over 3 grand and at's are around 2700 rpm. if you live in the mountains buy a sl cvt. if you live in the plains you can buy whatever. i really think the v should have the 2.0 mr20de engine. for cripes sakes it's made in mexico alongside of the mr18de. nissan really should think about giving the v the 2.0 option.

[Bubs daddy]

Never had a problem with the Versa going uphill. Plenty of mountains around here.

I had a 4 sp. manual Chevette in the early 80's. That car had half the power of the Versa and it bogged down going up hills. So much so that I had to turn off the A/C.

Versa does just fine acsending hills.

[marleyfan]

I just drive up hills backwards. The V thinks it's going downhill. No problem.

[Rockhound]

Just to chime in, I find that our SL w/ CVT does wonderfully up hills. No, I don't live in a mountainous terrain, but there are plenty of steep grades in and around Tulsa. As kc5f said, the CVT is able to make minute adjustments as you approach the hill instead of lagging behind until a downshift is needed. Makes most hills seem effortless. I've never found the MR18 lacking for power in the Versa and I'm happy with the power/efficiency it provides.

A suggestion to the OP (and others): now that the Versa is available in the US with two engine options, and three transmission options, it would be extremely helpful to preface comments such as this with a quick trim/spec rundown (or better yet, make sure it's in your avatar profile info). Just preface your post like "Hey, I just bought a used Versa S 1.8L 4-speed automatic, and..." Considering the differences in drivetrain amongst the model line, there are bound to be questions or situations that arise that are specific to a particular engine/transmission and it helps folks address the question more adequately.

[sooner4x4]

Thanks for all the responses! I have the automatic transmission. Seems that everyone else has the same problem with the AT too, so must be normal.

Reading through this post, some claim a problem, some with the 4 speed auto think it does fine on the hills. I have encountered no problems at all with the Versa on hills. No problem with the AT.

[grogman]

Reading through this post, some claim a problem, some with the 4 speed auto think it does fine on the hills. I have encountered no problems at all with the Versa on hills. No problem with the AT.

i just think the car is too heavy for the engine. if i bought the 1.6 that would have to be a manual transmission and with that feature in the car, i am pretty sure the car would lose most of it's value in two years. not a big fan of the sedan.

[the djay]

I find my CVT a jewel in the mountains. Never experienced a lack of power while my son and I traveled through the "Dreaded" Rogers Pass and Crowsnest Pass in the Rocky Mountains with the car loaded with Camping gear. Oh Yes and we averaged around 36 MPG around 110 kph as well. You just gotta drive smart. I left Cruise control on most of the time and it was fine. So far my best mileage has been 42 mpg with 4 people in it and when I was driving it like I stole it .....about 25mpg. Mileage and power seem to be affected by a dirty air filter quite a bit so check your air filter often.

[dee_tymz_sl]

Reading through this post, some claim a problem, some with the 4 speed auto think it does fine on the hills. I have encountered no problems at all with the Versa on hills. No problem with the AT.

Likewise. I have the AT and finds that it does really well climbing hills... but on the otherhand, I'll let you guys know how things turn out once I start climbing mountains...

[Vahagn23]

I have A/T and its great on hills. I always complain on the small engine it has, but its great on hills. I never go past 3k RPM to go up any hill. I have been on many hills.