Surrounded by four competing sedans, the Nissan Sentra looks like a hippopotamus amongst a pack of grinning velociraptors. It’s as if the old model went on a Haagen-Daz bender after having its heart broken by a Renault Megane LE (Lothario Edition). And talk about late to the party. If you’re young, stylish and sporty-ish, you buy a Mazda3. If you’re young, stylish, play too much X-Box and want a handbrake like a photon torpedo release, you buy a Honda Civic. And if you’re a veteran of the Crimean War or your personality’s been surgically removed, you buy a Toyota Corolla. So what does the Sentra bring to the small car party?
The old Sentra wasn't so much designed as extruded. The new car is no longer just an unidentifiable lump; it’s a lump crammed with Nissan design cues. It’s not a Mini-Maxima; more a “Maltima” with a pair of 350Z ears sewn on. The basic body shape is generic Japanese, with lots of sharp lines, flat wheel arches and anything else Nissan could think of. “Look at me!’ the Sentra shouts, “I’ve been styled!” Thankfully, the taillights are attractive– I get the feeling I’m going to be spending a lot of time admiring them whilst trundling along at exactly the speed limit.
Climb in through the tall doors and the Sentra’s interior is surprisingly spacious (as advertised) and demure (as expected). I could do without the baleful yellow eye of Sauron mounted between the speedometer and tachometer, and dash-mounted shifters always put me in the mind of a delivery van driver, but the basics are sound. From cup-holders capable of accommodating all 4453 types of Starbucks beverages to the oversized, intuitive buttonomics, the Sentra proves that less is sometimes, you know, OK.
Provided you avoid the basest of the Sentras, its Rockford Fosgate stereo proves the theory that the cheaper the car, the more important the ICE. Road noise? What road noise? The Sentra’s rear seats really are adult friendly, and there’s plenty o’ utility, with a wide opening hatch, fold flat seats and a fold-away divider. It’s all quite clever, if annoyingly flimsy. I SAID– oh forget it.
The new Sentra works extremely well sitting still. When you begin to move, everything starts to go a bit pear shaped. Most dramatically, all that clever styling has resulted in huge C-Pillars, tiny side mirrors, a porthole-like rear window and a high rear deck. Visibility is roughly on a par with a buttoned-up M3A3 Bradley.
Fire up the butter-smooth MR20DE (a stroked version of the Versa engine) and it’s so quiet you’d be forgiven for thinking it wasn't there. Unfortunately, forward progress does little to contradict this initial impression. Coupling an automatic transmission to a four-cylinder engine is almost always a recipe for slug soup. Past 4000rpm the 140-horse Xtronic CVT-equipped Sentra is as whinily reluctant as a middle school class facing a pop math quiz. The nicely-weighted six-speed stick is much better, with good torque and some higher-rpm punch, but say hello to Versa-tile throttle overrun. Then again, you can’t see where you’re going anyway, so why hurry?
Oh go on. Toss the wee Sentra into a corner, just for fun. (You remember fun.) Suddenly, you’re deep in Playskool territory: the Sentra weebles and wobbles but it don’t fall down. The numb electric power-assisted helm doesn’t help matters (unless you’re parallel parking at the same time). On the positive side, if you back off the throttle (and why wouldn’t you?), the Sentra’s strut (front) and torsion bar (rear) suspension does an excellent job soaking up lumps, bumps and cracks.
Nissan has cut the “sport” out of Maxima’s “four-door sports-car.” The Sentra feels similarly gelded. And that's fine; driven at about six-or seven-tenths, this car makes perfect sense: relaxing to drive without being quite as banana-mush bland as a Corolla. It's not (as everyone keeps saying) a little Maxima. It's a tiny Town Car. Nissan have promised an SE-R version for the spring of 2007, with more power, bigger binders and a stiffened suspension. I’m not sure Nismo can carve a Jack-o’-lantern out of this pumpkin, but I’d like to see them try.
In this I might be alone. For people who will actually want to buy this thing, the new Sentra has got the goods: a perfectly sensible sticker ($15k), some cheap thrills for the cheap seats (standard tire pressure monitoring system!) and unimpeachable fuel economy (29/36mpg with the CVT). Quiet, comfortable, practical and fairly horrible to drive, the 2007 Nissan Sentra knows its audience’s tastes and plays to them well. I’d still rather have floor tickets to the Killers than box seats for Yanni, but we all know which artist has more fans– and makes more money. Rock on!
The latest Sentra is the best to date, and by a long shot. It has more refinement inside and out, it’s peppier, has better fuel economy, crisper handling and way more flexibility than just about any other sedan on the road.
In short, Nissan Canada should have little trouble moving the 15,000 to 18,000 units it wants to push annually.
GRAEME FLETCHER, CanWest News Service.
Grovelling journalism at its worst. This can’t be the same car – can it?
looks like an ion
The first thing you see in any car is the outside, after I saw some of these on the road I don’t feel like driving one.
And what’s the deal with the tail lights?
Don’t you hate typing out a post, clicking on the pic to take a look, and then your post disappears? Is there any way to make the pics pop, rather than take over the page and eliminate your writing?
NICKNICK, definitely Ion-esque cues (Ionescu?)
I had also posted a rant about not having indep. rear suspension, even at this price point. Maybe people won’t notice it. I know that it will eliminate this car from the running if I go with something smaller next time. You have to keep pace with the competition.
ash78 (and anyone else who will help)–
what’s the big deal with independent rear suspension? if you end up adding a sway bar to control body roll, you take away some independence. what’s the difference between that and just having a twist beam rear setup?
i don’t like the twist beam idea on principle, but if it works ok and saves a bunch of money, i don’t have a real problem with it.
clue me in–
I’ve got a torture beam rear on my car right now. It’s lowered, but no rear sway. It’s not so much the understeer that I’m concerned about–an FF layout will almost always understeer–but it’s more the ride quality, especially when pushing it. Any bumps or ripples affecting one side are translated to the other, which results in a jittery ride and feeling that you’re losing the rear. It’s not as bad with a couple passengers in the back. It’s tough to explain exactly, but there is a definite difference (otherwise, why would anyone offer them as a feature?)
The bonuses (vs IRS) are cost and space savings. However, Honda has been offering IRS even on their cheapest Civics since the early 90s, IIRC. Speaking to the Sentra’s competition at this price: The Golf/Jetta and Mazda3 have IRS, but not sure about Corolla.
The meter doesn’t exist that can measure my indifference to this whole segment. Having said that… well, never mind. I can’t even care enough to venture an opinion.
Perhaps this is why the car may do well for its intended audience. It’s [another] vehicle for people who hate cars. Funny how they can span the economic scale!
I drive a 2002 Maxima SE (5.5 gen) and, in my opinion, it hits all the right notes of utility, performance, and style. It’s a solid and entertaining car with a great interior. The Maxima that replaced it is, again in my opinion, inferior in every way, and I would never own one. Then they shrink it down and that’s the new Sentra? Ew.
What happened, Nissan? It’s like you dropped your spirit and Mazda ran off with it.
Jason Pollock,
I agree about the shrunken Maxima thing. Ever heard the German auto expression “Eine Wurst, Drei Groesse”? (one sausage, three sizes)
The Sentra was thoroughly spanked in the latest Car and Driver test, finishing dead last in a field of 6. Their rankings:
VW Rabbit
Mazda3
Honda Civic
Hyundai Elantra
Toyota Corolla
Nissan Sentra
I could have the Corolla and Elantra mixed up.
Man, the Sentra is U-G-L-Y
IRS can provide much more precise geometry through the full range of wheel travel. Ideally, the tire remains perpendicular to the road and pointed corrrectly as the springs compress. You cannot approach this ideal with a twists beam set-up.
On the Sentra, this review left out the best part: where else but here and in the Versa can you get gee-whiz features like Bluetooth and keyless access/ignition for under 20? This seems to be a key part of Nissan’s current strategy.
For pricing and other info:
http://www.truedelta.com/models/Sentra.php
The new Sentra sounds positively…..ah……never mind.
By that review it seems that my humble 97 Merc Tracer is a bigger hoot to drive than that thing.
“And if you’re a veteran of the Crimean War or your personality’s been surgically removed, you buy a Toyota Corolla.”
It was tough picking out my favroite line, but I think this was it. That was a fun review.
You’re kidding right? The new Sentra rocks! I had the fortune of test driving one immediately after both a Corolla and a Civic – and the Sentra just wiped the floor with them! It’s less expensive than a comparably-equipped Civic, with more features (Bluetooth and keyless start, as the above poster pointed out). It’s much more of a driver’s car than the Corolla, which is so cheap it’s almost a Hyundai. Trunk space is unbelievable, with true fold-flat seats (not fold-kinda-flat, like the Corolla), storage all OVER the place – have you seen the size of the glovebox? just TRY touching the rear of it – integrated CD holders (in-case *and* out).
And how can you degrade the performace? The 2.0 out-accelerates the Corolla POS block by a wide margin, and does it with almost no complaining noise! I tested these cars in the rain – and the Sentra was by far the most stable around the corners – wider tires and better suspension than the corolla AND the honda. The corolla almost broke lose several times – Sentra? Not so much! Plus, the CVT means you never have to downshift to pass someone at speed! Of course it’s not a performance vehicle, but for this segment? The civic Si or Scion tC is the only comparison – and those get more expensive!
I’m sorry that sub-compacts aren’t the ‘ultimate driving machine’ – but this Sentra knocks the competition away.
BK- drive a Mazda3
Michael Karesh
On the Sentra, this review left out the best part: where else but here and in the Versa can you get gee-whiz features like Bluetooth and keyless access/ignition for under 20? This seems to be a key part of Nissan’s current strategy
First time out, the 800 word limit is a challenge. Bluetooth et al are cool, but really, you ought to try and parallel park this thing. I just think a small car should be maneuverable and nippy, and then start worrying about the gadgets. The cd holder thing was neat too.
Jason Pollock
What happened, Nissan? It’s like you dropped your spirit and Mazda ran off with it.
I really, really miss the B13 SE-R.
Nissan is going down the drain, from its early 90’s peak. Their sports car got slower, their sports sedan got bland, and now their compact car got fat.
In early 90’s, Sentra was the class-leading car – excellent gas mileage, good power, rock-solid engine and interior, and looks so sedate that you can go 90 on a highway all day long and never get stopped. These days, it’s a mid-90’s Chevy. I’m serious, Nissan is a Rising Sun Chevrolet. Oversized asthmatic 4-bangers, flimsy interiors, and cheap cheap cheap everywhere.
The solid rear axle alone is laughable (the reason why classic SE-R/NX2000 is a better car to have than a 200SX). Then, the new MR20DE 2-liter makes the same power as a 15-year-old SR20DE, despite having variable valve timing. The car weighs like a tank, and, judging from the review, drives like one. Only good thing is that they managed to keep the fuel economy at the same point while driving up weight and power. In return, you get CVT, driving which feels about as natural as riding a broom.
What’s the point? Oh, I know – Nissan hates you, so they want you to suffer. Or something along those lines.
Brendan,
Since I’ve experienced the 800-word limit, I definitely know what you’re talking about. The comments offer a way around it.
I wasn’t entirely serious about the “best part” bit. If the best thing about a car is that it offers a couple of high-end features…
Nicely written review. One more proof would clean up a few minor glitches.
Steve, already emailed RF about those glitches (somehow they sneaked back into proofed copy)
Why do we continue to allow overwritten, underthought pieces to appear here? Nissan knows exactly what they are doing. The SE-R will appear shortly, at which time your gripes will go up in smoke. The comments on aesthetics are scary.
DV
The SE-R will appear shortly, at which time your gripes will go up in smoke.
How will the SE-R have better visibility?
Wasn’t Sauron a klingon in TNG?
The SE-R may indeed be a silk purse, but that’s not the sow’s ear being reviewed today.
I don’t know about overwritten and underthought pieces, but the review was entertaining and, I feel, an honest pistonhead’s evaluation of the vehicle. That is why I come to TTAC day after day, to read a short and sweet and hopefully humorous look at cars which I will, in all likelihood, never own, written by people who really love cars and aren’t being prodded by management to not offend the sponsors.
Since Michael Richards is so prominently in the news recently, I’d like to quote Kramer: “Look away, Jerry, I’m hideous!”.
For the money, the Mazda3 is where I’d go, despite it now being, what, 4 years old?. BTW, why don’t Honda et al off a subcompact wagon without having to go to a small SUV?
After owning a ’91 Maxima ‘4DSC’, I do feel Nissan has lost their way with the Sentra and Maxima. The Altima has come a long way (especially the newest version), but they are pricing themselves out of the genre.
WaaaaHoooo
Wasn’t Sauron a klingon in TNG?
Lightning bolt! Lightning Bolt!
Thanks for the kind words Neoncat
BTW, I’ve driven the new Altima, and things seem much better at first. There’s a bit of ‘Whee!’ left in the DNA yet, most pointedly: they seem to have finally figured out CVT.
The reviewer’s opening “veteran of the Crimean War” etc. paragraph should have been, to use the reviewer’s own words, “surgically removed.” What possible value is gained from shouting that a particular car (the Corolla) is for old or boring people? And one of the posts says that the Sentra is for people who hate cars. Is someone who buys a fun little car to scoot around town in, a car-hater? I bet thousands of buyers will love their Sentras. Get real! This reviewer seems to be trying to mimic TTAC’s favored style.
Alex:
My goodness you are way off. Sure, early 90’s Nissan’s had great drivability, but that’s what the SE-R models are for.
As a pinnacle of baseless ranting, consider this:
Oversized asthmatic 4-bangers, flimsy interiors, and cheap cheap cheap everywhere.
Perhaps I missed something, and your post was intended to be tongue-in-cheek, but the 2007 Nissans, for all their flaws, are exactly none of the things you mention above. The 4 cylinder engines are almost universally praised (in Versa, Sentra, and Altima), even in those reviews that pan the driving dynamics (such as this one, and most others). The interiors are regarded as being a huge step up, and on-par with the best in class. In terms of being cheap, we will see if things start falling apart, but for anyone who has sat in them, the new Nissans tend to feel more expensive then anything else.
What it sounds like to me is that you, as an enthusiast, feel neglected because Nissan has not opted to produce your pet vehicle. So you lash out in ways that are really quite laughable in their innaccuracy. The current set of Nissans represent efficient transportation, which is what the vast majority of the market is looking for. There are people who want $15K race cars for the street, but most people don’t, and if they built one, most people would not buy it.
So rather than taking offense, realize that Nissan does not want you to buy this car. When they build a car they want you to buy, such the Sentra SE-R (which will apparently debut very soon), and it sucks, please come and tell us. But you add nothing to this conversation, and diminish your own rep, when you make such ridiculous comments as a outlined above.
This reviewer seems to be trying to mimic TTAC’s favored style
Well of course I am. Would you prefer it if I wrote the whole thing in Iambic Pentameter?
The point of the article is that the Sentra is Useful, not Fun. But again, that’s just my opinion, and I actually like the Versa, and you should read Jay Shoemaker’s review of it.
I encourage you to drive a Sentra back to back with the competition and see what you think. The big trunk and the roomy cabin are class leading, but the drive is just not what I was hoping for.
I’m not sure what you’re all bitching about. I thought the review was being nice to it for being an economy-box… well perhaps I’m used to reading domestic reviews…
Yes, I’d give it a try in iambic pentameter. That might make for a compelling review.
BTW, I drove the new Sentra a few days ago, I didn’t like the dashboard but it drove OK.
Iambic sounds fun, but Haiku reviews would be more concise.
Nissan, Ghosn fishing
Small cars always growing posh
Sentra as mullet
Twist beam axle? Ghosn’s been cutting too many corners and now its starting to show. Even Ford kept IRS in their cost-engineered Focus redesign…
There really is better stuff out there for the money.
The Mazda 3 S, 2.3 liter is the only choice for a compact that looks good have the strongest engine, and drives like cars costing thousands more.
The only thing I don’t like is fuel consumption, other then that, it’s a joy toy.
I used to work for a Nissan/Mazda dealership – while we couldn’t keep the Mazda3 in stock, the Sentra was used for people wanting an Altima but with a credit score below 500.
I told my managers several times that I could not, in good conscience, sell the Sentra to any customer (we’re supposed to care about the customer, right?).
I can’t imagine this car is any better than the old one – a gigantic turd.
i think that the early 90s sentra had IRS
enjoyable funny review always. Will you plz write one for the new elantra? wanna make my next purchase decision based on these reviews.
enjoyable funny review always. Will you plz write one for the new elantra? wanna make my next purchase decision based on these reviews. I think Craig Pitman will be reviewing the Elantra. And don't be lazy, ya gotta drive all the cars out there.
passive,
Last year, I went car-shopping, and after realizing that every 9-2x Aero with a stick is gone, I test-drove an 05 SE-R, being the Nissan fan I am. Felt like a late-90’s Z24 in every way except for handling. Pretty good stance in turns until you touch the go pedal too much, then it twists itself towards the kerb. Absolutely asthmatic just like the Cavalier. In fact, it feels like a 2-barrel big-block F-body – burnout, then lots of shove, and just about when you expect it to really rocket you forwards, the engine gives up and you shift. Interior just plain sucked. Needless to say, I stepped over my long-time Nissan favoritism and coughed up 5 extra grand for a GT Legacy.
Thing is, all the Sentras and Stanzas I used to have over the years were not sports cars. But they were great all-around cars (I must admit, the old Stanza was asthmatic, too). They didn’t plow the road in turns, they moved when you wanted them to, they didn’t fall apart, had great visibility and comfortable, durable interiors.
What is really bothers me is that over the years, Nissan made their cars cheaper (to build, not to buy), but didn’t make them any better.
Weakly Escort grew into a competent Focus. Bland and flimsy 323/Protege turned into a tight, sporty 3. Corolla got peppier. Even Cobalt didn’t get any worse than the old Cavaliers. But Sentra turned into a rolling roadblock. People will still buy them, but people also bought Chevy Vega.
I think the only good thing that really improved in Nissan’s lineup is the Altima, and that’s the important bit. A mid-size family sedan still makes or breaks a volume manufacturer, and Nissan is lucky to keep that one in a decent shape. Too bad the rest of the herd is so undesireable.
I would like to point out two things:
1) The opening paragraph is inspired.
2) You can grab a Ford Fusion S right now for about $15,500 with 0% APR for 5-years.
Just saying.
How do I get the job where some company pays me money to write a gushing handjob of a review for their products on various comment boards all over the internet? I’m speaking to you BKCars ;-) Ok this is off topic, but I saw a minty white Taurus SHO on the street today. That is one cool sleeper. Kinda mullet-headed but I can dig it.
The fall of Nissan continues.
Memo to Carlos Ghosn, king of the overrated:
1. The Altima’s styling had already gone further than it should have.
2. Competing with the Corolla for “least personality” honors isn’t a sure-fire sales booster.
a disgruntled sentra owner no-doubt.
Something else I didn’t have room to point out:
I drove both a middle-of-the-road 2.0S and an SL model. The SL model was a lot buzzier than the S. It did have an earlier chassis number, so maybe the production line had a few bugs to work out, but there was definitely an audible disparity in quality between the two of them.
(There, now maybe Mazda will take me to Disneyland.)
dolo54:
If you could never, ever again use the words “gushing” and “handjob” in the same sentence, that’d be great.
And I respec’ the SHO, sho’nuff. Talked to an owner of a green ’94 with only 67,000 kms on the clock t’other day.
Anyone remember when Conan had his SHO on the late show?
“I call this the ranch (patting the hood), because it’s where I keep my 220 horses.”
Alex:
Ok, so your comments are based on your test drive of a 5 year old model?
In that case, I agree with you. The previous Sentra was a relic of the pre-Ghosn era, and did nothing particularily well. It is not in the least surprising that you disliked it.
Good choice on the Legacy BTW, those Subie’s are always on my short list.
If you were to check out the current Sentra, you might find you dislike it as well, but it wouldn’t be for the same reasons. Almost everyone seems to agree that “mini-Town Car” is entirely applicable to it. It’s spacious, fairly comfortable, and seems to drive something like a boat.
I think these qualities, even being boatlike, are all pluses in the eyes of Nissan target market, which are people who would drive Town Cars if they could afford them and they got about twice the mileage. I think Nissan won’t have any problem moving these in the current market.
Moving on to the SE-R, while I have high hopes for it, there are a number of challenges that must be overcome to really make it a winner. It’s almost guaranteed that it will be power-deficient compared to the Mazdaspeed 3 and Caliber SRT-4, as I’ve heard it will come in right around the 200 hp mark. This puts it right up against the Civic Si, which is a hell of a target. It will beat the Si on torque, but unless it sheds a lot of weight, I don’t know how it will measure up in the handling department.
But we should find out pretty soon.
Zanary:
Hehe, “fall of Nissan”. Not yet, that’s for sure.
I know it’s fun to play “kick the Carlos” when sales are down due to a lack of new product, but I challenge you to name one auto industry executive in the last 30 years that can come anywhere near to approaching his track record.
Passive
Excellent points.
I have heard a whisper (and this is just me crossing my fingers) that the president of Nismo said something about supercharging. We all know it’s gonna have the 2.5 out of the Altima under the hood, but dare to dream?
Passive:
I think these qualities, even being boatlike, are all pluses in the eyes of Nissan target market, which are people who would drive Town Cars if they could afford them and they got about twice the mileage.
I don’t disagree, but that’s a far cry from Nissan’s stated goal to be the “exciting” Japanese company (of the Big Nihon 3). Maybe that’s just in their visual appeal and horsepower one-upmanship, though.
Jonny L. makes a great point. Hard to beat the Fusion for that kind of scratch. Best value for the dollar, bar none!
The R16 is plusher bigger, heavier, more powerful than its predecessors but is it better?
R13 (1990-1994) remains THE “SENTRA” (aka “Sunny”, “Tsuru”) for most of the people!
I think these qualities, even being boatlike, are all pluses in the eyes of Nissan target market, which are people who would drive Town Cars if they could afford them and they got about twice the mileage
Hey there – I love the Town Car, and would never be caught in a Sentra, or the most pathetic cheesy rip-off of a Town Car – the Amanti.
I would love to get a Town Car and use it as the Family Truckster, only the wife is not 100% sold on it yet. She still has this thing for crackerbox small SUV’s. Make mine dark blue please….
Women……..
My first car was a ’92 SE-R. Bought it used and had a blast with it. I love sleepers and it was the ultimate sleeper. My insurance company was none the wiser that it was the hot-rodded version of an otherwise ordinary econobox. That definitely counted for something at age sixteen…
No version of the Sentra that has come along since then has inspired me the way that car did. The last time I was in the market for a car, I test drove the last-gen V-Spec Sentra. It was quick, but otherwise didn’t feel nearly as tossable as my old SE-R. It looked tacky too. Ended up buying a used Prelude SH.
When I first saw the pictures of this new Sentra, I thought maybe it would be pretty good and they would put the sporty feel back into the car. Too bad they didn’t.
I come from a Nissan family.
Mom still drives a Maxima, even though she could afford… whatever the hell she wants.
As such, I have owned two Sentras. A green ’96, which among other notable crap-outs broke down on the Bay Bridge. At 6:50 am. In the left lane. I’ve never seen more middle fingers in my life.
I also had a ’00 Sentra (you’d think I’d learn) which I gave to my sister, which subsequently died at about 70,000 miles. She now drives a Honda.
Thanks for an entertaining read, Brendan, nice job ! While I enjoy reading the work of the more frequent contributors to TTAC, it’s always nice to have some “new blood”.
“First time out, the 800 word limit is a challenge”
I’m sure it is, but for me the challenge would be to come up with 800 words on a car that can be summed up in four…
“…pretty dull subject matter…”
As for these posters who seem to roam internet boards web-wide with their editorial comments on writing style, word usage, etc. here’s an instant message for you:
“..please stop taking up bandwith with your smug and useless bullsh*t.”
Instead of being a detractor, why don’t you step up to the plate and be a contributor? We’d all love to read your 800 word masterpiece on the piston-head subject of your choice…
Thank you, Brenden, for pointing out the crappy visibility in this car. Am I the only person who HATES this trend of huge pillars, small mirrors, and high window sills. Who started this trend of tiny windows that I associate notably with the Chrysler 300?
I just drove an ’07 VW passat wagon for a week while my ’03 version was in the shop (for the 4th time this year, sigh…) and the new one is so hard to see out of compared to the old. It made merging hard, and parallel parking, and simply avoiding bicyclists a challenge!
And I’m 6’1″… if I was any shorter I’d need a periscope to see out of these new cars. Why not take advantage of glass’ cool feature of allowing you to see through things?
Kudos to Nissan for building a good car. Sure its not perfect but hey the competition (except Toyota and Honda) suck pretty bad…
BTW, Renault Megane comment is probably lost in translation..
The new sentra is a fine upgrade compared to the old one. Yes, this new one isn’t without it’s flaws BUT compared to the last model this is a drastic improvement and effort. A vehicle that will compete in that smallish car segment. This car will appeal to a great many people, the old “value for the price” thing.
BTW, at Nissan, we were calling it the Minima as opposed to the Mini Maxima.
I haven’t driven one yet, but sitting in a full load in the showroom the other day it seemed quite nice. A little more spacious than the Corolla definately more styled than the Corolla. The Corolla lives and (seldom) dies in vanilla mode. People that buy it aren’t interested in bells, whistles and any sort of style.
So the natural target: The Civic/Mazda 3 potential buyer.
When I was a sales person, people would ask about the old sentra and when I asked them what else were they looking at, they’d say “Mazda3”. I’d say go buy the Mazda. Now, I think the Sentra would be much more competitive than this review would lead you to think. The CVT which was found first in the Murano (at Nissan) has been tweaked and Nissan seems to have figured it in cars (Sentra, Versa, Altima, Maxima). The salespepole at my old dealership are raving fans of the new Sentra, and it clearly has some competitive advantages over the obvious competition. If the sales people are raving fans, it means it can be sold against competition which means it’s not a dog. Try selling an Xtrail now that they aren’t making an 07 model. On the ground actually trying to pushing metal, confidence in your product is everything.
Granted the ride won’t be the best but consider the price point/target. Expecting it to be XYZ (whatever optimal is in your mind) level of ride in a cheap car isn’t realistic. Compared to the Mazda3 I’d suspect it to be relatively similar, however I have yet to drive the new sentra one. Strangley, when I drove the Mazda3 sedan I was disappointed in the ride. The new Sentra’s pillar is big and awkward but there are few cars that have really done the pillar well. I thought the rear veiw was fine, but I’m a bigger guy.
SE-R/Spec-V is a must however :)
No, I haven’t drank the Nissan kool-aid and no, I wouldn’t buy a sentra, but I think the machine deserves more credit than this review gives it.
Bmilner — I am so with you.
I just unloaded the Fusion today and you simply cannot see out of the back of those things. I pride myself on my parallel parking ability and it was severely hampered by this Ford.
The Audi RS4 from a few weeks back had stupid-small mirrors.
All Japanese SUV/CUVs seem to be really into huge slabs of metal between the C and D pillars, causing near blindness from certain angles — a terrible trend.
These designers should climb into a BMW 2002 — that is what proper visibility is all about.
Brendan, very entertaining, enjoyable review; I look forward to future writeups. On the subject of the Sentra, I can’t believe how similar the 3/4 rear view is to the Saturn Ion. If this car was made by Chery, they’d be sued by GM.
How the Ion escaped TWAT branding is beyond me.
Yuh-uck!
I cannot wait for the day Nissan abandons clear lense taillights. They look like a cheap aftermarket version “ricers” would buy.
If you’re young, stylish and sporty-ish, you buy a Mazda3. If you’re young, stylish, play too much X-Box and want a handbrake like a photon torpedo release, you buy a Honda Civic. And if you’re a veteran of the Crimean War or your personality’s been surgically removed, you buy a Toyota Corolla.
I’d add to this.. if you’re a hooligan, you buy a Subaru Impreza. Too much money? VW Jetta.
Uh, that fuel economy isn’t that great in the category. The Civic gets 30/40.
How the Ion escaped TWAT branding is beyond me.
It’s a relative thing. When you put it next to the even greater wretchedness that is the GM minivan and the Monte Carlo it looks like a really nice car.
Jonny L. makes a great point. Hard to beat the Fusion for that kind of scratch. Best value for the dollar, bar none!
Agreed. People get on Ford’s case for not having a car in the same class as the Fit, Yaris, and Aveo but when you tack on the discounts and incentives they’ve piled onto the Focus you realize they don’t need one. I was pricing out all of these cars on Edmunds the other day. Once you kick in the discounts, the Focus comes down into the same price bracket.
“I’d still rather have floor tickets to the Killers than box seats for Yanni”
Isn’t that like being forced to choose between driving a Compass or a Monte Carlo?
Ryan:
Isn’t that like being forced to choose between driving a Compass or a Monte Carlo?
My dad once asked a guy wearing a Rage Against the Machine t-shirt if he owned a Land-Rover.
jacob:
I’d add to this.. if you’re a hooligan, you buy a Subaru Impreza. Too much money? VW Jetta.
Hey, I want to buy a Subaru. I guess I aspire to hooliganism!
Point Given:
While I (obviously) didn’t love the Sentra, I too feel that it’s a quantam leap forward over the old model. So, I guess, erm, point taken.
>>> “Look at me!’ the Sentra shouts, “I’ve been styled!”
wonderful line
radimus,
Uh… don’t buy a Focus.
I’ll leave it at that.
Wow, Brendan – tell us how you really feel. There are some of us to whom a smaller Town Car doesn’t sound like such a bad deal. Since I haven’t gotten one from the local press fleet representatives who handle Nissan, I can’t dispute much of what you say; but at least the thing looks better than the mid-Nineties Sentras, which just didn’t do much for anyone. This car is an excellent patient for some clever tuners to take to task. And no, I am not talking about “pimping the ride.”
Jonny Lieberman:
These designers should climb into a BMW 2002 — that is what proper visibility is all about.
As an aside: I was just thinking that EXACT thought as I walked through the parking deck last night. I walked up to my 98 Passat head-on and compared the “glass-to-body” ratio with some other, newer designs. The old 2002 seemed like it had a 60/40 split in overall height between glass and body (looks really unusual to the casual, ignorant observer). My car is probably 50/50 with excellent visibility, while many of the new designs are 40/60. The bodies are really encroaching on the sightlines these days.
I do work for Nissan. I sell them. I am genuinely enthusiastic about the new Sentra. I did actually drive the Civic, Sentra, and Corolla on the same mini-autoX course, on the same afternoon, in the rain. Those who think it handles like a boat – you drove the new one? It handles like a dream – I like the ride, and I own a Celica GTS.
Nissan’s whole shtick is ‘we don’t make a car for everyone, we make the perfect car for someone.’ So I can understand if this car isnt for you. Personally, I would have no compunctions about buying one for myself, if I was in this market.
I refuse to believe that all these detracters have actually driven the car. Until you do, jump off the bandwagon, and go find your own opinion.
Terry Parkhurst
This car is an excellent patient for some clever tuners to take to task.
Perhaps, Terry. I mean, someone’s already turbo’d a Versa, although having the exhaust manifold in back will make for interesting plumbing. I still think the SE-R version will need a lot of massaging to be able to challenge the other in-house tuners out there.
It’s not designed to be sporty though: Low-tec rear suspension so the trunk is larger, high center of gravity so that there’s more cabin space, etc. Somebody already blimped this ride, and any personal trainer’s gonna have their work cut out.
BK
Nissan’s whole shtick is ‘we don’t make a car for everyone, we make the perfect car for someone.’
Nissan has designed this car for 35-year-old drivers who are less interested in performance than comfort. Fine, it works just fine that way, excepting the visibility stuff. Like I said, 6-or-7/10ths driving.
Don’t keep bringing up the Corolla. Yes the Sentra is better than that car, but so what? You need to drive a Rabbit and a Mazda3 to see what you’re up against. Also, the Civic does have less torque, and on a wet auto-x course that may have made a diference. The Sentra still corners on its door handles.
On the other hand, you will sell lots of these because it’s cute and big at the same time. Just be aware that you will have a few objections to overcome.
radimus,
Uh… don’t buy a Focus.
I’ll leave it at that.
Fear not. I have no intention to. I generally buy a car after the last owner paid to fix everything. :)
HawaiiJim: I couldn’t agree more.
The SE-R is officially released. No Forced induction :(
http://www.nissannews.com/
Will Nissan (Datsun) ever bring back the beloved 510.The greatest japanese car ever built! Now that thing was overbuilt!!!!I drove with blown headgasket for 5 years before I ever replaced the motor with a L-20B!
Let me see…
I can buy the Sentra for about $16,000 with 140 hp and 147 lbs torque no ABS and a 5 yr 60K warranty…or… a Cobalt LS with 148 hp/ 152lbs torque, ABS and a 5 yr 100K warranty for $14,000. Hmmm…tough decision…
Great review. But tell me, am I the only tester who finds the Sentra’s obnoxious brakes to be the weakest part of its driving experience?
Oh no…this body style will not bode well for the se-r…no indeed…
Some of you guys are hilarious…
The constant criticism of the “out-dated” rear suspension and acceleration, etc etc…
First off, I doubt ANYONE on this website will know the difference of a IRS and axle beam suspension setup while driving these cars in the road at 6/7 or hec 8/10ths of the car’s performance ON PUBLIC ROADS.
Second, now that the SE-R is out, it’s plenty quick for everyday driving and handles much better than most people will care to test its limits.
I find it funny that “car enthusiasts” criticize cars for particulars that have just about no bearing on real-life driving experiences and situations.
Most people buy a car like a Sentra for some fun, getting around, carrying things, having 4 doors, being reliable, looking pretty decent (as the SE-R’s do IMO), being efficient, etc etc.
All the traits the SE-R has…and being affordable to boot…well…now how about that?
Let’s ask how the poor sap who just got raped buying a $27K GTI feels while he beats me by .3 seconds to the next traffic light.
Oh another thing, while the Mazda 3 handles well and feels sportier, I sure as hell don’t want to sit in a car which, in this day and age, has a POOR side impact test rating…please…that’s pathetic sorry.