Nissan Sentra has always been a favorite of ours, and the 2025 model is no exception. Its practical side as a compact four-door offers fuel efficiency and oodles of standard safety features for a $20s price.
If you are not expecting rapid acceleration with the Sentra, you won’t be disappointed. It is pokey off the line and while passing on interstates. The non-turbo, four-cylinder engine develops 149 ponies, enough to move the ton and a half sedan to 60 miles per hour from a dead stop in 8.6 seconds at our independent test site. A three-cylinder turbo is expected to debut this model year along with all-wheel drive, currently not available.
Slotted between its smaller sibling Versa and mid-size Altima, the Sentra offers a comfortable ride with available driver assists and suspension controls to improve the driving experience. Mostly a carryover from last year, this Sentra is part of the eighth generation launched in 2020. To entice new buyers, Nissan has thrown in a maintenance plan, offering up to three oil changes in the first two years per 24,000 miles.
Sentra is available in base S, SV and SR trims. All have standard driver assist features including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, rear automatic braking, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and high-beam assist. Our mid-range SV also included standard adaptive cruise control.
In our 200-mile test drive, we were impressed with Sentra’s overall performance. Cabin noise was minimal even with oversize 17-inch alloys, part of a $2,620 Premium Package that also included power moonroof, 360 all-around view, six-way power driver and two-way power lumbar seat, eight-speaker Bose sound and exquisite quilted leather seating.
Nissan Connect services are also available allowing remote starting, locking and unlocking, mapping and music services — all through your connected smartphone. The subscription-based service can be ordered from a menu of selectable features such as Wi-Fi hotspot ($20 monthly), remote horn and lights, curfew alert, alarm notification — among others.
Front seat passengers are treated with Zero Gravity seats that adjust 14 hip to back pressure points while form-fitting an ergonomic position similar to what astronauts use in space. Infiniti and Audi have adopted similar seating in their lineups. Surprisingly, rear seat passengers have more shoulder and head room than up front, something few rivals can claim.
Inside controls are straight forward and we liked the convenience of control knobs for radio volume and tuning versus drill down tabs found in some rivals. Center-mounted climate vents are adjustable and add a cool retro look.
The continuously variable transmission offered a mostly smooth progression through acceleration; although engine noise levels did increase with pedal pressure.
Sentra’s wide stance and higher waistline give the impression of a larger vehicle. Front fascia and wrap around headlamp and taillight assemblies also add a sporty touch to an otherwise sedate sedan.
Sentra’s biggest hurdle remains to improve market share over top rivals Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Mazda 3. If you are contemplating a buy in this segment, we suggest taking test drives in its rivals too.