2018 Nissan Sentra

Pros: Competitive pricing; absorbent ride; rear seat and trunk space rank among the best in the class; good fuel economy; simple control layout

Cons: Subpar acceleration on non-sport models; one of the noisiest cars in the compact class; non-sport models have lackluster handling, with noticeable body lean in turns and limited cornering grip

CG Says: The 2018 Nissan Sentra gains standard automatic emergency braking for all models except manual-transmission equipped cars and NISMO. All models now have a rearview camera and 5-inch control screen. Sentra is a compact sedan. The standard engine is a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 124 horsepower when paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) or 130 hp with a six-speed manual transmission. The SR Turbo and NISMO models have a turbocharged 188-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. SR Turbo has uprated brakes and sport suspension, while NISMO adds performance suspension and unique exterior trim. Available safety features include blind-spot alert and rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control, power driver’s seat, Siri Eyes Free capability, and NissanConnect telematics are also available. Sentra’s combination of a spacious trunk and back seat, excellent EPA fuel-economy ratings, and high features-per-dollar quotient look very appealing, at least on paper. In practice, the base Sentras are slow, don’t handle exceptionally well, and are extremely noisy. (The exceptions are SR Turbo and NISMO that are quicker with better handling than mainstream Sentras.) Sentra’s features that do stand out are more than overshadowed by its dynamic shortcomings. Given the fact that most rivals have similar strengths without such glaring weaknesses, this is a tough car to recommend.