2019 Nissan Sentra Review

A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 124 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque (130 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque with the S trim's manual transmission) is standard on the S, SV, SR and SL models. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the S, and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is optional on that trim and standard on all other Sentras.

The base Sentra S comes with 16-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, air conditioning, a height-adjustable driver's seat, 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, cruise control, trip computer, a 7-inch central touchscreen, a rearview camera, a USB port, and a four-speaker sound system. Automatic emergency braking for imminent front collisions is also standard on all CVT automatic-equipped Sentra trim levels except the Nismo.

Stepping up to the SV gets you 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and ignition, upgraded cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio.

Optional for the SV is the SV Special Edition package. It bundles 17-inch wheels, rear disc brakes, a sunroof, illuminated sun visors, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

Compared to the SV, the SR gets a sport body kit, LED headlights, foglights, adaptive cruise control, heated mirrors, and unique cloth upholstery. For the SR, an optional Premium package adds the sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a power driver's seat, leather upholstery, and an eight-speaker Bose sound system.

The SR Turbo takes the SR trim and equips it with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder (188 hp and 177 lb-ft) that's mated to a choice of a six-speed manual or a specially calibrated CVT automatic with a manual-shift mode. Nissan also includes a sport-tuned suspension, recalibrated steering, upgraded front brakes and a sunroof. An optional Premium package is available for the SR Turbo as well.

The Sentra Nismo comes with the SR Turbo's features and adds unique Nismo-branded trim pieces such as a spoiler, 18-inch wheels, exhaust, grille and badges, along with an exclusive Nismo interior appearance package. It also comes standard with the eight-speaker Bose stereo system.

The top-of-the-line SL loses the SR's sport-themed flourishes, keeps the 1.8-liter engine, and gains just about all of the optional features listed above plus heated front seats and mirrors.