The small car market in the United States has been growing by leaps and bounds in the recent years and new offerings have made existing vehicles seem outdated. These machines, such as the Hyundai Elantra and the Chevrolet Cruze, make the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla seem more at home with a horse attached to the front.
Yet, what happens when one gets a vehicle that seemed outdated before the launch of those new models? The Nissan Sentra is just one of those models, as its styling inside and out could easily be from 1999, but does that really matter? Styling is, after all, something that each person sees differently and the interior of a vehicle, as important as it is to the media, doesn’t seem to matter much to Americans. Just look at how many Impalas sold last year and this point will hit home.
So, with that being said, is the Nissan Sentra a work of art hidden under a bland exterior, or is its 20th century appearance a sign of what’s to come once on the road? In order to find out, Nissan gave us a 2011 Sentra 2.0 SL to drive around for seven days.
Hit the jump to read what we discovered.
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The most powerful Sentra in Nissan’s line-up enters the 2011 model year with minimal changes compared to the previous model year. It is still offered in two versions: SE-R priced at $19,580 and SE-R Spec V priced at $20,080.
Both models are powered by a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 177 HP and 172 lb-ft of torque for the SE-R model and at 200 HP and and 180 lb-ft of torque for the Spec V model. The engine can be mated to either a Xtronic CVT transmission or a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission.
Compared to a standard Sentra, the SE-R model is distinguished by an aggressive front and rear fascias, side sill extensions, rear spoiler and SE-R badging. Inside Sentra SE-R’s cabin are a number of unique SE-R features, including an exclusive black interior color, sport bucket front seats with SE-R stitching, unique seat fabrics, aluminum foot pedal pads, leather-appointed steering wheel (with silver stitching on Spec V) and shift knob, and an additional two-gauge meter pack.
Press release after the jump.
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It seems Nissan has been at the drawing board as they are ready to dish out a variety of refreshers and new models. There will be a redesigned version for all of the Versa subcompact 4- and 5-door models, the Sentra compact sedan, and the Altima midsize coupe, plus there will be a new sedan in the next two years. Nissan is also stating that they will be bringing out some more new models, but these big plans do not include a revival of the old 240SX. According to Nissan, the car will not sell on the market and an estimated number of 30,000 units a year is not convincing.
So, instead of coming out with a totally new model, Nissan plans on creating a coupe version of the current Sentra. Future Nissans have to be ’high-volume and high-share kind of products", he says. "I’m not looking to fill every niche, every opportunity. If I let my product planners go, they could come up with 15 other cars we should have."
As for the next generation Altima, it will be radically changed. Dealers have already seen the shortened version and seem to be impressed: "They’re probably more excited than I’ve ever seen them."
Nissan Sentra is entering the 2011 model year with a few more packages and some exterior modifications. The Sentra will again be offered in 6 models including the 2.0, 2.0 S, 2.0 SR, 2.0 SL, SE-R, and SE-R Spec V with prices ranging from $15,520 for the 2.0 version to $18,850 for the SL version.
The 2011 Sentra comes with a standard 140-HP 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine mated with a 6-speed manual transmission or a fuel-efficient Nissan Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).
Some of the changes made to the 2011 Nissan Sentra are an improved EPA estimated fuel economy as well as the addition of a SE-R style rear spoiler for 2.0 CVT, 2.0 S, and 2.0 SL models. The Sentra 2.0 now comes with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) as standard while the Sentra 2.0, 2.0 S, and 2.0 SR will get Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and Traction Control System (TCS) as standard. As an option, Sentra owners will also have the opportunity to receive the new SL Value Package, the Visual Audio Package, or the SL Audio Package.
Press release with more details after the jump.
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Nissan said today that it may halt production of its vehicles in Tennessee and Mexico because of a parts shortage from Hitachi Ltd.
The company has not yet decided to stop production as of now, Toshiyuki Shiga, Nissan’s chief operating officer told Automotive News. If production does come to a halt, it could mean a loss of 15,000 vehicles. Production in Japan will stop on July 14 to July 16 because of the parts delay.
The part in question is an engine control unit that wasn’t delivered on time. The supplier said that integrated circuits needed were not available at the time.
"We’re working around the clock to try and minimize any inconvenience to our customers," Shiga said at the launch of the fourth-generation March compact car.
"For now, we’re still gauging when and whether we would need to halt production in the United States."
If Nissan do decide to stop production, the first models affected might be the Altima and the Sentra.
