If you like a smooth, efficient commute in comfort – the 2020 Nissan Sentra satisfies.
Okay, that heading sounds like a cheesy commercial, I admit – but the 2020 Nissan Sentra is one of the smoothest, most comfortable cars in its class. It’s a bargain too, especially considering what you get for the dough.
A comfortable ride, if not a quick one
As I said the last time I drove one, “There is an all-new (for the Sentra) 2.0-liter engine that makes 149 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque. That’s a 20-percent increase over the old 1.8-liter. The only transmission currently available is an Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Fuel economy is rated at 29 mpg city, 39 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined for the S and SV. The SR gets 28 mpg city, 37 mpg highway and 32 mpg combined. Those numbers are competitive with less powerful vehicles in this class.”
What I said seven months ago still holds true. Sure, I would prefer a turbo or more punch for fun, but as an economic, commuter – it does alright. It’s ride and comfort are on another level for this class.
Having a multi-link rear suspension helps with everything. The ride, handling and emergency maneuvers are all enhanced with this suspension setup. It’s so good, it proves that this car would be outstanding with more oomph.
Comfort and styling
This is the best part of the Sentra in my book. I absolutely adore those from zero-gravity seats. Sure, it’s a gimmick, but it’s a comfortable one. The seats truly hold you comfortably over the long haul. I wish the back seats were like this, but; on their own, they are fairly comfortable as well. On top of that, back seat room is among the best in class.
Nissan is sticking to the same design language they are using on all of their cars. The Sentra looks like the Versa, which looks like the Altima and Maxima. It’s attractive, but less so when sitting next to another Nissan car. Odd. Another odd ting, the truck of the Nissan Sentra is 14.3 cubic feet. Which is big… the same exact size as the Nissan Maxima’s truck.
The interior design is excellent, a step or two up from the previous Sentra. I like it better than the Nissan Altima, which I thought was pretty good as well. For an inexpensive car, it feels downright premium.
Reliability – the elephant in the room
Well over half of the comments from viewers scream about the reliability of the Sentra. Most of that has to do with its older continuously variable transmission (CVT) Yep, the CVT in the 2013 – 2017 Nissan Sentra wasn’t good. There were a ton of problems. Over time, the automaker has worked on refining the transmission, and the Sentra now has an updated CVT that’s also used in the Nissan Rogue Sport.
Sure, CVT’s are no fun and still feel out of place when performance is the issue. In a comfy economy car, the CVT is perfectly fine for a majority of commuters.
The 2020 Nissan Sentra starts at just over $19,000. For that price, you already get Nissan’s excellent Safety Shield 360 as standard equipment. You also get the same engine/transmission setup across the board. Our fully loaded 2020 Nissan Sentra SR has an MSRP of $25,825. Sure, that’s a ton of cabbage, but you get a TON of tech for the money.
With that in mind, check out the video and see what you think. I truly believe that the new Nissan Sentra is one of the best riding vehicles in its class.
