2008 Nissan Sentra San Diego CA

November 18, 2009   By Alison Lakin, Associate Editor



2008 Nissan Sentra
DriverSide Overview
Time has been kind to the Nissan Sentra . After all, it has been around for over 25 years and looks better than ever thanks to various nips and tucks and maybe a little bit of Botox under the hood. The eighties, not particularly easy on the eyes in any respect, gave birth to five different Sentra body styles, all boxy and flavorless. During the nineties, the exterior was rounded from nose to tail lights and the sporty SE-R trim was debuted – giving the Sentra power equal to what the base model puts out today. From 2000-2006, our previously subcompact car made the leap to compact car, bumping the Altima to mid-size status. Now this hardy sedan has been prettied up thanks to a dynamic body design, interior features, a larger 2.0-liter engine and standard features galore. Looks like 25 is the …well, 25.








What's to Like
Power delivery is solid and the Sentra feels more enthusiastic than many in its class. A reasonable starting price makes it a good choice for buyers on a budget. Those needing a few more horses under the hood can find them in the Sentra SE-R, a beefed up version of the compact sedan, starting at $19,970.

What's Not to Like
Interior styling is lacking. Orange backlit gauges trend to the gaudy side of things, and a huge, digital heads-up display in the center console looks old school, in the uncool kind of way. Like many Nissans, the Sentra’s price tends to rise quickly with added options.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
With Nissan’s rich history of cars like the Z and Skyline sports cars and Datsun’s classic 510 and B210 models, we would have hoped that the Sentra would retain more of that sporty heritage. The Sentra offers acceleration that feels powerful off the line, but diminishes at higher speeds. The generally solid handling may feel slightly numb as it transmits less feedback than some others in the class. Around corners, the Sentra grips nicely with just minor body roll, and cabin noise is kept to a minimum with the only irritations coming from the engine when the throttle is stamped and slight wind noise on highways. The automatic transmission, Nissan’s CVT, lacks the traditional fixed gears found in most automatics and produces smooth shifts and better fuel economy, making it the winning choice for most consumers.

Engine and Drivetrain
Equipped with a 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine, the Sentra produces 140 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque. This matches or bests most in its class. In the base and SL trims, the front-wheel drive sedan comes standard with a CVT, Nissan’s prized automatic transmission. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard on the S trim.

Interesting Vehicle Features and Options
This Sentra provides just the basic facts, ma’am: power windows and doors, air conditioning, an AUX input jack and...

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