![]() 2010 Nissan Sentra 2.0. Click image to enlarge |
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Manufacturer’s web site Owner Reviews on autoTRADER.ca |
Review and photos by Chris Chase
The 2007 Nissan Sentra replaced a previous-generation car that was about as dull as a small sedan could get, and so this sixth-generation model brought with it the promise of a personality injection.
Well, we could hope, couldn’t we? As before, the only version of this then-new Sentra that offered anything to boast about was the high-performance SE-R model, which used a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine that made 177 horsepower in the SE-R, and 200 in the even sportier Spec-V. Regular grade Sentras shared a 2.0-litre four-cylinder good for 140 horsepower.
A six-speed manual transmission was standard in 2.0-litre cars, with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) offered as the automatic option. The SE-R, surprisingly, came standard with a CVT, this one with a manual-shift model operated with paddle shifters. The Spec V used a six-speed manual exclusively.
![]() 2010 Nissan Sentra 2.0. Click image to enlarge |
A 2.0-litre Sentra with the CVT is the most fuel-efficient, according Natural Resources Canada’s testing guidelines, with 2007 ratings of 8.2/6.0 L/100 km in city and highway test cycles, respectively. The SE-R was rated 8.6/6.5 L/100 km, and the Spec V at 9.8/6.9 L/100 km. By 2010, fuel consumption ratings for the volume-selling 2.0-litre/CVT model had dropped to 7.5/5.8 L/100 km.
Sentra reliability appears to be good to middling, depending on who you talk to, and which version of the car you choose.
The Sentra’s rear suspension uses a twist beam axle, favoured over a fully-independent setup for its compact, space-saving design. Some 2007 and 2008 models came from the factory with a misaligned axle, causing weird handling and accelerated tire wear. According to this discussion at NissanForums.com, Nissan has been less-than-forthcoming with a solution, other than replacing rear axles under warranty. So far, it seems, the company has not issued a recall or even admitted that the problem goes beyond a few isolated cases. Many owners report having the alignment fixed on their own dime at shops other than their dealership’s. Here’s another discussion on the topic.
![]() 2010 Nissan Sentra 2.0. Click image to enlarge |
Go here to read a discussion among Sentra SE-R owners about engine “bogging.” The theory is that this problem is software-related and can be fixed by doing this to the knock sensor. It’s not a modification I’d recommend, because it effectively disables the engine’s knock sensor. The problem is that the knock sensor is oversensitive, and causes a loss of power when it senses knock (also known as detonation in the combustion chamber, when the air-fuel mixture ignites before the spark plug has fired). Disabling the sensor, or reducing its sensitivity can cause engine damage. This problem isn’t new to the 2007-and-newer SE-R; many owners of previous-generation cars with the same 2.5-litre engine have applied a similar “fix.”
A moderator posting in this discussion at AllSentra.com believes the 2.5-litre engine in the SE-R has the same faulty catalytic converter as the previous-generation SE-R. Click here for what appears to be an intelligent overview of the problem. The same moderator points a finger at poor quality engine mounts in the SE-R, too.