The Nissan Sentra receives a major glow up
In the late 90s and early 2000s, one of the most popular vehicle nameplates in the Philippine market was that of the Nissan Sentra. Just like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civics of that era, almost everyone had one, whether it was for personal use, a family car, or even as taxis.
Sadly, the Sentra eventually disappeared from our market. It did however continue to live on in other markets, and it has just received a new generation, and it’s looking quite attractive.
It wears a lower-slung appearance with more sculpted elements all around. In front is an evolved version of Nissan’s V-Motion grille which extends to below the slim headlights with L-shaped DRLs, wheel sizes are between 16- and 18-inches, and the rear gets slim wraparound taillights.
Inside, the Sentra gets an evolutionary redesign, retaining its layered design and retro-modern cues such as the triple chrome pieces for the central air vents and central controls.
The new design is dominated by a two-spoke steering wheel, dual 12.3-inch screens for the driver’s instrument cluster and infotainment system. Other features are a Bose audio system on higher trims, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity, power sunroof, 64-color ambient lighting, and wireless phone charger. Available as well is a two-tone blue and beige scheme for a more premium vibe.
A sporty SR trim gets a wider V-Motion grille with blacked-out elements, SR-specific bumpers, black side sills, a rear spoiler, 18-inch alloy wheels and a two-tone exterior, plus red accents around the interior.
Under the hood, Nissan has decided to not go electrified yet for the North American Sentra as it gets a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that makes 150 horsepower and 198Nm of torque, mated to an Xtronic CVT.
It also gets Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist which helps with acceleration, braking, and steering when on the highway, among other advanced driver-assist systems and passive safety equipment.
The all-new Nissan Sentra will first become available in North America starting later this year. As for the Philippines, will we ever see it? We don’t know but this surely is one important nameplate for the Japanese automaker in our market. We do hope it comes back one way or another.
