Eric's Autos: Reviewing the 2015 Nissan Sentra
The Sentra has been upsized - but there's a downsized engine under the hood: A 1.8 liter, 130 hp four vs. the previous-generation Sentra's standard 2.0 liter, 140 hp four. The 1.8 liter engine is the same basic engine that's used in the smaller and (key point) lighter Versa.
A six-speed manual transmission is standard - but only in base S trim Sentras. All other trims come only with a continuously variable (CVT) automatic.
Either way, acceleration is breathy at best. Because even though the current Sentra weighs slightly less than the previous-generation Sentra (2,822 lbs. vs. 2,906 lbs.) the loss of engine displacement - and 10 hp - is evident when the accelerator pedal is depressed.
Zero to 60 now takes more than 10 seconds under the best circumstances - and that's a full second behind rivals like the Honda Civic and even the Toyota Corolla ("all new" for the 2014 model year). The previous Sentra was safely in the nines.
In the car's defense, several other cars in this segment - among them, the Dodge Dart and also the Mazda3 - aren't exactly speedy, either. However, these two offer engine upgrades that cut the zero to 60 time down into the mid-low eights. And in the case of the Mazda3 with the Sky-Active engine, they give you that while still delivering exceptionally high gas mileage. The Sentra comes only with the overtasked 1.8 liter engine. It's too little engine for too much car.
Especially when paired with the CVT automatic (more on this below). For economy-minded buyers, the good news is the Sentra's 30 city, 39 highway MPG rating (40 MPG, if you order the FE+ enhancements, which include low-rolling resistance tires and underbody aerodynamic deflectors). This is right there with the Honda Civic (30 city, 39 highway in standard trim; 31 city, 41 highway with the optional HF equipment) and better than the Toyota Corolla (27 city, 36 highway) unless you move up two trims to the LE Eco, which manages a class-best 30 city, 42 highway.
It's hard to beat any of these fuel-sippers without moving into the hybrid - or diesel - class. And those cost substantially more up front. For instance, the diesel-powered Chevy Cruze has a base price of $25,660 - and while its mileage is very good (27 city, 46 highway) it isn't spectacularly better than the Sentra's or the Civic's or the Corolla's. The VW Jetta TDI is a much better deal ($21,640 to start) and also gets very good mileage (31 city, 45 highway) but you're still looking at a $4k-ish price difference up front vs. the Sentra S and that's going to take several years to work off in down the road fuel-economy savings.
A pending rival that you may want to wait for is the 2016 Chevy Cruze, which will get an eight-speed transmission and a new 1.5 liter turbo engine. It may be the new class-leader, fuel-economy-wise.
ON THE ROAD
The down-powered, de-engined Sentra is noticeably slower than the previous generation Sentra - and the CVT automatic transmission makes it feel (and sound) slower than it actually is.
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