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Cordell Koland
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Weekly Reviews
 2007 Nissan Sentra by Cordell Koland Readers of this column probably realize that we specialize in luxury and high-performance cars and SUVs. But sometimes we travel into foreign territory, namely economy compacts that make up a huge percentage of the market, but a small share of consumer hopes and dreams. This time we venture into the world of basic transport with the Nissan Sentra. Why the Sentra? First off, it is an all-new vehicle for 2007 and offers a good look at industry trends. And secondly, it is the leading edge of Nissan's campaign to put some muscle behind its goal to become a dominant player in the auto market. Earlier in this decade, Nissan and its upscale Infiniti division made major strides forward, under the leadership of CEO Carlos Ghosn. I witnessed first-hand the personal power and style of Mr. Ghosn in action at the Tokyo auto show for the announcement of a major reorganization, which was a huge blow to Japanese pride as well as to the country's interpretation of acceptable business processes. In so doing, he revived a moribund, money losing organization, turned it into a fierce competitor and achieved something like rock star status as a turn-around expert. More recently, Mr. Ghosn was even selected by an influential General Motors¹ board member to put together a formula to revive the company. GM passed on the merger talks and meanwhile total Nissan sales fell off by 4.2 percent in 2006. But the game is far from over and Nissan realizes that new and better product is the key to success in the auto industry and is behind a spate of new models is in its pipeline. Hence the new Sentra. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the econo-compact Sentra is that it is no longer a compact car. With a wheelbase of 106 inches and 97.4 cubic feet of interior space, it is now officially classified as a mid-size car. So if you haven¹t been in an entry-level sedan since you dumped your Honda Civic at graduation twenty ears ago, the Sentra will feel very roomy. Most drivers will also be delighted with the visibility enabled by the Sentra's rather bold design. By visibility we mean the driver's ability to have an excellent view in all directions, something that in recent years has generally declined as window dimensions shrink and as automotive styling has adopted wedge-shaped designs that elevate the rear deck to the detriment of seeing what's behind. Another remarkable aspect of the new Sentra is the high level of standard safety equipment, even in our test car, which is the most basic vehicle in the line. Standard safety equipment includes dual-stage front airbags, front seat-mounted side-impact air bags for chest and pelvis protection, front and rear side-curtain air bags as well as front-seat, active head restraints for head and neck protection in rear impacts to minimize the possibility of whiplash injury. And while a standard tire pressure monitoring system is included, antilock brakes are a $250 option on this model, a strange trade-off in my mind. It is obvious that manufacturers such as Nissan are aiming entry-level sedans at those with an environmental conscience, or at least with a concern for the pocketbook. With a very advanced four-cylinder engine the Sentra gets up to 36 miles per gallon on the highway and also achieves Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) status. In operation, the Sentra seemed spunky in use around town and on the highway. While the engine was quite noisy under conditions of moderate acceleration, it was quiet enough on the highway. Nissan equips the Sentra with either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Our test car had the automatic, which was smooth in operation. This relatively new technology avoids the old pattern of shifting gears in favor of pulley system with an expanding diameter. The theory is that the pulley system allows the engine to run at or near its optimal speed in terms of efficiency. Vehicle:
Nissan Sentra 2.0
Price as tested: $16,415 Engine: Type: 2.0-liter inline four Horsepower: 140 @ 5,100 rpm Torque: 147 lbs.-ft. @ 4,800 rpm Fuel economy, automatic transmission City 29 mpg Highway 36 mpg Curb Weight: 2,897 lbs.  Cordell Koland is an automotive journalist based in California's central coast. He can be reached at cordellkoland@oakparkjournal.com |
