2021 Nissan Sentra

The Nissan Sentra has been recognized as a value-packed compact car since it was first introduced way back in 1982, and the latest model is no exception. Now in its eighth generation, the Sentra was totally redesigned for 2020 with a slate of new technology and sharper, more contemporary look inside and out. 

The new Sentra’s much flashier style helps it stand out a bit better from the compact car crowd than the previous couple of generations. The dutiful four-door hasn’t lost its user-friendly nature, either. It does just about everything one could ask for in a daily driver and returns decent fuel mileage, but compact cars are a highly competitive field. The Sentra isn’t as enjoyable to drive as rivals like the Honda Civic, Mazda3 or Toyota Corolla and the Kia Forte offers a similar value proposition.

After the total redesign in 2020, the Sentra rolls  into 2021 with few changes. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard on all models and there are some new two-tone paint combinations which accentuate the car’s pretty looks. 

There are three trims, with the base model S starting at $20,410, including a $950 destination fee. Above that are the SV ($21,470) and SR ($22,750). Even with SR’s optional $2,270 premium package, the Sentra can still top out under $26,000, appreciably below the top Civic, Corolla, and Hyundai Elantra models.

All three versions of the Sentra are saddled with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. The engine makes 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque and the CVT uses it fairly well. It mimics conventional gears but is relatively unobtrusive, with enough pep to get up to speed without too much fuss. Fun, however, it is not. The Sentra is perfectly suited for the demands of the daily grind, but for performance Honda or Mazda might be better ports of call.

Inside, the Sentra’s cabin looks as good as its exterior, particularly in the tan quilted leather available on the SV model, though it requires the premium package.  Strangely, this pretty combo isn’t available on the top-trim SR, where the premium package brings black leather. Irrespective of creative colors, all Sentras are comfortable and its materials give it an upmarket look. It’s not premium, but it doesn’t feel like an economy car.

All Sentras share the same clean-looking dashboard, though base models get a 7-inch infotainment screen. SV and SR models add a 7-inch drive assist display in the gauge cluster, and use an 8-inch NissanConnect infotainment unit. The 8-inch screen looks good and does its job well enough, but some of its rivals work better. It’s more unimpressive than bad, and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto quickly papers over this particular foible.

For a compact sedan, the Sentra is fairly roomy, with a total of 96 cubic feet of passenger volume, compared to the 88.6 cubic feet provided by the Corolla. In the real world, the Sentra is quite roomy up front but has a bit less rear leg room than the Civic or the Elantra. It’s a little bigger in the back, however, than the Corolla. 

The Sentra’s 14.3 cubic-foot trunk is bigger than those of the Elantra or Corolla sedan, but smaller than the Kia Forte. The Civic, Corolla, and Mazda3 also offer hatchback versions with even more space, though the Corolla Hatch isn’t much bigger.

Outside, SV models add 16-inch alloy wheels in place of the standard 16-inch steel wheels and hubcaps, with 17-inch alloys optional. SR models get standard 18-inch alloys, which look great but might be a little noisier than the smaller wheels. SRs also get LED headlamps, a dark chrome grille, and the optional two-tone paint schemes, new in 2021 and handsome to look at.

Both models offer a premium package. On the SV, it unlocks the tan interior and also brings the 17-inch alloys, a power driver’s seat, a sunroof, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated seats. The SR premium package includes this equipment, sans tan leather, and adds black leather with orange stitching, a heated steering wheel, a surround-view camera setup, an eight-speaker premium audio system, a Wi-Fi hotspot and NissanConnect Services.

The Sentra offers a generous suite of driver-assist gear similar to the Corolla and Elantra. All trims come standard with forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic emergency braking, forward collision and lane departure warnings, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alerts.  The SR and SV also get standard adaptive cruise control. The 2021 Sentra earned a five-star overall crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and was named a top safety pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.