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Nissan Sentra turns into a substantial sedan with new issues
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- The compact sedan from Nissan of Japan, scaled smaller than flagship Maxima and the mid-size Altima, borrows styling cues from both with a slick new design that forges a larger and more powerful car loaded with new features for comfort, practicality and safety.
This new Sentra, arriving late for the 2000 model year, marks the fifth generational design of Nissan's small car, and it represents revisions in all aspects, from the structural system of the platform and sheetmetal styling to powertrain upgrades and interior fittings. Compared with the former model, which was derived from a fourth design change of 1995, the body of Sentra was stretched by 6.5 inches in length and expanded in width by almost an inch, with the roof raised by another inch.
Larger dimensions in all directions translate to more interior space for passengers, but particularly so for headroom in front and rear seats. The scale of front buckets in terms of height and width and seat position relative to the adjacent seat seems generous and comfortable.
Typically, small cars from Asian automakers foster interiors with dimensions comparable to the small stature of Asian drivers, yet Sentra in this new treatment for 2000 diminishes any close confines, with fixtures and fittings geared to the larger stature of an American audience.
The expanded scale is perhaps one expression of the intent to market this design strictly in North America.
All styling plans for the new treatment of Sentra came out of Nissan's California design studio in La Jolla, with engineering work derived from the Nissan Technical Center in Japan and Nissan Research and Development in California, Michigan and Arizona. Assembly occurs by Nissan Mexicana in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Prototypes of the new Sentra in various trims and the two engine options showed up recently in Las Vegas for a sneak peak and road tests by automotive journalists, and we were able to sample the collection with driving tests on two-lane roads ringing Lake Mead in the Nevada desert.
First impression from that experience: There's more substance to Sentra in the new design.
With the new structure that's far stiffer and more resistant to torsional twisting, the car moves and handles with the solidity of a larger vehicle.
It also operates with a quality of quietness uncommon for a compact. The stronger structure, with three floor pan cross members and reinforcements to side pillars and roof and body sill panels, contributes to the reduction of noise and vibration in the Sentra, as does the liberal use of expandable foam insulation in body cavities surrounding the passenger compartment.
Structural elements trace to a global platform shared by Sentra with six other Nissan cars that appear in European and Japanese markets.
The steel skeleton consists of two zones with different purposes, the first as a crushable system designed to absorb impact energy during a car crash and the second as a sturdy safety cell for the passenger compartment.
Inside the cabin, dual frontal air bags are in place to protect front seat riders and three-point seat belts score for each of the five seats. Front restraints use belt pretensioners and load limiters, with height-adjustable shoulder anchors. An energy-absorbing steering column is also aboard, along with pipe-steel guard beams in all four side doors, and rear doors with child-proof safety locks.
Optional safety gear extends to side-impact air bags for front seats and anti-lock controls on brakes.
The new suspension elements on Sentra become a factor for safe operation because they set up agile pavement manners.
Up front the independent system with MacPherson struts mounts to a new sub-frame assembly that isolates the controls and with soft bushings blocks the transfer of jolts caused by road harshness to the structure.
In back a multi-link beam arrangement fashions a smooth ride quality and contributes to the car's stability in cornering. The compact design also carves out more legroom for passengers in the rear seat because it occupies scant space on the chassis.
Steering is quick to respond, thanks to a rack and pinion system with power added relative to engine speed. Less movement of the steering wheel is needed to turn.
And Sentra has guts now because of fresh four-cylinder powertrains.
The base plant bumps up in size to 1.8 liters and features dual cams, variable valve timing and a direct ignition system.
It produces 126 hp and earns noteworthy fuel economy figures that run as high as 35 mpg.
This engine comes in the two primary editions of Sentra: Entry-level XE and the upgraded GXE.
Sentra's top trim SE stocks a 2.0-liter aluminum four carried over from the previous issue but boosted in power and torque muscle.
Improvements to the engine include changes to the intake manifold, a new lightweight camshaft and roller-type rocker arms, and a variable capacity muffler.
All work together to generate 145 hp, a five-point boost over the previous engine, with new fuel economy numbers up to 31 mpg.
Both engines connect with either a standard five-speed manual transmission or an electronic automatic four-speed.
A Sentra SE with the larger engine and manual stick offers a performance package with tail spoiler, 16-inch wheels and a limited-slip differential.
We played with this sport-tuned Sentra on a curvy route through sandstone desert canyons and discovered to our surprise an exhilarating vehicle that proved fun to drive and entirely predictable with its precise behavior.
The Sentra XE provides a lot of comfortable features for price points that dip below $12,000. Equipment includes a tilting steering column, center console between front buckets, reclining back seats, remote releases for trunk lid and fuel door, an electric defroster for the rear window, two-speed windshield wipers, and 14-inch wheels and tires.
Sentra GXE begins at $13,599 with air conditioning and cruise control, power windows and mirrors, a tachometer in the instrument cluster and velour seat upholstery, plus a 100-watt audio kit with CD player and four speakers.
The Sentra SE, priced from $14,900, features titanium-faced gauges, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote keyless entry, foglamps, four-wheel disc brakes, sport suspension settings and 15-inch alloy wheels.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2000 NISSAN SENTRA Specs |
| Description: |
Compact sedan
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| Model Options: |
Compact sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
99.8 inches
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| Overall Length: |
177.5 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 1.8-L I4
DOHC 2.0-L I4
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
Power disc/drum
SE: Power 4-disc/ABS opt.
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + opt. 2 (side)
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| Gas Mileage: |
1.8-L M/5: 27/35 mpg
1.8-L A/4: 26/33 mpg
2.0-L M/5: 24/31 mpg
2.0-L A/4: 24/30 mpg
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| Price: |
$ 12,000 to $ 19,000 |
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