2013 Nissan Sentra Review

Dubai, UAE - 2013 Nissan Sentra enters a highly competitive segment of compact sedans and it faces tough competition from 24 models of various brands, including Nissan Sunny! So why launch Sentra when you already have Sunny? 

With Sunny, the focus is solely on economical, value for money car with a no-frills attitude, price starting from 45,500 AED.

With Sentra, the offering is slightly more ambitious, with more interior updates and comfort features added to an economical, value for money car. So Sentra basically fills the gap between extreme value buyers and buyers who will buy a larger segment car, like an Altima. Hence the prices start from 57,500 AED and go upto 81,000 AED for the full options model. 

Nissan claims the gap between extreme value buyers and bigger sedan buyers is big enough to merit a new launch like Sentra. Given the significant expatriate population in UAE and Saudi Arabia, most of whom are deal buyers, it seems like a calculated risk. The competition, however is fierce and every interior feature will be scrutinized to find out who wins this battle. 

Our first drive of Nissan Sentra started at Al Badia Golf Course. We drove south towards Motor City for some snacks and photo sessions, followed by a drive to the opulent Kempinsky Hotel in Palm Jumeirah for afternoon tea. We got to drive the mid-range 1.8L SV trim which is probably what a lot of people might opt for, given it's mid-range pricing and decent interior updates. 

First Impression:

The drive is quite smooth in city as well as highways, with easy going power steering and the improved CVT engine making it's presence felt. However, since this is a small engine, the acceleration lags and you hear the engine struggling to keep up. For people who need to go from point A to point B in a practical, economical car, this should not be a big issue. For performance oriented folks, they will need a bigger engine size altogether. Handling is reasonably well, fuel economy was recorded at 8.0 L / 100 km. 

On the interior side, there is significant rear leg room which immediately stands out. This is a great plus point over other competitors. The trunk space is also among the best in class at 510 liters which further enhances it's standing among rivals. Finally there are rear A/C vents as well in even the base models which is quite rare among compact sedans. Then there are the usual suspects, like drive computer control on steering wheel, power windows, power seats, etc. Also there is hardly any cheap plastic and lots of soft touch material which is a celebrated addition. 

Initial Verdict

Nissan edges the Korean and American competition by it's reputation for reliability. Even if it falls short of a few features and options compared to other compact sedans, the target buyer for Sentra will be most concerned about resale value and cost of maintenance. Yes, options will be very important as well, however any shortcomings in options will be readily overcome by the reputation of reliability and resale value. Compared to Japanese competitors, the battle will be on interiors and Sentra seems well placed to fight it out. 

Check Out

- 2013 Nissan Sentra Prices, Specs and Options

- 2013 Nissan Sentra Launch Report