The exterior redesign brings Sentra closer in look to the new 2016 Maxima and redesigned 2016 Altima. All three Nissan sedans reflect Nissan’s new design language first introduced on the Nissan Murano crossover.
Here comes the Mexican-built 2016 Nissan Sentra to the U.S. market. More than 20% of the parts are new, including sheet metal – fenders, hood – and with an array of safety, convenience and comfort equipment that were long the province of expensive luxury cars. Nissan claims it spent three times the money for these changes than for a ‘normal’ refresh, as if you could get away with ‘normal’ any more.
For years the automakers considered mid-cycle freshening of a platform such as the Nissan Sentra a cheap and cheerful job – changes in headlights, taillights, colors and the like –between major revisions every eight years or so. But the ballgame is far more competitive now to just go through the motions.
Since the debut of the seventh-generation Sentra in the fall 2012 as a 2013 model, its compact competitors – Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla – have nullified that shaky strategy.
The panel has a new Thin Film Transistor flat panel display with higher resolution than LCD screens. Sentra SV, SR and SL models include a 5.0-inch drive assist display between the tachometer and speedometer.
Virtually all compact cars today come with bold restyling and/or equipment-rich updates every couple of years. As a result, there has never been a better time to buy a compact car because for automakers are investing big in tooling and engineering, not just ‘bold new grilles.’
The downside is price – a fully loaded Sentra can now top $25,000, but given competition that sells $26,000 to $28,000 compact sedans, this is just a sign of escalating times. The 2016 Sentra is offered in six models: S 6MT, S Xtronic, FE+ S, SV, SR and SL. You can get a Sentra with a manual transaxle for under $18,000. Reasonably equipped ones are in the $20,000 to $23,000 range.
Advanced technology optionally available on lower trim models includes NissanConnectSM Services (Sirius subscription required, sold separately), Intelligent Cruise Control, Forward Emergency Braking , Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Active Understeer Control.
Some these safety enhancements were only available on luxury cars not that long ago. Intelligent Cruise Control and Forward Emergency Braking are combined as part of the new Technology Package offered for Sentra SR and SL models. The cruise control uses radar to maintain a set speed and distance between Sentra and the vehicle ahead, braking to maintain that distance.
Forward emergency braking provides audible and visual warnings to help alert the driver of a potential collision with the vehicle ahead in the same traveling lane and can actually reduce speed if necessary. If a collision is unavoidable, the system brakes the car to reduce both the speed of the impact and the severity of the collision.
Standard safety equipment includes an airbag system with dual-stage supplemental front air bags and seat belt and occupant classification sensors; front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags; roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags with rollover sensor for front and rear-seat outboard occupant head protection; 3-point front and rear seatbelts, front seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters and adjustable upper anchors; and LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren).
The powertrain – the most expensive part of the car – is carryover. All 2016 Sentra models a1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine with a so-called Xtronic continuous variable transmission. The Xtronic transmission offers a wide gear ratio range of 7.3:1 through use of a sub-planetary gear and smaller pulleys, resulting in improved high-speed fuel efficiency and reasonable acceleration.
This is no pocket rocket, but acceleration is crisp enough to inspire confidence when merging and passing – at least at road test speeds below 85 mph. (Once you get past the slight lag that occurs when you go from partial throttle to right pedal to the floor, that is.) Evident here are the results of several sound damping steps taken for the freshening. Sentra is luxury-car quiet – well, not that quiet, but darn good – lacking the CVT whine of earlier models.
A 6-speed manual transmission is also available with the Sentra S grade. In the age of electronics that can be tuned to test cycles, all of the CVT engines are rated higher in fuel economy than the 6-speed manual, even though it is the lightest Sentra version.
The 1.8-liter DOHC 4-cyinder engine has twin Continuously Variable Timing Control that modulates both the intake and exhaust valve opening time to increase fuel efficiency. The engine’s internal friction has been reduced (versus the previous design), improving efficiency. In addition, the valve springs are coned shapes with a smaller diameter towards the top – reducing inertial weight, improving valvetrain efficiency and smoothing engine operation. The engine is rated at 130 horsepower and 128 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Xtronic’s acceleration feel is better than earlier CVTs with a so-called D-mode step shift program that simulates shifts, giving a more common acceleration feeling without holding a high rpm engine speed as the CVT pulleys adjust. For 2016, the D-Step Logic Control has been revised to help provide enhanced drivability with a more stable, natural and crisper shift feel compared to the last version, which in itself was billed the same way. While each iteration gets better, CVTs are still CVTs in that they are constantly variable instead of actual hard shift points.
Fuel economy is rated at 29 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 32 mpg combined with the Xtronic transmission. The Sentra FE+ S grade achieves 30 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined. The Sentra S with 6-speed manual transmission is rated at 27 mpg city, 36 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined.
Quietness and structure are where the latest Sentra stands out. It is immediately apparent that this is a sold, unit body car with firm, but pleasant control of body roll, and to a lesser degree dive because there are MacPherson struts up front, which are difficult to tune for anti-dive under heavy braking. In the rear is a twist beam axle. It performs well on public roads, but we didn’t test it through a slalom, lane change or on a handling course. Overall, the front struts and rear dampers are retuned with a 10% increase in spring rates. Pleasant but firm.
Nonetheless, this is a fwd car with a 2900-pound curb weight and a 60/40% front-to-rear weight distribution. Not a sport sedan, Sentra is a pleasant compact quasi luxury car that provides good value and great equipment.
Available wheels and tire combinations include 16-inch steel wheels with full covers or 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with 205/55R16 size all-season tires, for S and SV grades, along with 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with 205/50R17 all-season tires for SR and SL grades.
Playing Oscar worthy supporting roles here are numerous steps taken to keep things quiet inside. There are retuned engine mounts, as well as sound absorbing materials added to the dashboard and door trim.
The standard Sentra audio system is an AM/FM/CD system with four speakers and USB connection for iPod and other compatible devices. Other optional audio systems include a 6-speaker AM/FM/CD system with 5.0-inch color display. Also available is SiriusXM Satellite Radio (SiriusXM subscription as noted is sold separately), while Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System is standard on all trims.
Inside Sentra has one of the largest interiors in the compact class, with 111.0 cubic feet of total interior volume. This is possible because of the long wheelbase (106.3 inches, 182 inches overall length), which helps provide both ample rear seat legroom of 37.4 inches and large trunk capacity of 15.1 cubic feet. The rear seat is a standard 60/40-split fold-down design, adding versatility to the large trunk space.
The Sentra compact sedan has been a large success during 30 years and seven generations of production. In the United States four million Sentra models have been wholesaled, with 93% sold in the last 10 years still on the road today, according to Polk registration data. Sentra is also Nissan’s third best-selling vehicle, behind the larger Altima sedan and the Rogue crossover SUV. Calendar year to date, almost 37,000 Sentras have been sold.
No reason AutoInformed can foresee that its success won’t continue.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) announced on 5 April that sales for fiscal year 2015 set an all-time record of 2,009,119, passing the two-million sales mark for the first time in company history. Each of NNA’s three sales regions – the United States, Canada and Mexico – also set individual volume records for the fiscal year ending 31 March 2016.
Nissan has registered market share increases in eight of the past nine years, with fiscal year 2015 share reaching 9.6%. In addition, Nissan’s investment of more than $18 billion in North America over the past 30 years has resulted in an annual manufacturing capacity of two million units. In 2015, 85 %of vehicles sold in North America were produced here.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) upgraded the 2016 Nissan Sentra to its highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” when equipped with optional Forward Emergency Braking technology. The Sentra had previously held the agency’s Top Safety Pick designation prior to IIHS confirmation of the required front crash prevention technology performance.