The ninth-generation Nissan Sentra has made its debut in the United States, where it will go on sale later this year. Available in S, SV, SR and SL grades, the sedan that we used to know here as the Sylphy boasts a fresh new design and will initially be offered with a single powertrain option.
The latter features a MR20DD 2.0 litre naturally-aspirated inline-four petrol engine that serves up 151 PS (149 hp or 111 kW) and 198 Nm of torque. This drives the front wheels through an Xtronic CVT, with drivers of the SV, SR and SL grades able to utilise a new Sport mode for sharper throttle response and shift patterns.
Nissan says that compared to the eighth-generation model, the latest Sentra’s body has been reinforced to provide 6% greater rigidity than before. The sedan gets front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link suspension setup, with the dampers receiving new valving to better reduce the impact harshness from bumps.
Engineers also fitted an enlarged dynamic damper to the steering wheel to cut down on road vibrations, while the size of body openings throughout the vehicle have been reduced to lower sound intrusion.
The MR20DD is covered by a sculpted bonnet that leads into an evolved V-motion grille that is styled in a similar way to recent Nissan models such as the Note and Qashqai. Lines extending from the grille lead into the car’s daytime running lights, which sit just below slim LED projected headlamps. Nissan says the Sentra will play a light show when unlocked, incorporating the turn signals, high and low beans and DRLs.
Along the sides, the new, streamlined side surfacing gets rid of the previous model’s crease near the rocker panel, but retains the subtle shoulder line kink near the rear door handles. The pinched section near the C-pillars of the past is now gone, replaced with chrome and more plastic trim.
Meanwhile, the rear gets slim taillights with connected light bars leading into the boot lid, and depending on the chosen grade, a diffuser-like element and lip spoiler are added. Also grade dependent are wheels that range from 16 to 18 inches, as well as the two-tone look with a Super Black roof and matching pillars.
Aspen White, Bluestone Pearl, Atlantic Grey and Energetic Ember are available colours with the black upper, while the monotone options include Imperial Bronze, Gun Metallic, Atlantic Gray Metallic, Super Black, Scarlet Ember, Aspen White and Fresh Powder.
Despite the striking design, the Sentra uses the same bones as its predecessor, as it is underpinned by the Renault-Nissan Alliance Common Module Family-CD (CMF-CD) platform, albeit updated. As such, the wheelbase is unchanged at 2,712 mm, while the new top hat is 4,656 mm long (+15 mm), 1,825 mm wide (+10 mm) and 1,448 mm tall (-2 mm).
It isn’t just the new Sentra’s exterior that gets a significant redesign, as the interior is also made to appear a lot more modern than its predecessor. The highlight here is the dual 12.3-inch displays, including a digital instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen, the latter said to be two times brighter for easier reading in varied lighting conditions.
As a reference to the outgoing Sentra, the new one has three rectangular elements in the centre stack (these were circular in the previous model), although the one in the middle is not an air vent but a panel with controls for media playback and the around view monitor.
Most buyers will be pleased to know that the climate controls are not integrated into the upper touchscreen, with a dedicated touch-sensitive panel placed just below the central air vents. There are also proper tactile switches on the two-spoke steering wheel, which can be used to operate display functions, and the centre console gets buttons and switches for drive modes.
Available equipment for the Sentra includes 10 airbags (standard across all grades), an eight-speaker Bose sound system, a powered sunroof, 64-colour ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, a wireless charging pad and soft-touch TailorFit synthetic leather upholstery.
Standard driver assist features are automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure prevention, high beam assist, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control. New to the Sentra is Blind Spot Intervention, which can actively help avoid a collision if the driver attempts to change lanes when a car is in the vehicle’s blind spot.
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