Why Does 2011 Nissan Versa Sedan Have Exhaust on the Right Side and Hitches Are Made for Left Side

Question:

I crawled under my 2011 Versa 4 Door Sedan and noted that everything under the rear of the car is the exact opposite of what you have pictured. My exhaust is on the right while yours is shown on the left. Do you make a different model or are your pictures reversed on the website? Please let me know. Thank you

asked by: Joe K

Expert Reply:

My technical contact at Draw-Tite informed me that Nissan had a design change for the 2012 model year that entailed moving the exhaust from the left to the right on the sedan models such as yours. If you check your VIN, your 2011 Versa 4 Door Sedan was probably built on the cusp and they built it as a 2012 instead of the 2011.

The hitches that fit the 2012 sedans actually go over the exhaust and the exhaust needs to be temporarily lowered for trailer hitch installation. The Curt Trailer Hitch # C11256 will fit your vehicle with the exhaust on the right hand side. The installation instructions are also attached.

The hitches for your vehicle are rated Class I and according to my research, the Nissan Versa does not have a towing capacity, however, you may be able to carry hitch mounted accessories. Please verify your capacity either in your owners manual or through your local Nissan dealership before you purchase a trailer hitch so you will know your capacity guidelines for hitch mounted accessories.

If you decide to carry a hitch mounted bike rack you will be limited to 2 bikes. The other thing to keep in mind is that any accessory you choose to use needs to be Class I compatible. There are Class II accessories that fit 1-1/4 inch hitches. To prevent overloading, Class I hitch manufacturers have a -stop- inside the Class I hitch that will not accept Class II accessories. I have linked available bike rack options for your hitch.

expert reply by: Lori W