Nissan Sentra 2.0 SR: Behind the wheel

Napleton News reviews the 2022 Nissan Sentra 2.0 SR CVT, which continues on following a redesign three years ago. Three years was not that long ago which makes you wonder, is this car old? Hardly. We at Napleton News had a chance to give it a workout recently. It’s a great, reliable car in a field crowded with some very reliable competition. Please read our report to learn how we made out with the new Sentra.

Nissan Sentra 2.0 SR Highlights:

There are a host of features on the new Nissan Sentra 2.0 SR. Here are just a few:

• A compact sedan designed within the past three years
• 2.0-liter inline-4 cylinder engine
• Nissan Active Ride Control
• Available SR Premium Package
• Standard Nissan Safety Shield 360 is included on all trim levels.

Powering the Nissan Sentra 2.0

The Nissan Sentra is motivated by a single engine that supplies power at every trim level. That engine is a tried and proven 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine making 149 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a Nissan continually variable transmission that simulates gear changes even though there are no cogs in the transmission.

Active ride control is included in all trim levels to help smooth out rough or even washboard-style roads that could cause a phenomenon known as porpoising. This is where the car’s ride would be interrupted by bouncing from the rough surfaces. In this case, the Sentra is set up to gently brake or add power as needed to smooth out the cracks and crevices found on a typical road.

Intelligent Trace Control (ITC) is what Nissan calls the torque vectoring system on the Sentra. Combined with the multilink rear suspension, ITC manages to slow the speed of a tire on the inside of a turn. This allows the outside wheels to turn faster, preparing for a quicker exit.

How does the new Sentra look?

“Hey Mom, we’ve shrunk the Maxima,” is what some people have said. They wouldn’t be that far off because the Sentra is made of many of the same design cues as its four-door big brother. As a result, it does appear like a Mini-Maxima. The “floating roof” found on other models in the portfolio is here, too.

Our Sentra tester included the Midnight Edition package, which is newly available on the top shelf SR trim level. This package includes a blacked-out grille treatment, rear diffuser, spoiler, 18-inch black alloy wheels, and black badging. That’s in addition to the extra aerodynamic bits and chrome exhaust finishers.

The inside line

No bovine specimens were sacrificed in the production of this Nissan Sentra. That’s not entirely true, but the only leather in our Sentra’s interior is on the steering wheel and shift knob. Otherwise, the interior was covered with Prima-Tex synthetic leather on the seats and other soft-touch contact points. Step up to the SV trim level for an interior of the real stuff. Regardless of which Sentra you get, you’ll still take advantage of Nissan’s Zero Gravity seating. Some of the most comfortable chairs on the road, they are ready to coddle you for the long haul.

The latest technology is also on board, in the way of a 7-inch display screen in the gauge binnacle. The center console is topped with an 8-inch color touch screen display that controls the Bose premium audio system, complete with Sirius XM satellite radio. There is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which both provide navigation products, should you desire.

Behind the wheel of the 2022 Nissan Sentra

The 2022 Nissan Sentra 2.0 SR is one of the rising stars in the compact car segment, offering adequate if not sometimes challenging power but decent mileage along the way. It features all the modern technology you expect in the market today. These include a pushbutton starter and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The standard Nissan Safety Shield 360 brings many more features than you would expect to find in a modern compact sedan. These include blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and rear braking that quickly puts on the brakes if it senses pedestrians or cross-traffic near the car’s rear.

For around-town travel involving errands and shopping runs, the new Sentra brings plenty of power and fuel economy to satisfy most buyers. Consider it in the same league as a Kia Forte, Toyota Corolla or Hyundai Elantra. It seems to fall short when you put the full weight and force of your size 11 shoe onto the skinny pedal. The engine will express its displeasure at this point for being pushed t0 hard. If on a coarse driving surface, expect a relatively aggressive amount of road thrum to find its way into the cabin.

It’s nothing the addition of some sound insulation and under-body noise suppression panels can’t fix. The Sentra would find a home in quite a lot of garages with a fix like that.

Nissan Sentra Specifications