Nissan is certainly not eyeing the enthusiast market with the Sentra, considering the platitudinous power band, and the engine noise which is surprisngly low. However, if you consider vehicles merely as a means of transport and don't concern yourself with technicalities like throttle response or road-holding, the base variant of the Sentra is the one for you.
The Sentra' engine is amped up from 130 hp to 188 with a turbocharger, in the SR turbo and Nismo trims, these are fun but the performance comes at a steep price. Despite the price, you can't really expect performance like the Nissan GT-R or the Nissan 370z. The six-speed manual is a respite from the otherwise uninspiring experience, but the CVT is another disappointment added to the list.
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Models
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Nissan Sentra Nismo
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Volkswagen Jetta S Sedan
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Hyundai Elantra Sedan SE
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Toyota Corolla L Sedan
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Honda Civic Si Sedan
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Mazda 3 Sport Sedan
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Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
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MSRP
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$17,790
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$20,240
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$18,100
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$18,700
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$20,250
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$20,240
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$18,870
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Engine
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Regular Unleaded I-4, 1.8 L
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1.4L Turbo Inline 4
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2.0 L inline-four
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1.8 L inline-four
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2.0 L inline-four
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2.0 L inline-four
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1.4L Turbo Inline 4
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Transmission
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6-Speed Manual
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8 Speed Automatic
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6-speed Automatic
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CVT
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CVT
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6-speed Auto
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6 Speed Automatic
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Horsepower
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130hp @ 6000rpm
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147hp@5000 rpm
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147hp @ 6200 rpm
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132hp @ 6000 rpm
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205hp @ 6500 rpm
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155hp @ 6000 rpm
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153hp@5600rpm
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Torque
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128lb.-ft @ 3600rpm
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184lb.-ft@1400 rpm
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132 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm
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128 lb-ft@4400rpm
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138 lb.-ft @ 4200 rpm
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150 lb.-ft. @4000 rpm
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177lb.-ft@2000-4000
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In comparison to the rest of the sedans, especially the Honda Civic and the Chevrolet Cruze, the Sentra lags behind by a mile. Not just in terms of pure horsepower, even the driving dynamics are far superior, making the Nissan feel outdated in 2019. The VW Jetta is another sedan worth mentioning, with the massive torque that the engine can churn out.
2019 Nissan Sentra Acceleration
As futile as it may have seemed, Nissan did actually test out the Sentra in an acceleration test from 0-60. Not so surprisingly, the Nissan Sentra took 9.5 seconds to get to the 60 mph mark. The sedam goes on to complete the quarter mile in 17.4 seconds.
The brawnier rival sedans are as you would've guessed faster in the sprint to 60 mph as compared to the 130 hp Sentra.
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Models
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Nissan Sentra Sedan
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Volkswagen Jetta S Sedan
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Hyundai Elantra Sedan SE
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Toyota Corolla L Sedan
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Honda Civic LX Sedan
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Mazda 3 Sport Sedan
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Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
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0-60 MPH(sec)
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9.5
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7.7
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8.3
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9.4
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8.2
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8.0
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7.7
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Quarter mile(sec)
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17.4
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NA
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16.4
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17.2
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16.3
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16.2
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16.3
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Emission
(Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)
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5.9
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5.2
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10.2
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9.8
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8.4
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11.2
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5.6
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Curb Weight (lb..)
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2866
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2959
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2767
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2840
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2742
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2899
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2870
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The Volkswagen Jetta and the Chevrolet Cruze are the first ones to read 60 mph on the dash in 7.7 seconds, followed by the Mazda 3 sport and the Honda Civic. The Toyota Corolla, another sedan with a docile engine finishes next to the Nissan on the roster.
2019 Nissan Sentra Ride and Handling
The tall sedan rocks like a boat about to capsize when you take it around a corner too fast. The electronic steering, detached from the wheels, gives you no feedback from the ground, although, it may not pose a problem for non-enthusiasts. Mirroring the steering feel the brakes just add fuel to the flame; the vague pedal response doesn't tend to mimic the actual braking forces on the car.
Climbing up the trim ladder to the R turbo and Nismo, the handling is a drastic improvement but given the price, the competitors exceed the current Sentra's capabilities. Although, the plush suspension manages to absorb most of the bumps, recuperating from them still poses a challenge.
2019 Nissan Sentra Braking
The pedal response is sadly not the only thing plaguing the brakes of the Nissan Sentra. The small discs, 11-inch up front and 99ers at the back have a tough time stopping the boxy sedan.
Nor does the soft suspension do you any favors, with the amount of load transfer to the front as the sedan nose-dives under braking.
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Models
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Nissan Sentra Sedan
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Volkswagen Jetta S Sedan
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Hyundai Elantra Sedan SE
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Toyota Corolla L Sedan
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Honda Civic LX Sedan
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Mazda 3 Sport Sedan
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Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
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Brake Front (in.)
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11
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11.5
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10.3
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10.8
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10.2
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10.7
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10.8
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Brake Rear (in.)
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9
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10.8
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9.7
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9.1
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9.8
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9.5
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10.4
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70-0 MPH (ft.)
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122(60-0MPH)
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191
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182
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183
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180
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179
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110(60-0MPH)
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In comparison, the sedans in the segment have a slight advantage of decently sized brake rotors and compliant suspensions which translate to better stopping distance from 70mph to standstill, with the Cruze and Mazda 3 being the highlights to this comparative.
