Car news-Moto Review of the 2016 Nissan Sentra Sedan

What's New for 2016

Revised front and rear styling aligns the 2016 Sentra with the current Altima and Maxima sedans. Inside, there's a new steering wheel and some revised dashboard elements, while a high-resolution driver information screen is added to the SV, SR and SL trims. Newly available features include a power driver seat, adaptive cruise control and a few safety technologies (automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert and NissanConnect emergency telematics).

Introduction

The 2016 Nissan Sentra doesn't necessarily stand out in the compact sedan segment, but that doesn't mean it's a penalty box. Perhaps most notably, the Sentra's backseat delivers space and comfort that rival some midsize sedans, and the trunk is just as generous. On the road, the Sentra certainly isn't thrilling, but its powertrain is fuel-efficient and generally unobtrusive. We gave the Sentra a respectable "B" rating before its 2016 refresh, and all of the improvements this year aren't likely to hurt our impression of this little sedan

ndeed, that refresh turns out to be pretty thorough. The exterior styling has been overhauled and is now appreciably more upscale, while the revised interior trim and new technology and safety features give shoppers further food for thought. Alas, the relatively underpowered 130-horsepower four-cylinder engine soldiers on unchanged, though Nissan says the continuously variable transmission (CVT) has been retuned for better responsiveness, as has the car's suspension. Overall, the various nips and tucks don't transform the Sentra into a segment leader, but they certainly sweeten the pot, especially given the enduringly strong EPA fuel economy ratings of 30-34 mpg combined.

Depending on your needs, the Sentra might be a terrific choice in the segment. If you're looking for something with a more involving driving experience, both the Ford Focus and Mazda 3 offer trims that will meet those needs. A particularly strong contender is the Honda Civic, which is all-new and vastly better this year. If you're in the segment for value, then the 2016 Hyundai Elantra might be your huckleberry. But no matter which way you slice it, the 2016 Nissan Sentra is no slouch.

The 2016 Nissan Sentra is a compact five-passenger sedan offered in S, FE+ S, SV, SR and SL trim levels.

The base Sentra S comes with 16-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, remote keyless entry, air-conditioning, a height-adjustable driver seat, a sliding front armrest, 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, cruise control, full power accessories and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, a USB port, an auxiliary audio jack and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

The FE+ S version largely shares the S trim's equipment, but it prioritizes fuel economy with low-rolling-resistance tires, a rear spoiler and underbody aerodynamic deflectors.

A step up is the SV, which adds keyless entry and ignition, upgraded cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 5-inch driver information screen, a 5-inch central touchscreen, a rearview camera, NissanConnect integrated smartphone applications (including hands-free text messaging capability), Siri Eyes Free voice controls for Apple devices, satellite radio, Bluetooth audio connectivity and a six-speaker sound system.

The sporty SR gains 17-inch alloy wheels, rear disc brakes, a sport body kit, foglights, heated mirrors with integrated turn signals, sport cloth upholstery and heated front seats.

The top-grade SL loses the SR's sport-themed flourishes but gets 17-inch alloy wheels of its own plus the rear disc brakes, a six-way power driver seat (with power lumbar), leather upholstery, a larger 5.8-inch touchscreen with navigation, dual-zone automatic climate control and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert is also standard on the SL.

The All Weather package (SV only) includes heated front seats and heated outside mirrors. The Style package (SV only) adds a sunroof, unique 16-inch alloy wheels, illuminated vanity mirrors and LED interior lighting. Optional for the SR and SL is the Premium package, which adds the Style package's contents (minus the 16-inch wheels) plus an eight-speaker Bose audio system and (for the SR only) the upgraded 5.8-inch touchscreen with navigation, the blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, leather upholstery and the auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The Technology package (available on SR and SL models) includes adaptive cruise control, a forward collision mitigation system with automatic emergency braking and NissanConnect emergency telematics.

Powertrains and Performance

Every 2016 Nissan Sentra gets a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 130 hp and 128 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the S and FE+ S trims, while a CVT is optional on those models and standard on all other Sentras.

In Edmunds testing, a Sentra SL accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 10.1 seconds, which is among the slowest times for this class of car.

The EPA estimates that the six-speed manual Sentra will achieve 30 mpg combined (27 city/36 highway). Opting for the CVT ups fuel economy to 32 mpg combined (29 city/38 highway). The FE+ S model achieves an impressive 34 mpg combined (30 city/40 highway).

Safety

The 2016 Nissan Sentra comes standard with antilock brakes, stability control, tire-pressure monitoring, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. A rearview camera and Nissan's Easy Fill Tire Alert system (which uses audible and visual signals to help you achieve the correct pressure when adding air) are standard starting at the SV trim level. The SL comes standard with a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, while available features include a forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking: an unusual perk in this class.

More basic Sentra models come with rear drum brakes, but rear disc brakes are standard on the SR and SL. However, in Edmunds brake testing, a Sentra with the less costly rear drum brakes stopped from 60 mph in 118 feet, a better-than-average distance for the segment. A Sentra SL stopped in 113 feet, which is almost unheard of for a compact economy sedan.

In government crash tests, the 2016 Sentra earned an overall rating of four stars (out of a possible five), with four stars for frontal impact protection and five stars for side-impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the 2016 Sentra its best rating of "Good" in its moderate-overlap and small-overlap frontal-offset impact tests. The Sentra also earned a "Good" rating in the side-impact, roof-strength and seat and head restraint (whiplash protection) tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

Taller passengers will love sitting in the Sentra. Both its front and rear seats are class-leading when it comes to space. In fact, the rear accommodations are so spacious that the Sentra practically feels like a midsize sedan from the backseat.

Source: edmunds.com

2015 Nissan Sentra earns Top Safety Pick from IIHS

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) today awarded the 2015 Nissan Sentra a “Top Safety Pick” vehicle safety rating. The Institute’s “Top Safety Pick” award recognizes passenger vehicles that excel in protecting passengers in moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests and also achieve a “Good” or “Acceptable” rating in the small overlap frontal test. The 2015 Sentra scored “Good” in all five of the “Top Safety Pick” categories.

“Nissan is committed to safety and innovation, and Nissan is proud to achieve the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating for the 2015 Sentra,” said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations U.S., Nissan North America. “As a compact sedan, Sentra is a critically important vehicle in Nissan’s lineup and with its standard safety features we're bringing a high level of safety and security to a growing consumer segment.”

Safety and security features standard on all 2015 Sentras include the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors; front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags; roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags for front and rear-seat outboard occupant head protection; three-point front and rear seatbelts, front seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters and adjustable upper anchors; and LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren).

Every Sentra comes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist; Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with Traction Control System (TCS); Zone Body construction featuring front and rear crumple zones and occupant zones; Energy absorbing steering column; Child safety rear door locks; Nissan Immobilizer system and anti-theft alarm system; Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with position monitoring and Bluetooth Hands-free phone System. Sentra SV, SR and SL also come standard with Nissan's innovative and class-exclusive Easy Fill Tire Alert, which sounds the car horn to notify a person filling a tire with air when the recommended tire pressure has been reached.

Visit the IIHS website to read the complete report.

Nissan's Increased Customer Focus Leads to Higher Satisfaction Scores

Nissan’s ongoing focus on improving customer satisfaction is paying off, as indicated by the Nissan’s improvement again outpaced the improvement industry average, rising 16 index points and four rank positions among mass market brands in the latest study. This marks the third consecutive year of gains by Nissan, with a total increase of 63 index points over the period.
brand’s performance in the J.D. Power Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, released this week. Nissan ranks 10th in sales satisfaction among mass market brands.

The annual J.D. Power SSI study is a comprehensive analysis of the new-vehicle purchase experience and measures customer satisfaction throughout the shopping and buying process.

Leon Dorssers, Nissan’s chief customer officer and vice president, Customer Quality and Dealer Network Development, said: “In order to meet our growth targets in the U.S., it is imperative that Nissan and our dealers offer both great vehicles and a great experience for our customers. Our rapid improvements in the J.D. Power SSI study show that our efforts to that end are paying off, and we remain fully committed to becoming one of the industry leaders.”

Beginning in 2011, Nissan and its dealers accelerated customer satisfaction-focused efforts, including the launch of the Nissan Customer Promise, a set of commitments to provide a fair, honest and customer-friendly environment for purchasing and owning a Nissan vehicle. In 2012, the company formed a customer experience task force and appointed Dorssers as its first chief customer officer. This task force prioritizes projects designed to enhance the customer's interaction with the company throughout the shopping, purchase and ownership experience.

A combination of all-new, core products such as Altima, Sentra, Pathfinder and Versa Note along with this intense focus on improving customer satisfaction has yielded strong sales results. Nissan sales in 2012 increased by 8.2 percent over the prior year, while 2013 sales through October are up 11 percent. In fact, sales in the first 10 months of 2013 nearly exceeded the total for all of 2011.

Nissan U.S. Sales Increase 12.9% to Set New June Record

- Nissan Division achieves record June sales, spurred by sales of Pathfinder, Altima, Sentra and LEAF –

2013 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum



Driven by demand for its highest-volume models, Nissan U.S. sales in June totaled 104,124, an increase of 12.9 percent over 92,237 units a year earlier. This marks the company's best-ever June U.S. sales performance. Nissan Division sales increased 16.1 percent to 95,010 units, also a June record. Sales of Infiniti vehicles in June totaled 9,114 units.

NISSAN HIGHLIGHTS

• Nissan Division posted 95,010 sales, a June record and up 16.1 percent from last June's 81,801 units.
• Deliveries of the Pathfinder SUV rose 208.9 percent to 8,360 units, marking the best June ever for the model. So far in 2013, Pathfinder sales are up 203.2 percent, exceeding the sales total for all of 2012.
• Sales of Nissan LEAF in June were 2,225 units, up 315.9 percent. LEAF deliveries in the first half of 2013 are at 9,839, and have already exceeded the sales total from all of 2012.
• Nissan Altima deliveries also set a new June record, increasing 23.3 percent to 26,904 units.
• Rogue sales also set a new June record at 15,518 units, up 41.1 percent.
• Combined sales of Nissan's three all-new models -- Altima, Sentra and Pathfinder -- were up 34.8 percent in June.
• June marked the first deliveries of the all-new 2014 Versa Note, the hatchback model of the industry's best-selling subcompact car. Versa Note offers class-leading fuel economy, cutting-edge technologies, an energetic exterior design, roomy and versatile interior and available activity enhancing features such as Pandora® radio compatibility and hands-free text messaging assistant, making it an ideal fit for today's buyers needs.

Fred Diaz, divisional vice president, Sales and Marketing, Nissan, said: "The redesign of our core products such as Altima, Pathfinder and Sentra is continuing to drive sales. With the introduction of the all-new Versa Note, the fourth of five all-new core models for Nissan, we expect to maintain leadership in the increasingly competitive subcompact market."

INFINITI HIGHLIGHTS

• Infiniti today reported sales of 9,114 units in June, down 12.7 percent from 10,436 units a year earlier.
• The Infiniti G Sedan saw sales of 3,659 in June, as the company prepares for the all-new Infiniti Q50 which will go on sale later this summer.
• Sales of Infiniti crossovers and SUVs are up 21.8 percent year-to-date.

NOTE: To ensure consistency in global sales reporting, Nissan North America calculates monthly variances on a straight-percentage basis, unadjusted for the number of selling days. June 2013 had 26 selling days, while June 2012 had 27 selling days.