Background

Nissan has been figuratively on fire for the last few years, introducing one hit model after another and successfully reinventing itself as a sportier, more stylish alternative to Honda and Toyota. But even the smartest companies step on a rake from time to time.

For Nissan, the new Sentra was that rake. Built on a world platform shared with Renault, this car was first revealed to focus groups of consumers back in 2005. Their reception was less than enthusiastic; in the words of Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, “they hated it.” So Nissan’s designers went scrambling back to the drawing boards, and the car’s release was delayed by more than a year. In the meantime, the existing Sentra aged into Methuselah’s compact of choice.

Now the new car has arrived, and, well, it still looks weird—sort of like a Maxima’s larval stage. But have the guts underneath earned the Sentra a spot on the compact-car podium, alongside the Civic, Mazda 3, and Corolla? I recently rented a Sentra 2.0 S and found out.


Under the Hood

Aside from the sport-compact SE-R models, all Sentras are powered by a 2.0-liter, 140-horsepower four-cylinder engine. As in most compacts, this engine’s power is adequate rather than inspiring; the Sentra is, after all, an economy car. Unlike the best compacts, though, the Sentra’s engine exhibits little personality to help liven up one’s daily commute.

Instead, subtlety is this engine’s strength. Its idle is quiet and velvet-smooth, quite unlike most low-priced Fours. Throttle tip-in is gentle, not jumpy. And the 2.0 makes a nice plug of torque right off idle, so you don’t feel or hear it working much to pull the Sentra around town.

In more demanding situations—passing or freeway merging, for example—the 2.0 offers reassuringly adequate reserve power. But I’d be stretching to call it “peppy.” This engine just doesn’t feel eager to rev, and what little sound does reach the cabin arrives as a flat, grumbly drone. Rarely did I find myself traveling faster than necessary.

The Sentra’s fuel economy, on the other hand, is plenty ingratiating. The EPA projects 24/31 MPG for manually-shifted Sentras, or 25/33 MPG for automatics. While the perennially thrifty Civic and Corolla squeeze another couple miles out of each gallon, these figures are right up at the head of the class. Regular-octane fuel is recommended.


Changing Gears

Much credit for the Sentra’s praiseworthy gas mileage goes to its CVT, or continuously variable transmission. Unlike a conventional automatic transmission, a CVT does not shuffle through a set of discrete gear ratios; instead, the throttle simply acts as a rheostat for revs. When the pedal is floored, the Four spins to its power peak and stays there until you lift off.

In torque-poor cars like the Toyota Prius and Dodge Caliber, this can lead to a lot of noise, as their engines tend to hang at high revs with irritating frequency. In the Sentra, however, the CVT’s operation is more transparent. Since there’s decent oomph at low rpm, the Four rarely raises its voice in normal driving.

With either the CVT or the standard six-speed manual transmission, the Sentra’s shifter sprouts diagonally from a pod in the dashboard, just below the climate controls. This frees up floor space between the front seats, and puts the shifter close at hand, a short reach from the steering wheel.


Twists and Turns

When the subject turns to floor space under a heading dealing with vehicle dynamics, it’s probably a safe bet that the car in question isn’t very exciting to drive. And that’s certainly the case here. Although the Sentra evinces few undesirable traits in motion, taking the wheel is a fairly forgettable experience.

Said wheel connects to an electrically-assisted steering rack, a setup that often leads to poor feel and precision. The Sentra’s is much better than most. There’s a touch of limpness to the helm when you turn, and its self-centering action is stronger than the mild turning effort would suggest. But straight-line tracking is exceptionally sure, and while road feel is totally absent, leaving the wheelrim feeling numb in the hands, path accuracy is very, very good.

There’s less to say about the Sentra’s chassis. It feels stable and secure in routine driving, without much body motion in turns. But it exhibits nothing like eagerness, either. Pressed hard, the Sentra feels tall and slightly bobbly, with the vague sensation that the tail might like to see the view ahead. I ended up not pressing it much at all.

The Sentra I rented was equipped with antilock brakes, a $250 option on 2.0 and 2.0 S models (and standard equipment on the 2.0 SL). Even so, stopping power was just average for a small car. Moreover, the pedal had a squashy feel and an abrupt “bite,” so it took a few blocks before I could stop the car as smoothly as I like.


Easy Rider?

To answer that question: “yes.” If there’s a notable element of the Sentra’s on-road personality, it’s its ride. I rented the Sentra right after a Mazda 3, and right before a Ford Focus, and compared to those two cars, the Sentra felt remarkably tranquil—more like a midsize sedan than a compact. On city streets, the Sentra’s body motions are gentle and infrequent, and tar strips and the like are seemingly carpeted over by its suspension.

A stiff, dense-feeling body structure also contributes to the calm. At 2,954 lbs, the Sentra is heavy for a compact, and that weight seems put to good use: the Sentra takes bumps as one solid unit, with no creaks or reverberations. I was impressed by the utter lack of squeaks or rattles in my well-traveled rental, a strength many cars can’t claim even when new.

There wasn’t much noise from other sources, either. The Sentra admits much less coarse-surface tire thrum into its cabin than other small cars, and wind noise isn’t bothersome even at freeway speeds. Engine hum is the most noticeable traveling companion, and even it is only rarely pronounced.


Inside Story

With few dynamic strengths besides its comfy ride, the Sentra relies heavily on its interior to distinguish it from rival compacts. To that end, Nissan has paid particular attention to “surprise and delight” features: an integrated overhead CD caddy, adjustable-width cupholders, and available Bluetooth hands-free calling system are all Sentra exclusives.

Still, what surprised (and delighted!) me most about the Sentra’s cabin was its distinctly French feel, an artifact of its half-Renault heritage. The Sentra’s doors open wide for easy access, and its puffy, marshmallowy seats are like nothing else in this class. Sinking into their cloth cushions feels like resting on a souflee, and when you brush your hands against the fluffy fleece door-panel trim, you can almost hear accordions warbling Flambee Moltanbanaise.

Sadly, this Nissan isn’t as comfortable to drive as it is to sit in. The Sentra’s tall-sitting chairs boost occupants to a fashionably high eyepoint, but its close pedals force tall drivers into a dinner-table posture, while the chunky, three-spoke steering wheel is canted at an odd upright angle. Either the bottom of the wheelrim is too close to your chest, or the 12 ‘clock position is a long arm-stretch away; adjust the seat to pick your poison.

Seeing out is also something of an issue. Although the Sentra’s moderately low cowl allows a good view of the road ahead, the view aft is pinched by thick pillars and a high, narrow backlight. The triangular wing mirrors taper off where your blind spot should be, limiting their usefulness in lane changes.

The styling of the Sentra’s interior is similarly unlikely to draw accolades. The dashboard is a flattish, rectilinear design with a concave shape to the dash top; this ostensibly helps minimize reflections in the windshield, but lends the cabin an austere, techy feel. The plastics used are hard to the touch, with a somewhat thin, crackly finish. Ditto the switchgear, though its smooth movement helps offset its lightweight construction. Silver-painted plastic bezels add some flair to these surroundings.

Rear passengers don’t receive class-leading hospitality, either. While the Sentra’s cabin feels taller and wider than the small-car norm, there’s only so-so knee clearance behind the front seatbacks. My legs brushed the fabric when sitting “behind myself,” and the rear bench itself was too short to provide good thigh support.


Fill ‘Er Up

Like most other aspects of the Sentra, its appetite for cargo is—you guessed it—average. Its trunk displaces 13.1 cubic feet, placing it between the Civic (12.0 cubic feet), Corolla (13.9), and Ford Focus (14.7). But at least it’s a well-finished trunk: its lid swings on space-saving gas struts and is trimmed with a felt liner, features missing from many pricier sedans.

The Sentra’s trunk also features an innovative vertical divider panel (it’s optional, part of a $650 “Convenience Package”). When flipped up, it presents a “fake” trunk wall, concealing a handy space for valuables between it and the rear seatbacks. Flip it down, and you have access to the trunk’s entire volume, as well as the rear seat pass-through.

The Sentra’s cabin contains some nifty storage features, too. Chief among these is the Sentra’s cavernous double-decker glovebox—it’s deep enough that, from the driver’s seat, you can’t reach the back wall. It’s lockable, too, making it a perfect laptop safehouse. A felt-lined dash cubby, door map pockets, and large console bin provide ample storage for other personal effects.


The Long Haul

Since it’s an all-new design, the Sentra is not listed in the leading consumer publication’s 2007 reliability survey. My personal experience with the Sentra wasn’t encouraging—on the second day, its engine began misfiring and chugging, prompting me to return it—but I’d be a fool to make judgments based on that isolated experience. The previous-generation Sentra’s reliability was rated average or slightly below, depending on the model year.

As a brand, Nissan’s resale values continue to trail Honda’s and Toyota’s, but the Sentra is likely to hold its value much better than domestic-branded rivals. Still, if you like to trade in your cars early and often, you may find the Civic or Corolla a wiser investment.


In Sum

Overall, my rental experience left me with a vaguely positive impression of Nissan’s new Sentra. But, to be honest, this car didn’t leave much of an impression at all. The Sentra’s Gallic seat comfort and suspension tuning lend it some Continental character, but these traits are at odds with the car’s angular Japanese styling. Further confusion stems from the Sentra’s lack of driving fun, which is Nissan’s usual pitch.

I would say this makes the Sentra an ideal compact for buyers who value comfort and convenience over thrills. But the Sentra is only comfy up front, and then only if you can suffer its driving position. As such, the Sentra seems best-suited to commuters who primarily travel alone, who like a bargain (my rental stickered at $16,450), and who value ride comfort above all else. This is likely a ripe market, but one already being served by a number of rivals, including the redesigned Elantra and well-respected Corolla.

Considering its numerous refinements over the previous model, I’d call the Sentra a solid effort on Nissan’s part, and well worth a test-drive for those who fit its design priorities. But I’m not seeing the potential for Nissan to steal much market share in the competitive compact segment. And when the time comes for my next new-car purchase, this one won’t be on my list.


Amount Paid (US$): N/A