Now in its sixth generation, the Nissan Sentra has never faced as much stiff market competition as it does now. The Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Scion camp, and Mazda 3 have all come out of the blue with new designs over the years that chipped away at Nissan's little creation. With the market for small, cheap, compact commuters growing as buyer's wallets keep shrinking, the Nissan Sentra has come back with a new face and new features.
The chassis is completely new, although the rear suspension remains a solid beam unit for some odd reason, most likely cost savings. Power comes out of a new 2.0L four-cylinder engine (code MR20DE), pushing an estimated 135 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque. The new Sentra's not going to be any drag car out of the box, but that is more power than a Scion xB will give you. We're certain that at least a handful of supercharger or turbocharger kits will hit the market for this vehicle shortly after release, and that's not even counting the numerous Nismo parts that are being developed as you read this. On paper, the new 2.0L sounds a lot like the last Sentra's powerplant, which meant a low, non-Honda redline but lots more torque than any K-series engine. With an aftermarket limited-slip differential and a mild 6 psi of boost, we bet this car could turn into a very entertaining performer.
What is interesting though is the standard equipment six-speed manual transmission. Yes, standard as in included on even the base model, which will hover around $15k. Power door locks, windows, side airbags, ABS, air conditioning, and 15-inch wheels are also standard, with leather seats as an available option. An SE-R model hasn't been announced, but keeping in mind Nissan's past history, it should just be a short wait until the fastest version of the Sentra is released. We'll wait and see. www.nissanusa.com