New 2024 Nissan Sentra ( Overview ). HIGHS
– Doesn’t skimp on standard safety features, comfy front seats, affordable optional equipment.
LOWS
– Almost no go behind its show, noisy powertrain, its rivals are far more fun to drive.
VERDICT
– The Sentra’s standard safety features and low starting price aren’t enough to make it rise to the top of the compact car segment.
What is the Sentra?
The Nissan Sentra puts the “s” in sensible transportation. There isn’t really much flashy about the Sentra; it’s a rather run-of-the-mill small sedan in most regards as its merely average 7.3 out of 10 Edmunds Rating for 2023 would suggest. The Sentra is due for updates, which could come for the 2024 model year, though we don’t have any official confirmation. This current generation of the car was introduced in 2020.
If such a refresh arrives, there are changes that Nissan could include rather easily to give the Sentra some needed sprucing. The rather anonymous exterior styling is ready for some new flourishes and, as most updates in this class go, we would probably see new bumpers or a new front grille. And inside, there are technology features that could be ported over from other Nissan models like wireless Apple CarPlay and a larger multimedia screen borrowed from the midsize Altima.
But as we look around the rest of the Nissan lineup, there aren’t easy fixes for some of the Sentra’s larger issues. There isn’t a new version of Nissan’s multimedia system floating around, which already feels dated even in a brand-new vehicle like the Ariya. And we wouldn’t expect to see a new powertrain setup to give the sedan a needed power boost. A Sentra refresh would improve the sedan undoubtedly but probably won’t do enough to push it past competitors like the Honda Civic, Kia Forte or Hyundai Elantra — currently our three top-rated compact sedans.
