2011 Nissan Sentra Review

I remember my first time at the wheel of a Sentra. It was 1982, and I was swayed by advertising telling me "You NEED this car".

Hard-selling the 1982 Nissan Sentra.

Not being an automotive journalist yet, but having contacts at the local dealership, I was allowed to take one for an afternoon-long test drive. It was cheap, tinny and slow. So slow, in fact, that I got a ticket. You see, in order to make the thing move, all you could do was find the lowest gear, floor the sucker and take it all the way to the redline before you shifted to the next gear, then repeat.

Well, the car made so much more noise than speed that a motorcycle policeman on a side street came after me, pulled me over and wrote me a ticket...not for speeding...I wasn't...it couldn't (at least not without another quarter mile or so of straining)....no, the ticket was for exhibition of speed.

Disturbing the peace would have been a better call.

I considered that Sentra the worst car I'd ever driven (for a time...the 80s had a way of sending worse-still machines my way as fleet vehicles and rental cars), and a scant two years later found the 1984 Honda Civic so superior in every way that I spent $3,000 more than that first Sentra cost because I figured that's what it took.

The 2011 Nissan Sentra.

You'd be amazed how many people hold a grudge like that. "I'd never buy a (blank). My parents had one in 1982 and it was a piece of junk!" 

Times, technologies and techniques all change in the car business...and a lot more frequently than every 29 years, which is why it's no surprise to me (nor should it be to you) that the current Nissan Sentra is not only nothing like the 1982, it's a very, very good car.

Like its big brother Altima, the Sentra tends to fly under the radar. The car you see everyday but don't really pay much attention to. And then, if you're fortunate, you drive one.

The Sentra's virtues are roominess, decent performance, good fuel economy and a wide range of trim levels.  The base 2.0 model starts at $16,060 and comes with a 140 horsepower 2.0 liter 4, a six-speed manual transmission, air conditioning, an AM/FM/CD audio system with auxilary jack, power windows and door locks, six airbags, Vehicle Dynamic Control and Traction Control System.

One step up to the 2.0 S ($17,990) buys you a continuously variable automatic transmission (Nissan builds the best CVTs in the business)16-inch wheels, power outside mirrors, remote keyless entry, an iPod interface, illuminated steering wheel cruise and audio control buttons, a trip computer and outside temperature display.

Next level is the 2.0 SR (also $17,990)...the 16-inch wheels are aluminum alloy, and the rest is cosmetics...sport front and rear fascias, side still extensions, smoked headlight surround and taillights and a chrome exhaust-tip finisher.

Rear view of the 2011 Nissan Sentra. The tall trunk promises good cargo space. And delivers.

And then, there's our tester, the 2.0 SL. Top of the line, apart from the SE-R and SE-R Spec V, which are performance levels and should be reviewed on their own (can we borrow each for a week, Nissan?).

The 2.0 SL is $19,390, takes the 2.0 S equipment and adds the aluminum alloy sixteens from the SR, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Nissan Intelligent Key keyless entry and ignition system, Bluetooth, a premium audio system with a 4.3 inch color display, a USB port and SiriusXM Satellite radio.

Nice package for under $20K.

2011 Nissan Sentra Interior. Not fancy, but not bargain-basement, either.

Options? Our tester had only three: The most reasonably-priced in-dash nav system I've seen so far ($400),  splash guards ($150) and floor mats ($120). With $750 destination charge, the bottom line: $20,810. One of the best bargains out there.

And the EPA estimate: 27 city/34 highway.

Maybe Nissan's ad agency was 29 years ahead of its time...could be you need this car now.

Read more »

2011 Ford Fiesta Review

                   

When I wrote the first drive impressions of the 2011 Ford Fiesta and promised a full review soon, I had no idea that TireKicker would be taking an unexpected two week vacation...but we did and now we're back and item one has to be to fill in the blanks left by the early look at this very significant car for Ford.

The basic first impressions (a quantum leap forward for American small cars, a serious threat to future Focus sales until we get the Euro-spec model of the Fiesta's bigger brother) all hold true.

But I see I used the word "roomy". I was so eager to get behind the wheel that I neglected to sit in the back seat. After I posted the first drive, my 5 foot 11 son sat back there...or tried to. It wasn't pleasant. And it wasn't much better for my 5 foot 4 daughter. That large trunk that I mentioned came at the expense of rear seat legroom. And while none of the cars in this class (Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, Honda Fit, Chevy Aveo) are limos, some of them...especially the Yaris and Versa...are better.

                        

Coincidentally, I had a Yaris sedan the same week, and was able to drive them back-to-back. While the Fiesta dazzled with its newness, edginess and content, the Yaris had more rear and front-seat comfort, a quieter cabin and a smoother ride.  And it was a few hundred dollars cheaper, too...staying under $19,000 ( The Yaris had the Sport package, a $3500 option that adds alloy wheels, spoilers, foglamps, leather trimming, power everything and an upgraded audio system) while the as-tested price of the Fiesta hit $19,600 (base for the SEL sedan is $16,320).

Gas mileage was a wash....the Yaris delivering 32 miles per gallon in an even split of urban street and freeway driving, the Fiesta 31.

                      

Honestly, both the Fiesta and the Yaris are way out of the target zone when their stickers get that close to $20K. You can get Corollas, Sentras and Civics (not to mention the 2011 VW Jetta) for that kind of money.The base Yaris sedan starts at $13,365...the base Fiesta at $13,320. That's where the battle in entry-level sedans is likely to be fought.

But will the sedans be the main focus? The Fiesta that makes the biggest splash visually is the five-door hatchback...and the base price for that is $15,120...a big step up, especially when you consider the Yaris 5-door hatch starts at $12,905 (lower than the Yaris sedan price).

The Fiesta leads the class in style...leaving the frumpy Yaris in the dust both in terms of exterior and interior. But these are entry-level vehicles. And while Europeans have a keen understanding of the term "premium compact", the Fiesta's going to have to make a value argument to drivers from the land of Wal-Mart. That could turn out to be a very tall order.

UPDATE:  We've now had a chance to drive the 5-door Fiesta...in Blue Flame metallic, like so:

It's the same strengths and shortcomings as with the sedan above, but this time, Ford sent an SE model. And that brings the value equation back into line. The base price for the 5-door SE is $1200 less than the SEL sedan, at $15,120, as mentioned above. And the options list was kept to a minimum: Rapid Spec 203A (SYNC, 80 watt premium audio system, a sport appearance package, crusie control, 15 inch painted aluminum wheels and front parking lamps with black bezels) for $1,245...Ambient lighting and Sirius Satellite radio packaged together for $370...and heated front seats for $195.

With destination charges, it addes up to $17,605, but there's a "Rapid Spec Discount" of $490...so the bottom line works out to $17,115.

EPA estimates say 37 highway/28 city. 

At this price, it's worthy of inclusion in your shopping.

Read more »

Nissan Sentra 2.0 S Review

Reuglar readers of TireKicker will know that while I appreciate the awesome (see TireKicker's Top Ten cars), I also have a soft spot for simplicity.

After two and a half decades of being merely inexpensive, the new Nissan Sentra has achieved desirable elegant simplicity.

The S is the mid-level Sentra, delivering a 140 horsepower 2-liter four cylinder engine with continuously variable transmission (CVT), anti-lock brakes, 16-inch wheels, air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, a six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system and more for $16,960.

The test car had three options...splash guards ($140), the Convenience Plus package (Bluetooth, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, overhead CD holder, Divide-N-Hide trunk system, cargo net and keyless entry and ignition for $850) and floor mats and a trunk mat ($165). Total price with delivery: $18,740.

The Sentra also comes with five-star frontal crash ratings for both driver and passenger and EPA mileage estimates of 25 city/33 highway.

All the good stuff, no needless fluff, and a reasonable price. So what's it like to drive?

Well, 140 horsepower isn't going to set the world on fire, but it's more than adequate...helped along by the CVT (so far, Nissan builds the best CVTs).

The styling is a matter of taste, and while there are prettier cars out there, that seemingly too-high roofline pays off big when you get inside.

The addition of the Versa at the bottom of the Nissan product line has freed up room for Sentra to grow. It's now a very good small sedan and very much worth a test drive.

Read more »