Auto123 evaluations the 2020 Nissan Sentra.
Within the sports activities automobile world, it’s typically a case of much less is extra. You need much less weight. A decrease trip top. A decrease roofline. Much less rubber between your rim and wheel-well. Some can pay much more to get, properly, much less: for a Porsche Boxster Spyder, as an example, consumers are paying extra for much less within the wildest means, a pair of nylon straps as a substitute of conventional door pulls, and, in Europe, no infotainment system. The price? Greater than your customary Boxster.
You possibly can say that precept applies to the all-new 2020 Nissan Sentra, though it’s locked steadfastly within the compact sedan section and is most positively not a sport automobile of any sort.
Right here’s the factor, although: it type of acts like one.
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It sits decrease than the last-generation Sentra and has a decrease roofline, so already it’s beginning to espouse some “much less is more-ness”. There’s just one engine to select from – a 2.0L four-banger good for 149 hp (they only couldn’t crack 150, I suppose) and 145 lb-ft of torque – which some would argue is an efficient factor because it makes the shopping for course of just a little simpler. By no means thoughts the truth that the Honda Civic will get two engine decisions and the Toyota Corolla three, certainly one of them a hybrid.
The most recent Sentra appears to be like decrease, wider (which it’s) and extra severe than the mannequin it replaces. The impact is introduced house by the trademark V-Movement grille that’s the most aggressive we’ve ever seen on the Sentra. It actually does appear like a junior Altima and that’s an excellent factor, as a result of the Altima is a proper-looking mid-size sedan.
My tester being the SR Status trim, in the meantime, ups the ante within the athleticism division with sparkly 18-inch wheels (with lower-profile rubber), particular rocker panels and rear spoiler. It’s all wrapped up in Electrical Blue paint, which recollects the Bayside Blue ‘do made standard by the assorted generations of the GT-R sports activities automobile. Which might be no coincidence, when you think about the marginally extra aggressive intentions of the SR mannequin.
Talking of the GT-R, true aficionados of that mannequin might acknowledge within the Sentra SR the vent roundels on the second stack. These are supposed to recall comparable objects discovered within the GT-R, although they don’t occupy the identical spot in that automobile, taking on residence at both nook of the sprint versus throughout the centre stack.
Different neat stuff features a flat-bottom steering wheel (although the additional excessive area it offers when centered is lessened as you begin to flip the wheel), contrast-colour stitching and faux-carbon inserts sprinkled across the entrance cupholders, the gauge cluster hood and numerous different spots within the cabin.
There’s extra room up entrance than you get within the Corolla, Civic or Hyundai Elantra however much less room in again. The Sentra, in the meantime, sits mid-class relating to trunk area, which measures 404 litres. The automobile options fold-flat seats that drop with a single tug of the shoulder-mounted lever. The headrests can’t alter or be eliminated, however the rear seat nonetheless folds even when the entrance seats sit almost in the back of their rails.
The brand new Sentra walks the stroll when it comes to driving positions as properly. The steering wheel falls properly into your palms, the view ahead is an efficient one and whereas the highest virtually appears to be like chopped – plus I had a sunroof, which constricts area just a little extra – I hand no drawback sporting a hat as I sat inside.
Nissan’s designers have completed properly with the room they do have – the centre storage bin is deep, the sunglass holder is kind of massive and there’s a useful cheesy floor simply forward of the shift lever in your cell system, so that you don’t must waste a cupholder to retailer it. Sadly, whereas that pad appears to be like like an ideal spot for a wi-fi charging spot, the Sentra doesn’t supply one, so you must plug in to cost and to entry Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Each come as choices on the Sentra, although not within the base model, which is inexcusable.
Whereas the shortage of wi-fi charging or a 4G LTE hotspot are considerably minor nuisances on the compact degree, I’ve a more durable time forgiving the shortage of a guide transmission possibility on the SR, which is type of the efficiency model of the Sentra. A continuously-variable automated (CVT) is your solely selection and whereas Nissan has been creating their CVT tech for fairly a while, the truth that they’ve determined to forego constructing in some “digital” shift factors so you’ll be able to a minimum of faux you’re driving a guide is a disgrace.
It’s not like Nissan hasn’t completed so earlier than, both – the “faux shifting” within the Maxima is definitely fairly good. In fact, when you will have a base asking value of under 19 grand, because the Sentra does, cash needed to be saved someplace and likelihood is the shortage of a guide mode and no wi-fi charging are a direct results of that.
As a substitute, Nissan has most popular to supply a complete array of digital security aids. Adaptive cruise, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree backup cam (although solely obtainable on the SR Premium trim seen right here), blind spot warning, ahead collision warning and lane departure warning are all current and accounted for. That is the type of package Nissan determined to spend their Sentra improvement dough on, and it was in all probability the proper selection.
The steering and dealing with, in the meantime, was positively properly thought-out and developed. Flip-in when you wind some lock by that flat-bottom wheel is sharp and fast, whereas there’s sufficient weight to the steering and simply sufficient off-centre lifeless zone in order to not drive the motive force to make fixed changes on lengthy straight stretches of tarmac. Nissan has achieved an excellent stability between responsiveness and luxury relating to the steering.
The suspension setting displays the immediacy of the steering rack, however I concern that they might be just a little a lot for some. The dampers are set fairly agency – the trip is firmer than that of the Corolla and Civic – so that you’ll wish to be sure that if you happen to’re going to be test-driving the 2020 Sentra, attempt to discover a highway with some imperfections on it.
Whereas I didn’t get fairly that very same immediacy from the powertrain as I did the chassis, there’s nonetheless sufficient get-up-and-go to maintain you entertained, when you get previous that lazy drawl of the CVT. You’ll by no means get the launch you do with CVT-equipped Corollas, which have the intelligent benefit of a standard first gear, however this Sentra just isn’t dangerous, nonetheless. I actually would like to attempt one with a guide, although, which you’ll’t do with the SR, though the bottom mannequin will get one.
That’s a little bit of a disgrace, as a result of if Nissan had chosen so as to add a guide and perhaps squeeze a number of extra ponies out of the motor, we wouldn’t be speaking in regards to the Sentra within the context of the Civic or Volkswagen Jetta, however slightly the Civic Si or Jetta GLI – and that actually says one thing about what Nissan has managed with this newest Sentra.
This redesigned 4-door is a great-looking, great-handling and funky tackle the mannequin, at house within the section. With a number of tweaks, it might very properly sit atop it. Solely time will inform.
We like
Pocket-rocket appears to be like
Properly-equipped
Properly-priced
We like much less
Typically uneven trip
No guide possibility
Again seat area lags behind competitors
The competitors
Honda Civic
Hyundai Elantra
Kia Forte
Subaru Impreza
Toyota Corolla
Volkswagen Jetta
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