Nissan Sentra

The Nissan Sentra emerged with a new look in 2020, and with it came an improved ride quality and a nicer interior. That redesign certainly helped elevate the Sentra's standing in our eyes. This is a sensible small sedan that provides comfortable transportation on a budget. It's also well stocked with features. A collection of advanced driver safety features, including forward collision mitigation and blind-spot monitoring, comes standard on every Sentra, for example.

For the 2021 Sentra, the most notable change is that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard across the model line, meaning that even the base version comes with these desirable smartphone integration systems. While the Sentra doesn't quite have the dynamic personality of the Mazda 3 or all the technology features of the Hyundai Elantra, it can otherwise easily meet your commuting needs and more. Check out the categories of our Expert Rating to learn more.

Which Sentra does MatoCar recommend?

For an affordable sedan that's one step above what you might expect, we recommend the SV trim. It comes with some desirable features you can't get on the base trim, such as keyless entry and traffic adaptive cruise control, for not much more money.

The Sentra is a small sedan available in three trims: the S, SV and SR. All versions are powered by a 149-horsepower four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission. The Sentra is front-wheel-drive only. Feature highlights include:

S The base model kicks off the Sentra line with:

16-inch steel wheels
Push-button start
Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
Height-adjustable driver's seat
7-inch touchscreen
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
Four-speaker audio system

Standard safety features include:

Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

SV The midlevel trim brings with it an assortment of upgraded features:

Alloy wheels
Rear disc brakes (for better braking performance)
Heated side mirrors
Keyless entry
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Upgraded driver information display
8-inch touchscreen
Dual-zone climate control
Additional USB ports
Six-speaker audio system
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Sentra and the car in front)

You can also choose to add the SV Premium package that adds:

17-inch wheels
Sunroof
Leather upholstery
Power-adjustable driver's seat

SR The top model in the lineup offers this equipment:

LED headlights and foglights
Sportier exterior design with a rear spoiler
18-inch wheels

The SR also has an available SR Premium package. It includes:

Sunroof
Power-adjustable driver's seat
Heated steering wheel
Surround-view parking camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Sentra and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Simulated leather upholstery
Eight-speaker Bose audio system
NissanConnect connectivity services with onboard Wi-Fi hotspot