We would buy this car. And, with a price tag of $25,580, we could afford it. The Nissan Sentra 2.0 SV CVT is the perfect mid-price sedan (and we do love sedans). It has plenty of the necessary bells and whistle without going into outer space price-wise. It’s a great value for a family car for those who want a little bit of reasonable luxury. It offers the most standard safety features in its class including the Nissan Safety Shield 360, which is six advanced driver-assist systems. Take into consideration the price, safety features and overall ride, it’s no wonder that the Sentra was recently named one of Autotrader’s 10 Best Cars for Recent College Graduates.
Nissan’s second smallest sedan has a handsome interior with the quilted leather-appointed butterscotch seats adding a touch of class and comfort (part of the premium package). Also on the premium package are 2-way power lumbar, heated front seats, power sliding glass moonroof with tilt features and 6-way power driver’s seat — not bad for an additional $2,700.
We must confess that we are fans of the often-maligned sedan and we make no apologies for that preference. It’s the perfect car for adults and families without hockey sticks, baseball equipment and boxes of stuff crowding you. The Sentra features a 149 horsepower, 2.0 liter four cylinder engine with front-wheel drive, which is an increase of 20 percent over the previous model. It also features an independent rear suspension that added to the ride’s comfort. We found that the engine delivered the needed power and passing on the highway was easy. The Sentra also includes Nissan’s advanced Intelligent Trace Control system that uses intelligent control logic and high-response brake actuators to lightly brake the inside front wheels during cornering. We don’t understand the engineering speak, but we can attest to the fact that it hugged curves with confidence and quickly accelerated after stopping.
Even more than the ride was our enjoyment being in the vehicle. The Sentra was completely redesigned — inside and out — in 2020 and boasts a more muscular, sporty design (it’s two inches lower to the ground and two inches wider now) that instantly makes its presence known. The seats were comfortable and offered plenty of space. The SV model adds 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with all-season tires, NissanConnect with an 8.0-inch color touchscreen display, 6-speaker audio system, Dual Zone Auto Climate Control and Intelligent Cruise Control. All Sentra’s now come with standard Apple CarPlay® integration and Android Auto™ that was previously only offered on some models.
Not only is the price friendly to most budgets, but so is the gas bill. The Sentra comes in at 33 miles per gallon and gets about 3.0 gallons per 100 miles.
What doesn’t the Nissan Sentra offer? We can’t think of much — except a big price.
www.nissan.com
