2024 Nissan Sentra Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The current-generation Sentra launched for the 2020 model year, but for 2024 it gets updated styling. The grille is now wider, blending with the headlights (which now have black interior bezel elements), and it gets chrome trim around the edges. Vertical elements meant to look like air vents are now positioned at the edges of the front fascia, creating a greater impression of width. Nissan’s designers definitely took the old automotive styling maxim “longer, lower, wider” to heart.

The Sentra wasn’t a terrible-looking car before, and the new elements blend in well with existing features like the available black roof and the rear-quarter panels, which have pronounced shoulders that create an impression of width at the back to balance out the front. The result is a small sedan that avoids the weirdness of the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla but still has more flair than the Honda Civic or Volkswagen Jetta.

For 2024, the Sentra lineup in Canada consists of five trim levels: S, S Plus (which really just changes the manual transmission to a continuously variable transmission, or CVT), SV (a moonroof sub-grade is offered for this trim), SR, and SR Premium. The base Sentra S and S Plus get 16-inch steel wheels, while the Sentra SV comes standard with 16-inch alloy wheels (which get a new design for 2024). The Sentra SR trims get 18-inch wheels and some subtle model-specific styling elements. The chrome trim is darkened and, for 2024, the lower rear fascia is reshaped. The SR trims are also available with the black roof, which can be paired with vibrant colours like Monarch Orange Metallic or our test car’s Electric Blue Metallic.

The interior stands out with large round air vents that Nissan says were inspired by the Z sports car, as well as a plunging dashboard shape that nicely frames the central touchscreen. Nissan Sentra SR models also feature red-orange accent stitching for the standard cloth seats (leatherette upholstery is available on SR Premium models). And like most new Nissan models, the Sentra gets a flat-bottom steering wheel. Material quality is about what you’d expect for an entry-level car, but these various styling elements at least make for a distinctive design.

The Sentra debuted for the 1982 model year, and during its 42 years on sale Nissan has offered a handful of performance versions like the SE-R, SR Turbo, and NISMO. While competitors are still offering their own sport compacts—cars like the Honda Civic Si and Volkswagen Jetta GLI—Nissan has given up on that path. (But you wouldn’t know it given Nissan operates a one-make, multiple-round racing series in Canada called the Nissan Sentra Cup.)

The 2024 Sentra is available with only a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that makes an adequate 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque and front-wheel drive (FWD). Unlike in the U.S., where a CVT is the only transmission option, Nissan still offers a six-speed manual transmission on the Sentra in Canada on the S and SR grades. As for that CVT, for 2024 it’s reengineered to improve fuel efficiency while proving smoother operation, according to Nissan. The Sentra also adds an engine start-stop system for 2024 to further boost fuel efficiency.

Despite the focus on efficiency over performance, the Sentra is fairly pleasant to drive. The steering offers a surprising amount of feedback and precision, providing a quick and affirmative response to small corrections. But the steering ratio doesn’t feel too fast, so you won’t be making constant inputs to keep the car pointed straight. That laid-back feel is matched by the suspension, which isn’t set up for time attacks but also won’t leave your back-seat passengers sloshing from one side to the other every time you go around a corner.

We did notice one issue with the Sentra’s updated CVT, though. It applied power smoothly off the line until about 70 km/h, at which point it allowed an unexpected surge of acceleration. Our test car was a pre-production vehicle, though, so the cars on dealer lots may perform differently.

The Sentra offers a decent amount of interior space for a car of its size—as long as you’re sitting up front.

First-row headroom is on par with the Kia Forte and Mazda 3, and just behind the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra. But the Sentra has less second-row legroom than all of those rivals. Similarly, the Nissan beats the Honda, Hyundai, Kia, and Mazda on front-seat legroom, but rear-seat legroom is the worst of the group.

The driver and front passenger also benefit from Nissan’s Zero Gravity seats, which are among the most comfortable in the segment. Low window sills and a low, slim dashboard also provide an excellent forward view from the driver’s seat for those of medium height. The thick rear roof pillars also didn’t impede rearward vision as much as we originally thought.

Modern compact cars are really “compact” in the sense that there are larger cars in their respective brands’ lineups. The Sentra is no full-size sedan, but you won’t be rubbing shoulders with your front passenger either. In fact, Nissan found enough room between the front seats for two generously sized cupholders, a separate phone slot that’s angled so phones won’t slide around, and even a small change slot.

While the Sentra lacks all-wheel drive (AWD), it can at least keep you comfortable in cold weather since heated front seats and heated exterior mirrors are standard. Remote engine start and dual-zone automatic climate control come in at the SV grade, while a heated steering wheel is reserved for the SR trims. The Sentra has 404 litres of trunk space, which is more than the Mazda 3 and (barely) the Hyundai Elantra, but less than the Kia Forte and Honda Civic. A 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat helps accommodate longer items.

The 2024 Nissan Sentra offers functional tech, but feels a step behind some rivals.

The Sentra S base model gets a 7-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument cluster display with analog gauges. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but Nissan still doesn’t offer wireless versions like most competitors. Bluetooth, a single front USB port, and a four-speaker audio system are standard as well.

Nissan Sentra SV and SR models get an 8-inch touchscreen and 7-inch instrument cluster display (but keep the analog gauges), along with a six-speaker audio system and SiriusXM satellite radio compatibility. These models also add a front USB-C port and a charge-only USB-A port in the centre console. An eight-speaker Bose audio system is available with the SR Premium.

Our Sentra SR test car’s larger screens were nicely integrated, but the graphics displayed on them looked dated, especially compared to what you get in the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Forte. We didn’t have any issues using the screens, but that’s the bare minimum for an automotive infotainment system. Granted, if Nissan decides to update the Sentra’s in-car tech, it might get rid of the large volume and tuning knobs, which are still more effective for controlling the radio than any high-tech solution.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) didn’t have a full set of safety ratings for the 2024 Sentra at press time, and what was available wasn’t encouraging. The Sentra received the top “Good” rating in the IIHS’s original side-impact crash test, but only an “Acceptable” rating in the updated version.

Similarly, the Sentra got a middle “Advanced” score for front crash prevention in vehicle-to-pedestrian daytime testing, but a “Basic” rating in the nighttime scenario. It also received a “Poor” headlight rating.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also didn’t provide complete ratings for the 2024 model year. The Sentra received five stars in rollover and side crash tests, but frontal crash-test and overall safety scores weren’t available at the time of publication.

Nissan does at least provide an array of driver-assistance tech that’s comparable to its rivals. The standard Nissan Safety Shield 360 contingent of safety features includes forward collision warning, front and rear automatic emergency braking (with front pedestrian detection), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams.

In addition to these standard features, SV and SR models add adaptive cruise control—something Honda and Toyota provide as standard equipment. A 360-degree camera system is also offered on the SR Premium.

The efficiency-focused mechanical updates for 2024 only have a slight benefit on paper. For 2024, Sentra models with a manual transmission are rated by Natural Resources Canada at 9.4 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving, 6.4 on the highway, and 8.0 combined. Opt for the CVT, and those figures go down to 7.3 L/100 km city, 5.8 on the highway, and 6.6 combined. The SR trims see a slight bump to 8.2 combined for the manual and 6.8 combined for the CVT. The efficiency improvements on the CVT models amount to 0.5 L/100 km in combined driving compared to 2023 figures. We saw an indicated 7.5 L/100 km average over a week of driving in our SR CVT test unit, albeit in cold weather.

Nissan’s warranty coverage, including three years or 60,000 kilometres of basic coverage and five years or 100,000 kilometres of powertrain coverage, is comparable to the other mainstream brands.

Pricing starts at $25,153 for the Sentra S base model, $26,853 for the S Plus, $28,253 for the Sentra SV, $29,553 for the SV trim with the moonroof option, $30,053 for the Sentra SR with a manual transmission, $31,153 for an SR CVT, and $33,253 for the SR Premium (all prices include a mandatory $1,850 destination charge and other dealer fees). Two-tone paint adds $630 to $795 to the base price, depending on the colour you choose.

While it’s far from the perfect compact sedan, Nissan keeps the Sentra nameplate relevant by providing a decent amount of feature content and an inoffensive driving experience at a reasonable price. Competitors offer more options—like hybrid powertrains, all-wheel drive, performance variants, and hatchback body styles—but if you’re just looking for a basic car, the Sentra is a great value.

Note: Images show a US model.