2017 Nissan Sentra NISMO Preview
Competes with: Honda Civic Sport, Hyundai Elantra Sport and Volkswagen Jetta GLI
Looks like: Nissan wants to get serious in the fast compact sedan market
Drivetrain: 188-horsepower, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with six-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmission
Hits dealerships: Early 2017
Starting price: Less than $25,000 without destination, according to Nissan
More 2016 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
CARS.COM — Nissan is looking to spice up its Sentra compact sedan with a version tuned by its high-performance NISMO shop. This isn’t the first time that the company has pumped up the Sentra; the NISMO version comes on the heels of a turbo variant that, frankly, left us a little underwhelmed. The Sentra NISMO will debut this week at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Exterior
It’s easy to tell the difference between a Sentra NISMO and any other variant, as the NISMO wears distinct front, side and rear lower body panels. Up front, there’s a new front-end design with standard LED running lights, a black grille and a NISMO badge.
The rear end gets a spoiler, different exhaust tip and NISMO badges. The Sentra NISMO is also only available in Brilliant Silver, Gun Metallic, Super Black and Aspen White colors.
Interior
Inside, there’s a unique steering wheel, NISMO gauge cluster with red tachometer, a leather shifter knob and NISMO-embroidered carpets; a dark headliner and NISMO logo on the instrument cluster round out the changes. The Sentra NISMO’s cabin is only available in one color: charcoal with red accents.
Under the Hood
The biggest news is in the mechanical department. The Sentra NISMO is powered by a 188-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder. It can be had with either a six-speed manual or CVT. Nissan says the NISMO’s automatic transmission has been tuned for better driving performance.
Nissan also gave the Sentra NISMO an “enhanced body structure” and NISMO tuning to both the steering and suspension. Specifically, the rear suspension gets monotube rear dampers and unique tuning to the front springs and struts, with the overall goal to provide faster damper response.
Finally, in a first for any Sentra, the Sentra NISMO gets 18-inch wheels with all-season tires, though buyers can opt for high performance summer tires at their dealership.
