Power-Up: Nissan Sentra Nismo Green Lit

Nissan's new Sentra Nismo seeks to take on competitors such as the Focus RS and establish itself as a more interesting player in the compact car segment.

Recently, Nissan announced plans that they were going to being producing a turbocharged version of their popular Sentra sedan. This extra bump in power was much needed, as the 138 horsepower put out by the standard 1.8-liter engine is often considered to be middling. Especially when paired to the Sentra’s CVT. The SR Turbo Sentra uses the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine from the Juke and makes an additional 50 horsepower and 49 pound-feet of torque (pushing that figure up to 177). Better numbers overall, but what will likely excite people even more is the Nismo model that will be coming to market next year. Will it finally offer the performance and driving dynamics individuals have been craving in a small Nissan sedan?

Center Stage

Unveiled during the L.A. Auto Show, the Nissan Sentra Nismo will be the first full-on application of the Nismo performance label in the United States. Elsewhere, Nismo has been applied to the 370Z and GT-R sports cars and on the Juke. Exterior styling has been tweaked front and rear to suit the new Sentra’s more performance-oriented demeanor, and the standard 18-inch wheels are the largest ever offered on a Sentra sedan. Nissan plans to take on other compact performance cars with the Sentra Nismo, such as the Ford Focus ST and upcoming versions of the Honda Civic. This is a good thing, as more diversity seems to lead to more creativity. Perhaps more manufacturers will follow suit with new upgraded performance models of their own (*cough cough* Cruze SS *cough*).

Under the Skin

Under the hood of the Sentra Nismo is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 188 horsepower and 177 pound feet of torque.

Powering the upcoming Sentra Nismo will be the same 1.6-liter turbo found under the SR Turbo model. That’s somewhat a bummer, as I expected horsepower output to be increased at least somewhat. With some modifications, however, I imagine the car could surpass 200 horsepower and really begin to put a smile on some buyers’ faces. Other notable mechanical upgrades the Sentra Nismo will receive are increased body rigidity and suspension and steering tuning to compensate for more spirited driving. Note: The previously mentioned new SR Turbo model already received stiffer front springs and stiffer front and rear dampers as upgrades. So, these Nismo upgrades are on top of those ones that were already applied. Therefore, I would expect quite a stiff ride out of the Sentra Nismo. But then again, the potential gains in performance and handling may offset that. I imagine that the CVT and manual transmission options may both carryover (though a manual would be preferred for most on a Nismo I’m sure). On the interior, one will find new performance seats, carbon fiber-style instrument panel inserts, Nismo badging, Alcantara and suede accents, along with other trim-specific materials.

From the looks of it, this interior on the Sentra Nismo is much improved over the base models of the Sentra. I approve.

Nissan says that Sentra sales are up, and that they’re looking to grow in this performance segment. Who knows, this just may be the model to do it for them. What are your impressions? Look for the Nissan Sentra Nismo to release with a price tag of less than $25,000 in January 2017.

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