2007 Nissan Sentra Review

PROS
Comfortable ride, Outstanding fuel economy, Unique features

CONS Growling engine, No traction control, Skimpy back seat, Quirky steering

More for your money
Sentra is completely redesigned for 2007 with new styling, more power, and additional features. Though the name is the same, the car's mission is slightly altered. With the introduction of the price-leading Nissan Versa this summer, the Japanese automaker moves Sentra slightly up market, enabling the car to more directly compete with Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

Again available only as a four-door sedan, the new Sentra is almost six inches longer than the model it replaces. It sports a wheelbase of 105.7 inches, which is 2.3 inches longer than the previous Sentra and among the longest in the compact class.

Three models are currently offered: Base, S, and SL. All are front-wheel drive and come with a 2.0-liter 140-horsepower four-cylinder engine. Base and S come with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a CVT automatic. SL comes only with the CVT automatic.

In an attempt to make the car more appealing to young buyers, Nissan gave Sentra a number of upscale options, including keyless starting, foot-well lighting, Bluetooth cell-phone connection, and a 340-watt Rockford Fosgate-powered audio system with 8 speakers, in-dash six-disc CD changer, MP3 player input, and satellite radio. Also available are fog lights, sunroof, and alloy wheels.

Later in the 2007 model year Nissan will add two models to the Sentra lineup. The SE-R will have a 177 horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder and the SE-R Spec V will have a 200-horsepower version of that same engine.

Get up and Go
Surprisingly, Sentra's 140-horsepower engine provides ample acceleration around town and acceptable passing power. While the engine's horsepower rating isn't that impressive, it does produce 147 pounds-feet of torque at a relatively low 4800 rpm. This translates into good cut-and-thrust power that's useful in city driving.

Unlike conventional automatic transmissions the Sentra's CVT does not have traditional gears. It uses a set of adjustable pulleys and a belt to transfer power from the engine to the wheels. By varying the ratio between the pulleys, the transmission can distribute either more power or more speed to the wheels.

Though the Sentra is front drive, it lacks traction control. This leads to undue wheel spin on slippery surfaces. While the spinning front wheels don't cause the vehicle to veer off the road, they do force minor steering corrections to maintain a straight course. Shame on Nissan for not making traction control optional.

Thanks to its frugal engine and fuel-saving CVT automatic, Sentra is EPA rated at 29 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. Those are impressive ratings considering the vehicle's size and acceleration capabilities. In daily commuting, expect to average close to the advertised 29 mpg city driving. In gentile highway cruising 35+ mpg is certainly possible. In addition, Sentra's the 2.0-liter engine will run fine on less-expensive regular-grade gasoline.

On the Road
Thanks to a long-for-the-class wheelbase and relatively soft suspension, Sentra rides like a midsize sedan. That's to say the suspension does a good job of absorbing bumps and expansion joints and also keeps undue body motions in check. Taken as a whole, it may be one of the best riding compact sedans on the market.

Sentra rounds corners with a traditional front-drive bias, though it sometimes feels as if the front and rear of the vehicle aren't connected. The front tires react quickly to steering input and "jerk" the vehicle around fast corners. Initially, it seems, the rear tires fight the urge to turn and then abruptly follow course. This translates into a car is well suited to urban driving and not very composed on fast, sweeping expressway on ramps.

Under even modest acceleration, the engine has a guttural exhaust tone. In hard acceleration the exhaust tone is accompanied by an unrefined snarl of engine noise. That's sad, because once cruising Sentra is one of the quietest compact cars around. There little, if any wind noise and tire noise is only modest--even on rough concrete pavement.

Behind the Wheel Lately, Nissan has been criticized for interiors that feature too much hard plastic and too little attention to detail. Sentra's interior is a study in contemporary and understated design. Materials are appropriate for the class and Nissan's added more than a few soft-touch surfaces. The headliner is especially impressive and features an available built-in CD storage case above the driver's sun visor.

Gauges are easily read day or night. Radio and climate controls are placed high in the center console and consist of large and clearly marked buttons and knobs. The gauges and radio readouts are illuminated in a yellow-orange light that can wash out in direct sunlight but makes them very easy to read at night.

Front seats are midsize-car comfortable, and that's a good thing. Many compact cars have seats that seem to be designed for 3/4-scale adults. Sentra's seats are both comfortable and supportive for small and large adults. In addition, there's plenty of head and leg room, and the door openings are large, making it easy to get in and out.

Rear seats offer more room and comfort than most compact cars, but that's not to say they are roomy. Head room is adequate for adults, but knee room is tight if the front seats are more than 1/2-way back. Three children can sit across in a pinch, but they better be good friends.

Cargo room is good when compared with other compact cars and the trunk lid sports hinges that do not intrude on cargo space. Split rear seatbacks fold, and an available cargo divider splits the trunk into two compartments. It's useful for hiding valuable items, but isn't lockable. Interior storage is on par with competitors.

Bottom Line For the past decade, Sentra has been a good value, but lately it has played a dual role as Nissan's entry-level price leader and compact sports sedan. With the addition of the low-priced Versa to the Nissan lineup, Sentra is much better positioned to do battle with the compact-class leaders.

Despite making Sentra larger, giving it more power, offering upgraded interior materials, and adding feature content, Nissan has been able to keep price increases in check and on par with competitors. Add to that the comfortable ride, peppy engine, and reasonably roomy interior and the Sentra becomes a solid competitor to class benchmarks like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.