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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  Greatest Sentra yet - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By BLUEBYU2 - October 8 - 2:00 am

  I have two now. 01 SE 2.0 and the new Spec V. this has been the most fun car that i have ever owned. What a great price too. you cant get this kind of performance and looks in any other car in its price range.

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  Sometimes she likes me... - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Cam - October 4 - 7:23 am

  My sentra likes me...sometimes. Other times the car starts, then rumbles, then all the lights on the dash come on and it turns off. Three mechanics tell me nothing is wrong. It only does it when it feels like it and I dont seem to be able to find any correlation between the times it chooses to do that and the times it doesnt. I know two other people who own the same style and model year nissan and one who owns a 2006 Sentra 1.8s...and all of our cars do the exact same thing. Time for a recall?? Other than that and all the road noise, I love it...really, I do.

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  Good car for price/features - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By kvm08091 - October 4 - 2:00 am

  A good car for price to features. Replaced 1994.4 Limited edition 5spd with this one. Looks like old car has better fuel economy and back seat legroom! Recommend to anyone looking for a a good commute car OR First time buyer.

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  So many things to fix... - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By meg - October 3 - 7:40 pm

  Ive had my Sentra for about 3 years and put 40k on it. Ive replaced brakes, belts and a fuel pump and need tires. Blind spots are really bad. At 56" my legs hit the steering wheel if I try to drive while wearing any heel higher than 1". Loud road noise, heavy idle, jerks on acceleration.

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  Piece of Junk - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By aellis7 - October 2 - 8:16 am

  I bought my Sentra from a man on Craigslist. He had all the paperwork to prove he had taken care of the car. The paint on the hood and roof was fading already, which is on 99% of all the 2002 Sentras. In the last year the computer has gone out, the AC has gone out and the gas mileage and power has gone down to almost nothing. Stay Away from these cars, I have only had bad things happen. Everyone I know that has ever owned a 2002 Nissan Sentra has had pure hell.

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  Wow - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By Jfurton723 - September 30 - 12:33 pm

  So I bought this car after having a Cobalt SS. I loved that car and I wish Id have kept it. Ive put a hell of a lot of miles on it in the two years Ive had it, but it hasnt held up to any standard whatsoever. Ive had the a/c system replaced three times, the compressors are pieces of junk. The sub woofer for the Rockford system is made of paper so its extremely easily blown. The standard brake package stinks. Honestly the only reason I got this car is because it was the only Sentra on the lot that had a factory moonroof in it. Oh, and watch out around 70,000 miles the motor mounts just randomly break.

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  06 Special Edition - 2006 Nissan Sentra
  By TNap - September 30 - 11:56 am

  Leased new in Oct. 06. We bought the car strictly for putting around town. The gas mileage is excellent. We own an F150 and a 92 Lexus SC400 that love gas. So, we didnt buy for speed or sportiness, just for around town. Excellent car and our 5 year old Maxima we traded in was a solid car as well. Go Nissan.

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  2004 nissan sentra - 2004 Nissan Sentra
  By Tessa1010 - September 23 - 10:00 am

  The car is nice and comfortable to drive. Highway driving is good, limited outside noise when windows are up. Overall its a great car to use in town or drive a long distance to work. Gas miliage is great - this I love. Car hands great and a great front view. It would be sporter load with outside extras like wing and tint.

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  nissan - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By Tommy - September 18 - 10:00 am

  its ok. but not big enough for a single person. i mean unless there bones. other cars that are compact or in that subject are a desgned a little better

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  very good - 2005 Nissan Sentra
  By gyky - September 18 - 10:00 am

  very good car fun to drive the car is really comfortable :)