Driven: 2022 Nissan Sentra Pairs Affordability With Stellar Features

As mentioned earlier, the Sentra SR trim is available with a Premium Package for $2,470. It's a hefty add-on, but it bundles a glass moonroof, Bose audio system with eight speakers, LED projector headlights, Prima-Tex seats with orange stitching, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, power driver's seat, built-in Wi-Fi, and a surround-view monitor - a rare feature in this class.

At only $22,700, the Sentra SR is still highly affordable. Adding the Premium Package barely pushes the price over $25,000 while adding many features that can only be found in more expensive competitors. That surround-view monitor is almost unheard of in this segment, especially not at this price.

Nissan Safety Shield 360 comes standard on every Sentra trim level, which includes six driver-assist systems: automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. Opting for the mid-level SV trim ($21,030) adds adaptive cruise control, a welcomed feature on any vehicle.

However, Nissan's adaptive cruise is far from the best we've tested. It can bring the car to a complete stop, but will only hold it there for a few seconds. This means the system isn't useful in stop-and-go traffic, our favorite time to use adaptive cruise. We'd like to see Nissan add its ProPILOT Assist system to the Sentra, though this would likely be tough at the current price.

Powering the Sentra is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder developing a modest 149 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque. These are not the lowest output figures in the compact sedan segment, but they are far from class-leading. Whether it's a hybrid or a turbocharged option, we'd like to see Nissan branch out with a more potent Sentra variant. The last-generation Sentra Nismo was a major disappointment, so in our dreams, Nissan would bring back the SE-R with the three-cylinder VC Turbo from the Rogue, larger brakes, grippier tires, and stiffer suspension.

The standard suspension setup on the Sentra is already quite good, the chassis is just begging for more power. The VC Turbo produces 201 hp in the Rogue, which would make a revived SE-R the perfect competitor for the Kia Forte GT, Honda Civic Si, and Hyundai Elantra N-Line.