All about affordability, the 2019 Nissan Sentra S is a smart choice for buyers seeking an economic but reliable used car for driving around town. Featuring a honeycomb grille with a metal V-frame, its design leans towards sporty and aerodynamic, enhanced by halogen headlights.
Safe and Practical
With a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5.0, it ranks fourteenth in the compact segment. Among the more sensible compact cars, it’s straightforward to drive, with a smooth and comfortable ride, particularly in urban areas. Its user-friendly controls are intuitive, with no need to navigate hi-tech interfaces.
Overall, the 2019 Nissan Sentra S has a great safety track record. Rated as Good in almost every category for 2019, the IIHS ranked its 2018 predecessor as a Top Safety Pick. Optional safety features include adaptive cruise control and a blind-spot monitor with a rear cross-traffic alert.
Sized for Comfort
Designed to provide more comfortable drives for shorter people, the height-adjustable driver’s seat sits well above street level. At the same time, wide-view windows ensure better all-round visibility.
Although its wheelbase is a regular 2,700 mm, the Nissan Sentra is slightly larger than the average compact sedan: 1,760 mm wide, 4,625 mm long. With an unusual height of 1,496 mm, it ensures ample legroom and headroom for five people, seated comfortably on six-way manual-adjustable seats upholstered in standard cloth. Its large doors offer easy access for passengers of any size.
Keeping manufacturing costs low, the 2019 Nissan Sentra S comes in a single interior colour scheme – charcoal – with a plastic dashboard and panelling. Although the clean lines of the front cabin impose constraints on cubby space, door pockets are large, with a spacious glove compartment in front of the passenger seat.
Unexpected Benefits of the 2019 Nissan Sentra S
In addition to its roomy interior, another advantage of this no-frills compact sedan is its huge trunk. Rivalling the carrying capacity of a far larger vehicle, its broad rear accommodates a generous fifteen cubic feet of trunk space – more than enough to hold sports and camping gear for the whole family. This capacity is expanded instantly by 60/40 split-folding rear seats.
Other standard features include keyless entry, air-conditioning, front-wheel drive, cruise control, automatic headlights, a tilt-and-telescope steering column, a trip computer, automatic emergency braking for imminent front collisions. and sixteen-inch steel wheels.
Warranties and Durability
With proper maintenance and care, a 2019 Nissan Sentra S can last up to fifteen years or 200,000 kilometres, despite Canada’s harsh climate.
On the financial side, major advantages include average annual repair costs of under $500, keeping ownership costs low, with major repairs uncommon. The powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 kilometres, with a limited warranty of three years or 36,000 kilometres.
Under the Hood
This bottom-rung compact sedan has a 1.8 litre four-cylinder engine that pumps out 130 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque. Perhaps due partly to its lighter weight (1,293 kilogrammes), its highway fuel consumption is a budget-friendly 6.3 litres/100 kilometres.
It also offers the option of either a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for added fuel efficiency, or a six-speed manual transmission (plus a rear-view camera) for a spicier drive.
Easy-To-Use Tech
Its down-to-earth infotainment system includes a standard 7” touchscreen display, AM/FM radio with a four-speaker stereo system, a USB port, Bluetooth call and audio streaming, and auxiliary audio input. More modern options (like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) are not available for this entry-level trim.
A quiet and comfortable ride when driven with care at regular speeds around town, the Nissan Sentra has built up a reputation as a sensible and reliable ride over seven previous generations. First launched in 2013, its reasonable price of well under $20,000 has kept sales high for almost a decade.
