Oh, how the world of compact cars has changed! Ten years ago, cars like the Honda Civic and Nissan Sentra were merely basic means of transportation, no more, no less. For 2003, we have economy sedans that are rivaling the performance of muscle cars of yore. Who would have thought…

And after a few years of seeing all these fast little cars, I wanted one more and more. My 1997 Cavalier had been a good car, and it was cheap to own and operate while I was in University, but I felt that now that I had graduated and moved on to a stable job, the time had come for me to buy my first new car. And I knew I wanted something with more guts than what my Cavalier could offer.

In March of 2003 came the Ottawa Auto Show, and I attended as I do every year, but this time, I knew I was buying soon, and I made a list of the cars that I would be interested in. For the purpose of explaining the reasons I went with the Spec-V, I think it is useful to give a brief description of other models I considered. My criteria were simple. I wanted a small car that had above-average power, and I didn’t want to spend over 27000$ (all my prices are in Canadian dollars, by the way)

-Hyundai Tiburon V6: On paper, this looks like a promising car, not to mention that the new one looks great and has gotten great reviews. At a price of just over 25000$, it seemed a good deal. And The Tuscani edition came in a bright yellow that I liked. I wish I could elaborate some more, but I was never able to test drive the car. I am somewhat tall, and my options were to either have my head crushed against the roof liner, or to recline my seat so far that it became uncomfortable and awkward. No dice. I dismissed the Tiburon at that point. Anybody over 6 feet will most likely not be comfortable in one.

-MazdaSpeed Protegé: I really liked the MazdaSpeed. There’s a lot to like. Great custom interior, turbocharged engine, awesome sound system and from what I hear, it’s the best handling small car available. I say that because the production of this model is so limited that there was not a dealer within a hour’s drive that had one to test drive. Had I been able to test one, maybe I would have bought it. Who knows? But at 27000$, it was also the most expensive vehicle I considered. Ironically, about 3 days after I bought my Spec-V, I got a call from a local Mazda dealer saying they were receiver a MazdaSpeed and I could test it. Oh well.

-Toyota Matrix XRS: I like the look of the Matrix. More so that its sibling, the Pontiac Vibe. The practicality of the wagon style is undeniable, and the build quality is typical Toyota, which is to say irreproachable. And while the 1.8L engine does develop 180 hp, there is so little torque that the car feels lifeless taking off, and there’s not much power below 5000 RPM. While such an engine can be very fun on a road circuit, there’s not much enjoyment to be had around town and at legal highway speeds.

-VW GTI 1.8T: I loved the GTI. It’s surprisingly roomy, it feels extremely solid on the road, and the interior has a more upscale feel to it. But the real delight is under the hood. The turbocharged 1.8L engine has loads of torque and it ensures a smooth rush of acceleration throughout the power band. And the sound of the turbocharger at full boost is something that every auto enthusiast craves for. Unfortunately, the suspension is a little on the soft side, and cornering is not as confidence-inspiring as it could be. I came very close to purchasing the GTI, but it’s relatively high price (just over 26000$), and extremely high insurance rates (over 3000$/year, and I have a clean driving record) dissuaded me from doing so. I will certainly consider it again in the future the next time I purchase a car. And by then, I should be able to afford the VR6 version.

So it came down to the Spec-V. I had looked at that car in the showroom on a few occasions before, but it was actually the last car I test drove. Needless to say, I liked it a lot. I would rate it about the same as the GTI, although it is a different driving experience. The biggest difference is that my Sentra SE-R Spec-V cost me 21500$, and insurance was almost half as that of the GTI.

So what impressed me about the Spec-V so much that I bought one right then? In one word: value. For a very low price, I got a car with 17” wheels, Z-rated tires, 6-speed transmission, limited-slip differential, and an engine with huge amounts of torque that makes it a blast to drive, regardless what speed you’re travelling at.

And it’s the drive that sold me on the car. For me, it’s about the driving experience. The only feature that I absolutely wanted was air conditioning (one reason I was buying a new car is because my old one did not have A/C). I don’t care much about sunroofs, trip computers and such. As the saying goes: “It’s not what’s on the outside, it’s what’s under the hood”. The Spec-V houses the largest displacement 4-cylinder engine currently in production. In fact, it compares favourably with many competing V6 engines, and it drives more like a V6 than a 4-cylinder.

Combined with the short gearing of the 6-speed manual transmission, the 2.5L engine will provide enough push to light up the front tires without even trying. Once the driver perfects a good launch technique, it becomes virtually impossible to stop grinning as you’re pushed back in your seat. Do a 1-2 shift at redline, and you’re certain to squeal the tires going into second gear. The engine had this sort of brutish feeling that is only emphasized by the brutal fuel cut-off when you reach the 6500 RPM redline. Past 5000 RPM, a second air intake runner opens up, and the sound at that point is nothing but pure raw mechanical bliss.

But there is more to this car than just a nice big raw engine. The suspension tuning, along with the low profile 17” tires allows for cornering manoeuvres that most people would not try with a small, front-wheel-drive car. Once you learn the cornering limits of the car, it’s rather amazing how fast you can zip through some turns. The limited-slip differential that’s included with the Spec-V is extremely valuable on tight, twisty roads. It prevents the outside wheel from slipping in cornering while accelerating. I’ve found that the reflexes of most drivers is to ease of the throttle when taking a moderate to sharp corner, and I have to admit I did the same until I got used to driving this car. With the limited slip differential, you just need to point the car in the direction you want to go and mash the accelerator. It just grabs hold of the road and takes you through the corner.

While I concentrated on the dynamic attributes of the car, the Spec-V does not shy away from the competition feature wise either. While the interior does not have the upscale feeling of the VW, it’s well assembled (I have yet to hear anything rattle), the seats are well bolstered and height-adjustable, and while they are firm, I find the comfortable. The fabric used for 2003 is less bold that the 2002 models, but it is still original and dynamic, without resorting to untasteful patterns that I’ve seen on some other cars in the category (i.e. 2003 Pontiac Sunfire) There is a good amount of storage space, including a small closable bin on the top of the dash. Trunk space is not overly abundant, but it’s acceptable for a car of this size. Unfortunately, if you buy a Spec-V without the upgraded audio system, the rear seat does not fold down. Headroom is adequate at all 4 seating positions, although taller individuals will find rear legroom to be limited.

At this point, I think that you’ve caught on to the fact that I really like my Spec-V… well I do! But to be complete, I have to point out a few negative issues with the car. The first, which has been widely reported to varying degrees of accuracy, is torque steer. Torque steer is basically a tendency the car has of pulling towards one side under heavy acceleration. When accelerating in a turn, it also manifests itself with the steering wheel not re-centering itself as quickly as usual. In my opinion, it not nearly as bad as has been reported in some reviews. Just make sure you’re holding the steering wheel adequately when you put your foot down. How else would you drive anyways?

My second quibble about this car follows the saying: “You have to pay to play”. In this case, you will be paying in fuel. While the car is rated at 28/39 MPG by Nissan, you would have to drive in a manner that is totally contrary to the character of the car to achieve those numbers. I’ve found that shifting every gear at 2500 RPM and never using full throttle is the only way to even get close to those numbers. My typical fuel efficiency numbers are 22/27 MPG. It should be noted that I do take my car to its redline regularly, and I usually shift between 3000-4500 RPM. My worse case number, after a few days of hard driving, was about 18 MPG. The engine feels like a V6, has the power of a V6, but it also uses as much fuel as a V6. And Nissan recommends 91 octane or higher to get the optimum performance, so if you drive a lot, fuel costs can add up.

Apart from that, the only other complaint I can think of is related to the Continental tires that come on the car. While it is commendable that Nissan included 17-inch Z-rated tires on the car, the tires have rather poor traction in wet conditions. Combined with the torque of the 2.5L engine and the overall light weight of the car, it found myself with the front of the car skidding sideways as I accelerated out of a turn. It can be scary to say the least. So until the tires are replaced, take it easy in the rain. And by the way, those tires are summer-only. They are not designed to take on snow and ice.

In the end, even though I ended up spending a few dollars more on fuel than I expected, I don’t regret buying my Sunburst Yellow Sentra SE-R Spec-V at all. Every time I drive the car it puts a grin on my face. And it seems to be contagious. One of my co-workers just bought a 2004 Sentra SE-R. And he likes it just as much as I do.

Amount Paid (US$): 15500
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: SE-R Spec-V