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Nissan Versa Towing Capacity: Can It Tow a Trailer, Boat, or Jet Ski?

Nissan Versa Towing Capacity: Can It Tow a Trailer, Boat, or Jet Ski?

Subcompact cars such as the Nissan Versa are generally not the primary options for towing purposes, but they have a decent capability to tow in the case of an emergency. This article will discuss various generational variants of this car and its towing capacities. We’ll also discuss several other details in this regard but let’s start with answering the central question:

Three generations of the Nissan Versa have been launched with 1.5L, 1.6L, and 1.8L engines. All variants provide an unofficial potential towing capacity of 1,000 pounds.

Nissan DOES NOT provide official towing numbers for this car, so the numbers mentioned in this article are derived from the market’s research and general consensus. These figures are not as safe and reliable as the ones provided by the manufacturer, but they are still relevant for towing purposes.

Nissan versa hatchback towing small trailer
Image courtesy

Maximum Towing Capacity By Year

In this table, we have mentioned the towing capacity of Nissan Versa from 2007 to the present. Following are three things you should keep in mind while reading this table:

  • The car’s payload will affect the towing capacity by a significant margin. More passengers and luggage will result in decreasing the defined towing capacity.
  • These figures mentioned in this table are “Braked” towing capacities meaning that these numbers will only be relevant if the trailer you are looking to tow has an independent braking system. For unbraked trailers, you’ll have to determine the unbraked towing capacities.
  • Nissan has outlined that this vehicle is not built for towing purposes. Any such activity with this car may result in the cessation of its warranty. Also, these numbers are general indications. Regularly testing these limits may damage your car.
YearEngineMax. Unofficial Towing Capacity (Lbs.)
2021All1,000
2020All1,000
2019All1,000
2018All1,000
2017All1,000
2016All1,000
2015All1,000
2014All1,000
2013All1,000
2012All1,000
2011All1,000
2010All1,000
2009All1,000
2008All1,000
2007All1,000

Can It Tow a Trailer, Boat, or Jet Ski?

Below we have identified the weighing limits of empty and loaded trailers. We have identified various categories of trailers and figured out if your car tows them or not.

The latest and old generations of Nissan Versa can tow small and medium-sized trailers with a maximum weight limit of 1,000 pounds. We recommend only towing empty or lightly-loaded trailers such as the canoe/kayak, jet ski, teardrop, and small open utility trailers. Towing heavy-duty loaded trailers will cause immense damage to your car.

Trailer TypeAverage Empty Weight (lbs.)Average Total Loaded Weight (lbs.)Can A Nissan Versa Tow It?
Canoe / Kayak Trailer200                                                 400Yes, it can tow both empty and filled trailers.
Jet Ski Trailer3001,800It can only tow an empty trailer of this category.
Motorcycle Trailer5002,400It can only tow an empty trailer of this category.
Teardrop Trailer1,7002,400No.
Small Open Utility Trailer7002,500It can only tow an empty trailer of this category.
A-Frame Camper1,7002,900No.
Small Enclosed Utility Trailer1,0003,200It can only tow an empty trailer of this category.
Fishing Boat Trailer6003,300It can only tow an empty trailer of this category.
Pop Up Camper2,3003,400No.
Small Travel Trailer2,8003,600No.
Tow Dolly6004,000It can only tow an empty trailer of this category.
Large Enclosed Utility Trailer2,7007,100No.
Small Horse Trailer2,9007,200No.
Large Travel Trailer6,7008,300No.
Car Trailer1,9009,000No.
Large Flatbed Trailer3,00010,400No.
Large Boat Trailer2,20013,600No.
Dump Trailer4,50016,900No.
Toy Hauler7,600                                            17,900No.
Large Livestock Trailer7,300                                            18,700No.
5th Wheel Camper12,700                                            18,700No.
Gooseneck Flatbed Trailer7,200                                            23,200No.
  • Kayak: All Nissan Versa models will be able to tow a kayak trailer. On average, an empty kayak trailer will weigh 200 pounds. A loaded kayak trailer will weigh an average of 400 pounds with a maximum of 800 pounds which is well within the range of the Nissan Versa.
  • Jet Ski Trailer: All Nissan Versa models will be able to tow an empty jet ski trailer. On average, an empty jet ski trailer will weigh 300 pounds. A loaded jet ski trailer will weigh an average of 1,800 pounds with a maximum of 3,000 pounds, outside of the range of the Nissan Versa.
  • Motorcycle Trailer: All Nissan Versa models will be able to tow an empty motorcycle trailer. On average, an empty motorcycle trailer will weigh 500 pounds. A loaded motorcycle trailer will weigh an average of 2,400 pounds with a maximum of 3,500, outside of the range of the Nissan Versa.
  • Teardrop Trailer: No Nissan Versa models will be able to tow an empty teardrop trailer. On average, an empty teardrop trailer will weigh 1,700 pounds. A loaded teardrop trailer will weigh an average of 2,400 pounds, outside of the range of the  Nissan Versa. Some teardrop trailers will weigh a maximum of 6,000 pounds which is also outside of the limits of the  Nissan Versa.
  • Small Open Utility Trailer: All Nissan Versa models will be able to tow an empty small open utility trailer. On average, an empty small open utility trailer will weigh 700 pounds. A loaded small open utility trailer will weigh an average of 2,500 pounds with a maximum of 3,000 pounds, outside of the range of the Nissan Versa.
  • A-Frame Camper: No Nissan Versa models will be able to tow an empty a-frame camper. On average, an empty a-frame camper weighs 1,700 pounds. A loaded a-frame camper will weigh an average of 2,900 pounds with a maximum of 3,600 pounds, outside of the range of the Nissan Versa.
  • Small Enclosed Utility Trailer: All Nissan Versa models will be able to tow an empty small enclosed utility trailer. On average, an empty small enclosed utility trailer weighs 1,000 pounds. A loaded small enclosed utility trailer will weigh an average of 3,200 pounds with a maximum of 7,000 pounds, outside of the range of the Nissan Versa.
  • Fishing Boat Trailer: All Nissan Versa models will be able to tow an empty fishing boat trailer. On average, an empty fishing boat trailer weighs 600 pounds. A loaded fishing boat trailer will weigh an average of 3,300 pounds with a maximum of 6,000 pounds, outside of the range of the Nissan Versa.
  • Pop-Up Camper: No Nissan Versa model will be able to tow a pop-up camper. On average, an empty pop-up camper weighs 2,300 pounds. A loaded pop-up camper will weigh an average of 3,400 pounds with a maximum of 4,000 pounds, outside of the range of the Nissan Versa.
  • Small Travel Trailer: No Nissan Versa model will be able to tow a small travel trailer. On average, an empty small travel trailer weighs 2,800 pounds. A loaded small travel trailer will weigh an average of 3,600 pounds with a maximum of 4,500 pounds, outside of the range of the  Nissan Versa.
  • Tow Dolly: All Nissan Versa models will be able to tow an empty tow dolly. On average, an empty tow dolly weighs 600 pounds. A loaded tow dolly will weigh an average of 4,000 pounds with a maximum of 5,000 pounds, outside of the range of the Nissan Versa.

Also read: Nissan Versa Transmissions: Overview, Problems, Fluids

Can You Install A Hitch On A Nissan Versa?

From the factory, Nissan Versas do not come with a trailer hitch. However, you can install an aftermarket class 1 hitch on your Versa. Class 1 hitches are rated for a maximum towing weight of 2,000 pounds and a maximum tongue weight of 200 pounds.

Therefore, they can carry more than what’s unofficially advised for the Nissan Versa. Expect to pay around $150 – $200 for a class 1 hitch.

How Well Can It Tow Compared to its Competitors?

As we mentioned earlier, subcompact cars are generally not ideal for towing purposes, but there is still competition among several manufacturers. Most of these cars provide a towing capacity of between 2000-2500 pounds with slight variations. Nissan Versa provides an average towing capacity lower than its rivals. The following table highlights these towing capacities. Take a look.

Year / Make / ModelMax. Towing Capacity (lbs.)
2021 Hyundai Accent2,000
2020 Honda Fit2,200
2020 Kia Rio2,200
2020 Toyota Yaris1,984
2020 Chevrolet Sonic2,000

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