There are four fundamental trims given on the 2011 Sentra lineup, which house a 2.0 four-cylinder engine. However, there are two more trims in the lineup which are SE-R and SE-R Spec V, which are the performance trims. The Nissan Sentra has a base model, which is furnished with almost all the features given, but if you want to have a better sound system, bigger wheels, leather seats, and a more punchy engine, then you will have to climb the trim levels.

In the list of numerous optional packages, the Convenience package is given on S and SR trim and contains Nissan Intelligent Key keyless entry, remote trunk release and ignition system, and cargo nets and hooks. The Leather package on the SL trim provides leather and heated seats. With the SL Special value package, dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors are given by Nissan.

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Our pick for you would be the S trim, and the reasons for it are that it has optional packages to uplift your experience and comes with a security system along with some remaining standard features which were not available on the base trim. Therefore, the S trim is the most economical and suitable trim. 

Two engine options are given on the 2011 Nissan Sentra. A 2.0-liter inline-4 naturally aspirated engine is present under the hood of the base, S, SR, and SL trims. This base engine is coupled with the 6-speed manual transmission, which can be replaced with an optional CVT. The CVT is standard on higher trims. This 2.0-liter mill churns out 140 hp and 147 lb-ft of torque. 

The performance group of the Sentra trim range comes with a 2.5-liter inline-4 gas engine, which is mated to CVT in SE-R but engages with 6-speed manual transmission on the SE-R Spec V. It churns out 200 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. With this powerful engine, the Sentra reaches 60 mph from 0 mph in 6.3 seconds, which is 3.3 seconds faster than the base engine.

In terms of horsepower, the Kia Forte has won the game along with the crown that makes it the fastest sedan in the segment. On the other hand, if we talk about the whole engine output, then the rival from Toyota is last in the race and also the slowest in the bunch. Meanwhile, the Elantra beats the Sentra by 8 hp and completes the 0-60 mph goal 0.2 seconds faster than the Sentra.

With the 2.0-liter motor and CVT arrangement, the Sentra returns a fuel economy of 27/34/30 mpg in the city/highway/combined, but if a 2.0-liter and 6-speed manual transmission setup are taken, the fuel efficiency drops by 3 mpg in the city, highway, and combined. However, if a 2.5-liter motor with manual transmission is taken, then the fuel economy will be 24 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. Lastly, when CVT is coupled with this engine, fuel economy is reduced by 3 mpg in the city, 2 mpg on the highway, and 4 mpg combined.

Nissan Sentra is not the most fuel-efficient sedan in the competition as this title has been claimed by the Hyundai Elantra. As for the Corolla, it consumes slightly more fuel in the city, while the fuel consumption on the highway for Sentra is more as compared to the Forte. Even though the Nissan Sentra does not have the least fuel consumption, it has the biggest fuel tank in the competition. 

The cabin has decent quality material and is spacious enough to fit three adults in the back seats, but given the tight legroom, some discomfort is bound to happen. A wood-tone trim is given on the SL trim, while the metallic accents are reserved for the performance trims. The seats are comfy and come with cloth upholstery, which can change with leather on the topmost trims. The steering wheel is covered in leather and has silver stitching on the SE-R SPEC V trim. 

A 4-way manual setting for the front seats is standard, which can be upgraded to a 6-way manual for the driver seat. Heated seats are not given on any trim except SL. The steering wheel has a tilt feature, but the absence of telescopic features is a letdown. A dual 12-V power outlet, keyless entry, driver-side one-touch power windows, and manual air-conditioning are some standard cabin features given on the 2011 Sentra.

The most generous legroom is given in the Corolla, but it is the least spacious car, while the opponent from Kia is the most spacious. As for the Elantra, it has passenger volume in between the Sentra and the Toyota Corolla. The largest cargo capacity is offered on the Elantra, whereas the opposite is given on the Corolla. Major interior features include:

• Cloth seats
• Manual air conditioning
• 6-way manually adjustable driver seat
• Tilt telescopic steering column
• Leather and heated front seats (optional)
• Keyless entry 
• Nissan intelligent key keyless entry (optional)

How intuitive is the 2011 Nissan Sentra’s infotainment unit?

An AM/FM/CD audio system, audio jack, and 4-speaker sound system are the only entertainment or audio features given on the base Sentra. As you go up in the trim range, iPod Interface System, 6-speaker sound system, Illuminated steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, and XM satellite radio and radio data system are also given. Under the Visual Audio package in the S and SR trim, Nissan provides a 4.3" color display, Rockford Fosgate eight-speaker system, and a USB port. The SL Navigation package on the SL trim adds a 5-inch touchscreen with a navigation system. Major infotainment features are:

• 4-speaker sound system
• XM satellite radio 
• Radio data system
• AM/FM/CD audio system
• Aux jack
• 5-inch touchscreen (optional)
• Navigation system (optional)

The exterior design of the 2011 Nissan Sentra is not appealing as rivals, but the simplicity of the design language is a positive point that Sentra does take into its final report card. A 15-inch steel wheel setup has been given as standard for the Sentra to run, but they can be swapped with the 16-inch steel wheels, 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. A rear spoiler is given, but only on the CVT variants. Features like fog lights and smoked headlight surround and smoked taillights are reserved for the higher trims, but the lower trims do get power side mirrors and side moldings with chrome insert. 

In terms of length, Sentra and fellow opponents are in a similar range. As for the width and height, the Sentra has the lead. It is also the heaviest car in the competition. Meanwhile, the Forte has the biggest ground clearance, while the Corolla has the shortest wheelbase, which results in its cramped cabin space. Major exterior features are:

• Rear spoiler 
• 15-inch steel wheels
• Power sliding glass moonroof with tilt feature (optional)
• Remote trunk release (optional)
• Fog lights

The 2011 Nissan Sentra is passing with flying colors on all fronts except the safety. It has received an overall 4-star safety rating from the NHTSA, where it has the worst performance in the frontal crash tests. As for the IIHS, it has mostly received an 'Acceptable' rating for all the areas. On the other hand, rivals like Elantra have performed much better on the safety aspect. Apart from the structural safety, the sedan has some safety features to keep the passengers safe, some of them are mentioned below:

• Cruise control
• Traction control system
• ABS
• Engine immobilizer 
• Security system
• Tire pressure monitoring system

Even though we expected more, overall, the 2011 Nissan Sentra has given just above-average performance from the Nissan. It does have pros like a bigger fuel tank and airy cabin, but in other areas, opponents have an edge. Therefore, if you want to enjoy an entry-level sedan that is an all-rounder, then the 2011 Hyundai Elantra or Kia Forte is a far better choice as compared to the Nissan Sentra.