Overview & Reviews

The Nissan Sentra has been vying for the wallets of economy-car shoppers since 1982. For most of that time, the Sentra's overall appeal and image have trailed the segment leaders. There have been periods, however, when this car has been one of the best choices available.

The latest Nissan Sentra is closer to the historic norm. It offers a roomy and high-quality interior and great fuel economy. On the other hand, it lacks the visual pizzazz and driver involvement of its competitors. Overall, this Sentra is a respectable ride, though it doesn't really stand out from the crowd. Much the same can be said of previous Sentra generations, but their good fuel efficiency and low upkeep costs make them solid budget-friendly options.

Current Nissan Sentra
The current Nissan Sentra comes standard with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder rated at 130 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy is excellent and gets a hair better with the special FE+ model. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the base model, but a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is specified on all other models.

There are four Sentra trim levels: S, SV, SR and SL. The base model S has air-conditioning, full power accessories and an auxiliary audio jack. The SV doesn't add much in the way of standard equipment, but rather increases the availability of options such as keyless ignition/entry, Bluetooth and a USB/iPod interface. The SR is essentially an SV with sporty design elements, while the SL comes standard with the SL's options, plus dual-zone automatic climate control. Other major options for the Sentra (depending on the trim level) include a sunroof, a premium audio system, a navigation system, smartphone app integration and leather upholstery.

In reviews, the Nissan Sentra has earned high marks for its interior. Nissan has taken a refined and conservative approach here, in contrast to many of its rivals with their youthful, funky vibes. Fit and finish is satisfactory thanks to decent materials and seemingly tight construction. The backseat deserves special mention for nearly matching midsize sedans in spaciousness. A comfortable ride quality is another plus. On the downside, however, the Sentra's acceleration is subpar, and in general it's not very involving to drive.

In total, the Sentra's pluses and minuses speak to the car itself. It's a more grown-up sort of small car that eschews look-at-me styling and zippy wannabe sports car dynamics for a sensible, comfortable and economical formula. It's not necessarily the stuff that dreams are made of, but we suspect it will appeal to many shoppers.

Used Nissan Sentra Models
The current, seventh-generation Nissan Sentra debuted for 2013. It's bigger, yet lighter than its predecessor, with a more refined style. The cabin boasts higher-quality materials, even more passenger space and a full roster of technology features. The engine actually has less power this time around, but it's more fuel efficient.

For the current Sentra's second year of production, Nissan implemented a handful of changes aimed at reducing noise and improving driving dynamics, while smartphone app integration was added via the NissanConnect interface. As such, shoppers considering a used 2013 Sentra would do well to sample a newer model, too, and see if the differences seem like they're worth paying for. We've noticed minor dynamic improvements in the revised version, including more athletic handling.

The previous, sixth-generation Nissan Sentra was produced from 2007-'12. It featured slightly larger dimensions than the fifth-generation model and employed Nissan's edgy design language of the time, giving it an extra serving of style. Thanks in part to its generous wheelbase, this Sentra had a roomier cabin than before, with adequate headroom and legroom for 6-foot passengers.

For much of this generation's production, there were six main trim levels: four variants based on the 2.0-liter engine (base, S, SR and SL) and two high-performance versions (SE-R and SE-R Spec V). All models but the SE-R got a 2.0-liter inline-4 that made 140 hp. The SE-R had a 2.5-liter four with 177 hp, while the SE-R Spec V had a modified version of the 2.5-liter engine that made 200 hp. A six-speed manual or CVT were the available transmission options, the latter available in all but the manual-only Spec V.

The base sixth-generation Sentra was pretty thin on features but did include power windows and locks as well as air-conditioning. Stepping up to the S added common items like power mirrors, a height-adjustable driver seat and an iPod interface (available for 2010 and later), while the SL went the extra mile with items like a leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless ignition/entry and Bluetooth. The SL was also available with leather seating and a navigation system (2010 and later). The SE-R and Spec V trims featured performance-tuned suspensions, performance tires, larger brakes and sporty styling cues. The 2.0 SR introduced for 2009 essentially added a body kit and wheels inspired by the SE-R.
In reviews, we found that the sixth-generation Sentra offered an improved driving experience, although as with many of its predecessors, it could be described as being "close but no cigar" when compared to the best in class. The CVT made the engine drone noisily, and it provided no way for a driver to change or hold ratios on his own (except in the SE-R with its Manual mode). Another dynamic weakness was the car's suspension, which struggled to dampen bigger bumps and road undulations. The Spec-V was the one Sentra that provided stirring dynamics; it could run to 60 mph in just 6.7 seconds and offered plenty of grip during cornering. However, its tall body design introduced more body roll than expected from a compact car.

In terms of changes, sixth-generation Sentras made prior to 2010 had a different grille and headlights, and lacked standard stability control. There were also various standard and optional features added throughout its lifetime, many of which were high-tech items like Bluetooth that shoppers had come to expect. For 2009, the moniker "FE+" was affixed to all Sentras except the manual-transmission 2.0S and both SE-R trims. Ostensibly meaning "Fuel Economy Plus," the new name signified a 1 mpg increase in fuel economy for those Sentras via a tweak to the engine computer. These FE+ fuel economy improvements were standardized on all except the SE-R trims the following year.

Nissan's fifth-generation Sentra ran from 2000-'06. Available in sedan form only, it was initially available in base XE, nicely equipped GXE and top-of-the-line SE trims. All were powered by a 1.8-liter inline-4 with 126 hp, and power was sent to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual gearbox. The sporty SE-R returned in '02, and there were two versions: the standard SE-R (165 hp, five-speed manual) and the hot rod SE-R Spec V (175 hp, six-speed manual, 17-inch wheels).

At the time, we praised this Sentra for its functional cabin design, nimble handling, many standard features and peppy SE-R trim level. Downsides included bland styling, an awkward driving position and a small backseat. This generation generally has a solid reputation as far as mechanical reliability, though anecdotal evidence suggests that the engine in the SE-R models was more trouble-prone.

The fourth-generation Sentra (1995-'99), with its low nose and high tail, was a styling departure from the straight-edged look of the previous car. Officially offered just as a sedan (the coupe version became the 200SX), this Sentra had more interior room than before. Trim levels consisted of a bare-bones base model, the slightly less stripped XE, the popularly equipped GXE, the luxury GLE and the sporty SE. All trims but the SE had a 115-hp engine, while the SE actually featured the same 140-hp engine as the previous SE-R.

The sporty SE-R debuted with the third-generation Nissan Sentra (1991-'94). Buyers had a choice of either a coupe or sedan, though both shared the same simple, boxy styling. With 140 hp, four-wheel disc brakes and a tuned, fully independent suspension, the Nissan Sentra SE-R coupe provided a lot of bang for the buck and was a favorite among driving enthusiasts. All other Sentras of this generation had a 110-hp engine and trims included the stripper E, base XE, sporty SE and well-equipped GXE.

Running from 1987-'90, the second-generation Sentra was available in a multitude of body styles, including a coupe, a sedan, a wagon, a hatchback and a Sport Coupe fastback. Engine output ranged from 69 to 90 hp, depending on the year.

User Reviews:

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  Spec V - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By KDAL523 - July 27 - 10:00 am

  great car for the money, torque is the best part of the car

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  I will never ever own a Nissan again! - 2003 Nissan Sentra
  By Vickie - July 26 - 2:10 am

  I bought this car in 2003 as a graduation present to myself, little did I know what a piece of crap I bought. Im not joking when I say my CD player broke about once a month. Something went wrong with my electrical system and my lights would randomly turn off. Just about any replacement parts have to be bought from Nissan (rip off). After my radiator and my head gasket went at 60,000 I got rid of this car. I couldnt afford to keep up with all of the repairs and of course Nissan kept trying to turn everything around on me even when my car was under warranty! I traded this piece of crap in for a Toyota Matrix and 3 years later Im still happy I did so! I swear I will never buy a Nissan again

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  Somewhat impressed - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By clintons - July 25 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car in September so I havent had it that long but I have put almost 3000 miles on it driving 14-16 hours on long trips every weekend. I am impressed with the way it drives, feels and the design of the whole car. It has a huge trunk. The gas mileage is good when you dont give it a lot of gas and dont have a lot of people or luggage in the car. I get about 36-40 mpg highway at 75 mph. I dont like the rough downshifting and the whine the engine makes. (almost sounds like a turbo.) the CVT takes some getting used to as if you are on the gas, it wont shift

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  I like it - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Marko1464 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Going from a 1986 Camaro to a 2004 Sentra is a big jump. The car is very quiet and feels pretty solid, light years beyond the creaky, rattly camaro. Definitely needs more rear leg room. I also wish there was a choice of wheels with this model, they only come with the 2.5 models. Otherwise I like my car alot, and look forward to driving it for a long time.

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  CLUNK! CLUNK! POP! POP! - 2012 Nissan Sentra
  By wanda - July 20 - 7:38 am

  Bought a 2012 Nissan Sentra about 6 weeks ago. Owned several vehicles and this is by far the worst of the worst. Never had bought a Nissan but will never buy another. This vehicle pops on right turns and braking & after turning and straightening the wheel and evidently there are several Nissans that has this as an issue. As I understand there are no recalls and Nissan has not addressed this issue. Will get it checked out with a mechanic on Monday. Hope to get the issue resolved since it is hard to trade with so recent of a purchase.

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  Excellent Purchase - 2001 Nissan Sentra
  By Sentra - July 19 - 5:10 am

  I purchased my 2001 Sentra GXE in June of 2001. I financed it for 5 yrs. It still runs as well as it did when I drove it home brand new. Hopefully it will last another 5 years.

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  Overall it seems good - 2008 Nissan Sentra
  By stella - July 18 - 9:53 am

  Our biggest disappointment is that there is no key entry on the passenger side. It is a safety concern for us. What do you do when you are trying to get an elderly person, child or pet into the car at a curb and have to go into traffic leaving the aforementioned person alone. It is inconvenient if not downright safe. What if you have packages? You leave them on the sidewalk and have to go to the drivers side. Down right stupid feature... feature???? it is just a stupid cost cutting measure.

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  Great Value - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By machaan - July 15 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this car for 60000. Repair costs? Front brakes, 2 wiper blades - thats all. Incredible build quality, no rattles/buzz after 5 years. Sufficient power. Plenty of accesories and hence great value with GXE limited.

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  1999 Sentra - 1999 Nissan Sentra
  By TWill - July 15 - 2:00 am

  Great car, requires little more than an oil change and tires. NEVER have had mechanical repair in FOUR YEARS. The brakes are not even worn down yet! It is a small car though .... thats my only gripe, cant really complain about that!

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  A great Value - 1996 Nissan Sentra
  By TraciFred - July 13 - 10:00 am

  This was my 1st new car. I bought it when I got my 1st real job. I loved it so much! The car still looks like new. The cost to own this car is so low. I thought that I would hold it till it dies then buy another Nissan, but I have my eyes on a BMW now.