What is it?
Nissan says that the sixth generation of its compact sedan will have the largest interior in the compact sedan class. With a base price of about $15,000, the new Sentra will seat five and use a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 135 horsepower. The Sentra has a standard five-speed manual transmission, with a continuously variable transmission optional. The new Sentra has a unique folding trap door inside the trunk that creates a hidden storage compartment behind the rear seats. It folds onto the trunk floor to create 13 cu. ft. of trunk space according to Nissan's specifications. The stereo has an auxiliary input for MP3 players, and the CD player can play MP3 as well as WMA files.
CR's take:
With the new Versa now filling the role as Nissan's entry-level car, the Sentra moves up in size. Styling is reminiscent of the Nissan Altima (which Nissan likely intended) and the Saturn Ion (which they probably didn't). This is a very competitive segment; the 2006 Honda Civic's higher horsepower, standard side-curtain air bags, and excellent crash-test results must cause some sleepless nights at Nissan. The Sentra's CVT should improve fuel economy over a traditional automatic transmission.
What's new and notable?
The Sentra badly needed an update to keep it competitive with more modern competition. It now offers all the requisite safety gear for a small car, including side-curtain air bags.
