One of the best things about the Nissan Sentra is that the trim range is simple. Features and options are wisely allocated to the respective trims which do not escalate the price exponentially. The base S trim is equipped with all necessary features such as 16-inch steel wheels, cloth seats, a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 4-speaker sound system, manual air conditioning, and a remote keyless entry.

If you climb the trim ladder, SV trims add premium cloth sets, more speakers to the sound system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a bigger infotainment screen. Top of the range SR trims will give Intelligent Around View Monitor, LED fog lights, and LED headlights. Meanwhile, all trims are equipped with a range of safety features from cruise control, lane departure warning to blind-spot monitoring, and rear-cross traffic alerts.

There are no optional packages given on the base trim. The SV Premium package costs $2,270 and adds a power glass moonroof, 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, quilted leather-appointed seats, heated front seats, and a 6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with 2-way power lumbar support. 

The SR Premium package will require an extra $2,270 and adds a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, twin projector LED headlights with LED signature daytime running lights, power sliding glass moonroof, auto-dimming inside rearview mirror, and Prima-Tex seats with contrast orange stitching.

 Which Trim should you buy:

It is better to select the mid-range SV trim which adds all the features which were lacking on the base trim such as heated front seats, and also shares many features such as power sliding glass moonroof, 8-inch touchscreen, and power-adjustable driver seat with the top SR trim. 

The 2021 Sentra has the same engine as last year’s model. A standard 2.0-liter natural gas engine is shared by all the trims. It churns out 149 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a continuous variable transmission and power gets transferred to the front-wheel-drive as standard. There is no AWD drivetrain available for any car in this segment.

Sentra sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds and covered the quarter-mile distance in 16.6 seconds. With these figures, Sentra becomes the slowest sedan in the competition. On the other hand, the Corolla is the fastest one in the bunch. Meanwhile, the Elantra and Civic take 0.1 and 0.3 seconds respectively more to finish the 0-60mph mark as compared to the Corolla.

Despite having a 2.0-liter engine which is common in all the rivals of Sentra, the Corolla has the best power output. It puts out 169 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. That said, the Elantra puts out 22 hp and 19 lb-ft of torque less than the Corolla while the Civic puts out 11 hp and 13 lb-ft of torque less as compared to the Corolla.

How well does the Sentra handle?:

The overall driving experience of Sentra is not very impressive. CVT is smooth and is in good sync with the engine but the acceleration is sluggish and rivals have shown better results. The steering wheel is not as responsive as rivals which makes maneuvering a bit challenging. 

Ride quality is tilted towards the firmer side and the cabin is noisy. However, the visibility is great and there are no major blind spots. With Sentra, you can’t expect a sport or very athletic feeling but it is a comfortable and obedient car for your normal commute or holidays.

2021 Nissan Sentra Braking Performance:

The brake pedal has a good response and is easy to use. However, the braking performance of the 2021 Sentra is not as good as the fellow competitors. It comes to a halt from 60 mph over 122 feet. With a weight of over 3000lbs, it is still impressive. The Sentra and Elantra, both have the same size front brake rotor.

Despite being the heaviest in the class, the Corolla takes the least distance to go from 60 and coming to a complete halt. Even though the Elantra has the smallest rear brake rotor, it still manages to stop from 60 mph to 0 mph over 116 feet. Although the Civic has not been tested yet, still, it is expected to have better than average braking performance.

As per EPA evaluation, the 2021 Sentra returns a fuel economy of 29 mpg in the city, 39 mpg on the highways, and 33 mpg combined. With a fuel tank capacity of 12.4 gallons which is also shared by the Elantra and the Civic, Sentra gives a range of 360 miles in the city, 484 miles on the highway, and 409 miles combined.

With the fuel economy of 33/43/37 mpg in the city/highway/combined, Elantra wears the crown of the most fuel-efficient car in the competition. Meanwhile, the Corolla and the Civic return 2/3/3 mpg and 3/5/4 mpg less in the city/highway/combined respectively. That said, the biggest fuel tank is possessed by Corolla.

Despite not belonging to the luxury segment, the 2021 Sentra’s cabin hints at the luxurious vibes. The dashboard design is sleek, and the iPad-styled infotainment screen is well-placed and easy to reach. The dashboard has 3 circular air vents which add a peculiar flavor to the overall interior. When it comes to materials, soft and hard touch plastic can be found here and there in the cabin. 

The seats have standard cloth upholstery which changes to Premium Cloth upholstery on the SV trim and Sport Cloth seat trim with contrast orange stitchingon the SR trim. The steering wheel and gear shift handle is wrapped in leather in all trims except the S. The zero-gravity seats from Nissan add extra comfort while you dry. The driver seat has a standard 6-way manual adjustment and 4-way for the passenger seat. 

The rear seats can fold down in a 40-60 pattern. That said, some standard comfort features given on base Sentra includes manual air conditioning, a one-touch driver side power window, tilt and telescoping steering column, and remote keyless entry with Push Button start. Nissan intelligent key system and remote engine start, and dual-zone automatic climate control are given on the SV and SR trim.

After evaluating the interior dimensions, the Elantra takes the first spot by being the most spacious sedan in the segment. Next in line is the Civic which has the leading front row shoulder room. The least spacious cabin is offered on the Corolla which also has the smallest trunk in the competition. Furthermore, in terms of interior space, the Sentra is placed in between the Civic and the Corolla. Highlights of the interior features are:

• Cloth seats
• Tilt and telescoping steering column
• Keyless entry and push-button start
• Manual air conditioning
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Power windows and door locks
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror (optional)
• 4.2-inch advanced drive-assist display

What’s there to keep you entertained in the 2021 Nissan Sentra?

Sentra comes with a standard 7-inch touchscreen which can be upgraded to NissanConnect 8-inch touchscreen. The infotainment screen is intuitive. The base trim has a 4-speaker sound system which can be replaced with the 6-speaker system on the SV trim. And an 8-speaker Bose sound system on the SR trim under the SR Premium package. Some standard features in the infotainment system include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Siri-eyes free, voice recognition, hands-free texting, one USB port, aux jack speed-sensitive volume control, radio data system, and Bluetooth.

• 7-inch touchscreen
• 4-speaker sound system
• SiriusXM
• Wifi-hotspot (optional)
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The exterior design is sharp and athletic. Body lines are running along with the smooth curves which makes the Sentra more stunning. At the front, the Chrome V-Motion grille is standard which gets replaced by the dark chrome V-motion grille on the SR trim. Halogen headlights are also standard and get upgraded to LED headlights with LED signature Daytime Running Lightson the topmost trim. 

On the hood, there are two body lines that start from the ends of the V-grille and merge into the windscreen. Power sliding glass moonroof is only given on the SV and SR trim which also has a heating function to the standard dual-power outside mirrors. The exterior look of the base and SV trim is nearly the same; it is the SR trim that adds optional Thin projector LED headlights with LED signature Daytime Running Lights, has a Rear spoiler, and sport rear design. 2021 Nissan Sentra stands on the standard 16-inch steel wheels which get replaced by the 16-inch aluminum wheels on the SV and 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheelson the SR trim.

All the exterior dimensions of the Sentra and rivals are in a similar ballpark. However, if examined closely, Elantra is the longest and widest while the Sentra is the tallest of all. Elantra also has the biggest wheelbase which bestows it a better interior space than any sedan in the competition. That said, Sentra’s ground clearance is 0.6 inches less than what’s offered on the Corolla. Lastly, in terms of curb weight, the Civic is the lightest. Highlights of the exterior features are:

• 16-inch steel wheels
• 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels (optional)
• Halogen headlights
• Intelligent Auto Headlights
• Power sliding glass moonroof (optional)
• Active grille shutters
• Dual power outside mirrors

In the safety department, the 2021 Sentra has performed exceptionally. And an overall 5-star safety rating from NHTSA and ‘Good’ ratings from the IIHS is proof of that. IIHS has named the Nissan Sentra as a ‘top safety pick’. Apart from impressive safety ratings, the 2021 Sentra is fully furnished with a number of safety features. Some standard features include cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear automatic braking, rearview monitor, lane departure warning, rear sonar system, and intelligent engine brake. highlights of the safety features include:

• Rear-cross traffic alerts
• Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection
• Forward Collision Warning 
• Lane Departure Warning 
• Active Ride Control
• Cruise control
• Rear door alert
• Intelligent around view monitor (optional)

Nissan Sentra Vs Toyota Corolla

Performance, fuel economy, and braking distance, you name it and the Toyota Corolla has beaten the Nissan Sentra. However, Sentra claps back with better interior space and cargo capacity. However, the finale is won by the Corolla which shares better safety ratings, despite sharing the same ‘top safety pick’ title with the Sentra.

Nissan Sentra Vs Hyundai Elantra

Just like the Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra is also a ‘top safety pick’ by the IIHS. However, it has been more thoroughly tested than the Corolla or Sentra. Elantra not only has better fuel efficiency but also has a more spacious cabin as compared to the Sentra. With the higher ground clearance, Elantra deals the final blow to the Sentra.

Nissan Sentra Vs Honda Civic

Just like the other two rivals, Honda Civic is also the ‘top safety pick’ by the IIHS in the 2021 mid-size sedan segment. That said, Sentra again gets a beating in nearly every area by the Civic. Honda Civic has the biggest trunk in the competition. It is slightly more airy than Sentra, and acceleration is much smoother as well. Overall, odds get attracted towards the Civic rather than Sentra.

Though the recent redesign did upscale the Nissan Sentra, competitors such as the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic offer a much better overall experience with a slightly higher pierce tag. However, with a nearly matching price tag, the 2021 Hyundai Elantra is a better choice as compared to the 2021 Nissan Sentra.