2016 Nissan Sentra First Drive

ABTL 2016 Nissan Sentra SL Front Quarter Left ・ Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Value is the driving force behind the Nissan Sentra. Getting a great deal, combined with new-car smell and the pride that comes with buying a clean, shiny, brand-new car, can go a long way toward creating happy customers. Add a favorable record for reliability, a roomy and comfortable interior, a sizable trunk with lots of utility, and a top safety rating, and a Sentra is clearly a sensible choice among compact cars.

Now, if only it had some stylistic spirit, some dynamic driving character, something to elicit an emotional response in addition to a practical one, Nissan would field a truly compelling competitor in the segment.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have good news. The updated and upgraded 2016 Nissan Sentra has arrived, and it has more of both. But do the changes amount to a case of too little, too late? I spent a day driving the revamped 2016 Sentra on the surface streets and freeways of Orange County, California, in order to find out.

Models and Pricing

Trim levels are unchanged from 2015, and the base price rises just $250 to $17,615 for the entry-level Sentra S model, the only version of the car offered with a manual gearbox. If fuel economy is of paramount importance, the FE+ S, which I assume stands for “fuel economy plus S trim,” installs a continuously variable transmission (CVT), low rolling resistance tires, and aerodynamic tweaks to bump mileage ratings from 32 mpg in combined driving to 34 mpg. It costs $18,865.

Most people select the Sentra SV model, starting at $19,385. A CVT is standard, along with a NissanConnect with Mobile Apps touchscreen infotainment system with satellite radio, Siri Eyes Free compatibility, Bluetooth streaming audio capability, a hands-free text-messaging assistant, and a reversing camera. The popular SV model also comes with Nissan’s Easy Fill Tire Alert tire pressure monitoring system, keyless entry with push-button engine start, a 5-inch driver information display separating upgraded gauges, a sliding center console armrest, a rear seat center armrest, upgraded interior materials, and more.

For a racy appearance without actual performance upgrades (aside from rear disc brakes in place of the standard rear drums), try the Sentra SR for $21,245. A set of handsome 17-inch aluminum wheels complements the requisite rear spoiler, fog lights, and body kit, and the SR comes with LED headlights, LED running lights, and LED turn signal indicators embedded into the heated side mirrors. Sport cloth upholstery, sport interior trim, and heated front seats are also standard.

Topping the lineup, the Sentra SL is priced from $23,005. (Really? It couldn’t be priced $22,995?) The SL trim builds on SV trim with leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and an upgraded infotainment system with a larger display screen, a navigation system, and voice recognition technology. An auto-dimming rearview mirror, a programmable garage door opener, and a power driver’s seat are standard for the SL, along with unique 17-inch aluminum wheels and the rear disc brakes and lighting elements from the Sentra SR.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Design

Redesigned forward of the windshield, the 2016 Nissan Sentra adopts the automaker’s “Energetic Flow” styling theme as seen on the company’s Altima, Maxima, and Murano models. Around back, the taillights and bumper are new, and three different aluminum wheel designs debut.

Effective at lending the Sentra much needed personality, the styling changes look good, especially on the sporty SR model. I’m still not a fan of the boomerang headlight design, but at least they’re toned down here in comparison to the Maxima and Murano.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Interior Features

Interior changes are harder to discern. A new steering wheel, which Nissan says is inspired by its 370Z sports car, looks good and is enjoyable to hold, even if the leather wrapped around it fails to convey a sense of refinement. Updated trim and detailing, as well as revised center dashboard controls and a modified center console design, give the upper trim levels are more expensive appearance.

While these enhancements help to mask the Sentra’s fundamentally inexpensive materials, it’s not hard to see what’s beyond the surface. Soft touch material is used on the dashboard, which few people touch, instead of the upper door panels, which frequently serve as elbow rests. When shifting, the gear selector feels loose instead of solid, and if you put any weight on the center armrest, pain reveals just how thin the padding is.

Factory-installed options for the S model include a CVT, aluminum wheels, floor mats, a cargo net, doorsill kick plates, ambient interior lighting, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with a garage door opener and a compass. Additional upgrades are exclusive to higher trim levels, such as a power sunroof, a Bose premium audio system, a navigation system, leather, and several safety and infotainment technology upgrades.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Comfort and Cargo

When it comes to carrying people and luggage, the Nissan Sentra is a champion of the compact car class. The front seats are comfortable and sit high off of the floor, raising the hip point for easier entry and exit. The rear seats deliver similar benefits, coupled with a significant amount of space for legs and feet. Four burly adults will fit into a Sentra with no trouble at all.

Pop the trunk to reveal 15.1 cu.-ft. of cargo room. That’s more than some midsize sedans offer, and is about one gallon of milk short of the larger Nissan Altima’s trunk space.

Sincerely, if you’re seeking a roomy and comfortable car on a budget, the Sentra deserves strong consideration. It is one of the few compact sedans to feel anything but small inside.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Safety

In addition to providing enough interior and trunk room for a family, the Sentra receives favorable crash-test ratings. While there is room for improvement when it comes to frontal impact results in federal government testing, the Sentra earns at least 4 stars in every assessment conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Meanwhile, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the Sentra a Top Safety Pick rating.

This year, the 2016 Sentra is offered with new safety technologies. Optional for the SV and SR and standard for the SL, a blind spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert is exceptionally useful. Additionally, both the SR and the SL can be fitted with a new forward collision warning system with automatic emergency braking. Should this technology prove to provide “Advanced” or “Superior” collision avoidance capability, as measured by the IIHS, the Sentra will get a Top Safety Pick+ rating.

Also new for 2016, NissanConnect Services is an option for the SR and SL models. Pay a subscription fee, and the system supplies automatic collision notification, emergency SOS calling, and several features that allow parents to monitor the driving behaviors of their children. They include a speed alert, a curfew alert, and a boundary alert.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Engines and Fuel Economy

If you’re hoping for a power boost with the revamped 2016 Sentra, prepare for disappointment. The car continues to employ a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine generating 130 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 128 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,600 rpm. That relatively low torque peak helps the Sentra to feel more energetic, as does the CVT that is optional for the basic S trim level and is standard for all other versions of the car.

As far as fuel economy ratings are concerned, the EPA says that a Sentra S with its standard 6-speed manual gearbox will return 30 mpg in combined driving. Install the CVT, and the rating jumps to 32 mpg. Get the FE+ S model, and you should expect 34 mpg.

For our drive, Nissan planned a route that included plenty of city streets and suburban avenues. Plus, we had three people aboard the car at all times. Mileage, as you would expect, came nowhere near the EPA’s combined-driving estimates.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Performance

Though the engine is carried over from the previous car, Nissan has made numerous changes to improve the 2016 Sentra’s driving dynamics. From a new Sport driving mode for the CVT to new standard tire selections for improved ride and handling characteristics, nearly every part of the latest Sentra is tweaked and tuned for a more enjoyable driving character.

After a day of urban and suburban motoring, I kicked my two passengers out of the Sentra SL and headed out for a photo shoot. With more than 400 pounds of people removed from the car, it proved comparatively peppy, especially when placed in Sport mode. The CVT’s programming, designed to simulate shifts to give the transmission the sound and feel of a traditional automatic, is also updated to further enhance that effect.

Retuned electric steering goes a long way toward making the 2016 Sentra more pleasing to pilot. Dead and wooden last year, steering effort and feel is dramatically improved. Revised suspension tuning, structural stiffening, and new tires also help, providing a tauter ride and more responsive cornering. Active Understeer Control is also new for 2016, braking the Sentra’s inside front wheel to help tighten the car’s line through a corner.

Nissan’s dynamic updates do make the Sentra more satisfying to drive. At the same time, they draw starker contrast between the now-competent ride and handling qualities and the weak engine. This car is begging for a turbocharger, at the very least for the sporty SR model, and not just because it should go faster. With more than 600 pounds of human payload, accelerating onto a fast-flowing freeway from a short on-ramp requires a Hail Mary.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Value-laden pricing
• Top Safety Pick crash-test rating
• Roomy and comfortable interior
• More expressive styling
• Improved driving dynamics

Cons:

• Acceleration? What’s that?
• Tiny NissanConnect display screens
• Key safety technologies reserved for upper trim levels
• Sentra SR model falsely advertises performance
• Lacks refinement in terms of materials, surfaces, and detailing

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Final Thoughts

With the 2016 Sentra, Nissan fields a good car in a segment populated with great cars. That’s why it must discount Sentras, and that’s why you can rent a Sentra at any major airport in the country. There isn’t anything detrimental associated with buying the 2016 Nissan Sentra, but there isn’t anything compelling about it, either.

Well, aside from value, that is.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw