The sedan may no longer be the hottest body style out there, but Nissan certainly knows how to make a pretty sedan. Taking inspiration from the Maxima and Altima, the all-new Sentra is a sharp-looking model that packs a larger engine than the previous generation.
From 1.8 to 2.0 liters doesn’t sound like that much of an upgrade, but 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque translates to increases of 20 and 16 percent, respectively. Even the fuel economy is better according to Nissan, and independent rear suspension should work wonders in the twisties and on the long haul. On the handling front, the electric power steering system should help the driver feel more at ease when maneuvering in the parking lot.
"With more than 6 million Sentras sold, we believe the new one will reach new heights offering refinement and quality, technology and performance not seen before,” declared sales and operations vice president David Kershaw. The original was introduced in 1982, and for the eighth generation, Nissan decided on the CMF-C/D vehicle architecture co-developed with alliance partner Renault for compact- and mid-sized applications. The Sylphy sold in China is the nearest equivalent to the Sentra the U.S. will get early next year for 2020.
Stateside production takes place at the Canton facility in Mississippi, and as you can tell from the photo gallery, new underpinnings add approximately two inches in width. The Sentra’s roofline is also lower, adding to the visual drama of the sporty-looking profile. The interior has also been improved by a considerable margin, now featuring NASA-inspired Zero Gravity seats, Intelligent Around View Monitor, and a floating 8.0-inch touchscreen.
Connectivity includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and if you ask nicely, the seats can be upgraded to a leather-appointed quilted motif. Nissan doesn’t mention anything about ProPILOT Assist semi-autonomous driving technologies, and zooming in on the steering wheel doesn’t reveal any blue icon on the right-hand-side cluster of buttons. It’s quite a curious matter, yes, more so if you remember that the Leaf is available with this tech.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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