2024 Nissan Sentra Performance

The Sentra is only sporty in appearance. Instead of fitting a small-capacity turbocharged engine, Nissan went the old-school route with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-pot supplying just 149 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. To be honest, it fits the relaxed nature of the car. It has enough power to get around town, but it struggles a bit on the highway when fully loaded with passengers. During the week, when you're driving alone, you won't feel it as much, but add the family over the weekend, and you'll feel the strain. Nissan hasn't supplied any performance or top speed figures, probably because they're weak, but mostly because they don't matter. The Sentra is frugal rather than furious. Independent test results have shown the 0 to 60 mph sprint takes somewhere in the nine- to ten-second region.

A naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine powers the Nissan Sentra. It has outputs of 149 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque. The only transmission option is Nissan's new Xtronic CVT which has been designed to reduce fuel consumption and shift more smoothly, and it sends power to the front wheels only. Driving enthusiasts won't be thrilled, but Nissan's CVT is one of the better ones out there. The engine has also been tuned for low-down torque, and it has a linear power band, both of which work perfectly with a CVT transmission. It removes most of that droning noise and the feeling of a clutch slipping, as has traditionally been the case with CVT gearboxes. There is a Sport mode for a bit more zest, but it's still nowhere near brisk.

To get good mileage figures, most manufacturers rely on downsized turbocharged engines like Honda's 1.5 turbo. Nissan's EPA figures prove that there are other ways to reduce consumption. The Sentra has a few tricks up its sleeve, and the new Xtronic CVT is one of these. Together with a relatively low curb weight and an impressive drag coefficient of just 0.27 Cd, the Sentra will not cost you a lot at the pumps.

The outgoing model achieved EPA estimates of 29/39/33 mpg on city/highway/combined cycles, with the SR model getting only slightly less frugal results (28/37/32 mpg). The 2024 model will likely be even better than this, although official ratings are yet to be released. The 12.4-gallon tank grants it a maximum range of 409 miles, or just under 400 with the SR.