History/Overview

The Nissan Sentra compact sedan is one of the longest-running nameplates in the segment, going back to 1982. Of course, the car has seen many refreshes and complete redesigns since that time, with the current car the eighth-generation revealed for the 2020 model year. The sedan has also just inspired one of the country's most economical racing series with the Sentra Cup replacing the Micra Cup for the 2021 racing season.

What’s New/Key Changes From Last Year

For 2021, Nissan has added Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as well as heated seats to all models. A six-speed manual has been added to the sportier SR trim helping that car's enthusiast credentials.

Available Trims

The Nissan Sentra is available in S, S Plus, SV, SR, and SR Premium trims. All get a 148 hp 2.0L four, while S is manual transmission only, S Plus and SV are CVT only. SR offers buyers a choice of either gearbox.

Standard Features

S models start with a wide array of driver assistance features including Nissan Safety Shield 360's forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert with emergency braking, and rear sonar. For style features, 16-inch steel wheels with covers are standard as are body-colour (heated) mirrors. In addition to the phone connectivity features which operate on a 7.0-inch touchscreen the front seats are cloth and heated.

S Plus adds the CVT to the car, while SV adds 16-inch alloys as well as remote start, proximity key with push-button start, a 7.0-inch driver digital display with an 8.0-inch infotainment system, and radar cruise control. SV also has dual-zone climate control and premium cloth seat trim with a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

SR adds 18-inch alloys and LED headlights plus a dark chrome grille and black mirrors caps and a body kit. It has a power moonroof and sport cloth seats with orange stitching as well as a heated wheel. SR Premium gets Bose audio, leatherette seats, thin LED lights, power driver seat, and surround-view cameras.

Key Options

The only option here is adding a moonroof to SV.

Fuel Economy

Nissan Sentra S is rated to get 9.3 L/100 km city, 6.3 highway, while CVT models should get 8.0/6.0. The larger SR wheels and body kit do affect fuel economy with MT SR rated for 9.4/6.5 and CVT 8.2/6.2.

Competition

While not as large as it once was, the Sentra is still in a crowded class. Competitors include the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic as well as the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Forte.