2022 Nissan Sentra

The 2022 Sentra is a carry-over year for the B18 generation that launched for 2020. It has one engine on every trim, a naturally aspirated 2.0L four making 149 hp, which sits near the bottom of the sedan band.

The same 2.0L makes 146 lb-ft, which is modest for the class.

Slow for the segment. The engine and CVT are unchanged from 2020 through 2023, so tests of adjacent B18 years apply directly, and the midpoint is used.

It is quiet and smooth at a cruise, but the 2.0L sounds strained and buzzy under hard throttle and has little midrange for passing.

The Xtronic CVT is smooth and simulates stepped shifts, but it drones and flares under heavy throttle.

Every 2022 trim is front-wheel drive only; AWD is not offered.

There is only one powertrain, a 2.0L with a CVT and FWD, and no turbo, hybrid or electrified option. The 2022 Corolla and Elantra both offered hybrids.

Competitive economy for a non-hybrid compact sedan on the volume S/SV trims.

29 MPG city for the volume S/SV trims.

A strong highway figure for a gas compact.

The small tank limits range even though economy is good.

Low running cost on regular fuel at EPA's current price basis.

Every trim runs on regular unleaded.

The 2022 Sentra 4-door FWD (B18 generation, a carry-over year) has a 5-star NHTSA overall rating. Frontal is the weaker score at 4 stars, because the passenger side rated only 3.

The 2022 Sentra earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick (not TSP+). It rated Good in both small-overlap tests, the original moderate-overlap and side tests, roof strength and seats, but the award applies only with the SR Premium's Acceptable headlights. It also rates Poor in the later updated moderate-overlap test (rear passenger), which applies to 2022, and Acceptable in the updated side test, so it sits below the 2021's score.

Nissan Safety Shield 360 is standard on every 2022 trim including the base S. It covers AEB with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and high-beam assist. Adaptive cruise is missing on the S (standard from SV), and lane centering via ProPILOT Assist is reserved for the SR Premium package.

The standard system rates Superior vehicle-to-vehicle and Advanced for daytime pedestrians, but only Basic in the nighttime pedestrian test. That is the middle band's pattern of adequate daytime performance and weak night results.

Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are standard on every trim, and standard rear automatic braking adds real intervention when reversing. The blind-spot system only alerts: it does no steering or braking correction and has no safe-exit alert.

Lane departure warning is standard, but the volume SV has no lane centering. ProPILOT Assist steer assist comes only in the top SR Premium package, where reviewers find it competent on well-marked highways.

The volume SV includes Intelligent Cruise Control, a capable radar ACC. The combined steer-and-follow highway assist (ProPILOT Assist) is limited to the SR Premium package, and the base S has conventional cruise only.

No 2022 Sentra offers hands-free driving. ProPILOT Assist is a hands-on system, and the hands-off ProPILOT Assist 2.0 was never offered on the Sentra.

The volume S and SV halogen reflectors and the SR's LED reflectors rate Poor. Only the SR Premium's LED projectors reach Acceptable. High-beam assist is standard, but no configuration earns Good.

A low cowl gives clean forward sightlines, but the high beltline, raked rear glass and thick C-pillars limit the rear-quarter view. Standard blind-spot warning helps, and the Intelligent Around View Monitor is available only on upper trims.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware Good+, with easily reached lower anchors and tethers. Compact-class rear legroom limits the car to two car seats in practice.

Every 2022 trim (S, SV and SR) seats five, the usual compact-sedan layout.

Front headroom is competitive for the class. The moonroof in the SV and SR Premium packages reduces it. The 2022 model is a carry-over year of the B18 body launched for 2020.

Front legroom is generous and sits at the top of the sedan band.

The fastback-style roofline makes rear headroom only average, and taller riders brush the headliner.

Rear legroom is typical for a compact sedan and well short of the Civic and Elantra.

The trunk is class-typical. It is larger than the Corolla's and the Mazda3 sedan's, but smaller than the Civic's and the Elantra's.

Storage is conventional: a console bin, door pockets and cupholders, plus a 60/40 split-folding rear seat. Nothing is clever, but everyday storage is competitive.

Nissan's Zero Gravity front seats are standard and widely praised, and the rear bench is plush. The volume SV has manual seat adjustment; a 6-way power driver's seat comes only with the Premium packages.

The independent multi-link rear suspension gives a comfortable, well-damped ride. The SR's 18-inch wheels firm it up.

The cabin is calm at a cruise. Road noise, plus engine and CVT drone under acceleration, make it a little noisier than average on the highway.

The S has manual climate control. Heated seats, a heated wheel, dual-zone automatic climate and remote start are package extras: the new All-Weather package ($590) on the SV and the Premium package on the SR. Ventilated seats and rear vents are not offered.

The 2022 Sentra S started at $19,510 before destination, one of the lowest entry prices among compact sedans that year and below a Corolla L, Civic LX or Elantra SE.

The SV is the volume trim. At about $22,000 delivered it undercuts the volume trims of the Corolla, Civic and Elantra by roughly $1,500–3,000.

The naturally aspirated 2.0L four is cheap to service, and routine costs are a little below the compact-car average. The Xtronic CVT is the out-of-warranty risk. Because the sources disagree widely, this uses a mid-range estimate that matches how the rest of the B18 Sentra years are valued.

The 2022 Sentra held its value fairly well thanks to the pandemic-era used-car shortage. Heavy fleet and rental volume and wariness about Nissan's CVT still keep its five-year residuals well below the Corolla and Civic.

Nissan's New Vehicle Limited Warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles. That is the segment floor: it matches Toyota and Honda and is shorter than Hyundai and Kia's 5 years.

Powertrain coverage, including the CVT, runs 5 years or 60,000 miles. That is the segment minimum, compared with Hyundai and Kia's 10 years or 100,000 miles.

No complimentary scheduled maintenance is included. Owners get roadside assistance for the 3-year/36,000-mile basic term and a NissanConnect trial on equipped trims, which puts it in the 'basic roadside only' band.

$22,055 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (50% retained, or about $11,028) leaves about $11,028 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $15,628 in total.

The 2022 Sentra is the third, carry-over year of the B18 generation (launched MY2020; refresh came for 2024), with the sole 2.0L/CVT powertrain unchanged. J.D. Power rates it 84/100 'Great' for quality & reliability and third-party indexes land it in the 'Good' band — solid average for a mainstream compact, below Corolla/Civic benchmarks because of the Xtronic CVT caveat.

Nissan sits mid-pack to lower-half in dependability: roughly 12th of 22 in Consumer Reports brand rankings and the lowest-ranked Japanese brand, and outside the leaders (Kia, Buick, Hyundai, Toyota) in J.D. Power's 2022 VDS. The 2013-2018 CVT failure legacy still weighs on its multi-year record; the notable VDS improvement came only in 2023.

MY2022 carries two campaigns: the large tie-rod bending recall (a steering-linkage defect covering 2020-2022) and a tiny cowl-seal water-leak recall. Neither is powertrain or fire related, but a generation-wide steering recall plus the familiar Nissan CVT judder/reflash TSB pattern places it at typical-to-slightly-busy activity, below the cleaner 2023.

The 2.0L MR20DD four is a low-stress engine with no significant durability red flag, but it drives through Nissan's Xtronic CVT, which carries the weakest longevity reputation among mainstream compact transmissions. Current-generation units are much improved over the 2013-2018 population, yet owners still report low-speed judder and stress ~30k-mile fluid service.

The B18 Sentra's cabin is a highlight for the price: reviewers praise its material selection, available quilted leatherette on SR/SV premium packages and solid switchgear, ahead of the plastic-heavy Corolla and Elantra, while base S trims use expected hard plastics in low-touch zones.

Assembly is generally solid with no widespread rattle, squeak or panel-gap complaint pattern, but the 2022-only cowl-seal recall is a concrete assembly slip on this exact model year, and Nissan sits near industry average rather than at the Honda/Toyota top of the class in initial quality.

Nissan runs one of the larger US franchised networks, broadly comparable to Honda's in dealer count, so service access is easy almost everywhere. Service satisfaction is mid-pack, behind Toyota and Honda, which caps the score.

A high-volume US compact with component sharing across Nissan's MR-engine/Xtronic lineup, so OEM and aftermarket parts are cheap, widely stocked and any independent shop can service it. The CVT's four-figure replacement cost is the tail risk keeping it out of the top band.

The volume S and SV use a 7-inch touchscreen, and the 8-inch floating screen is limited to the SR and its packages. The 2023 update made 8 inches standard on the SV.

The system is simple and logical, with physical knobs and climate buttons. The small 7-inch screen on the volume trims and its dated graphics trail the Civic and Elantra.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every trim, but wired only. Wireless projection did not arrive until the next-generation 2026 Sentra.

Voice control works through Siri Eyes Free and Google Assistant pass-through. No factory navigation is offered, so owners rely on phone projection.

The S has four speakers and the volume SV has six. An eight-speaker Bose system is limited to the SR Premium Package.

Analog gauges flank a small driver display: 4.2 inches on the S, and 7 inches paired with the 8-inch screen on upper configurations. The volume SV's cluster is only partly digital, and no full-digital cluster is offered.

Over-the-air software updates are not advertised for the B18 Sentra's head unit or vehicle systems; updates are done by dealers.

NissanConnect Services, including the Wi-Fi hotspot and app-based remote functions, comes only with the SR Premium Package and requires a subscription after the trial. The volume SV has no connected services.

The SV and SR have front USB-A and USB-C ports plus a rear USB-A charge-only port. Wireless charging and AC outlets are not offered on the volume trim.

The SV and SR have Intelligent Key proximity entry and push-button start. Remote start comes with the SV All-Weather package and the SR, and is unavailable on the S. There is no phone-as-key.

A rear camera and Rear Automatic Braking are standard. The Intelligent Around View Monitor comes only with the SR Premium Package, and no automated parking is offered.

No 2022 Sentra trim offers a head-up display.

LATCH hardware is easy to use (IIHS Good+) and the rear seat takes child seats well. Sedan door openings, the sloping roof and a 14.3 cu ft trunk limit stroller-and-gear logistics.

Safety Shield 360 is standard on every trim, which is strong for the price. However, NHTSA rates frontal protection 4 stars (3 for the passenger), IIHS rates the updated moderate-overlap rear-passenger test Poor, and only some headlights are acceptable.

Plush Zero Gravity seats front and rear help. There are no rear vents, rear USB is limited to one charge-only port on the SV and SR, and the trunk is only class-average.

Light steering, a smooth CVT in traffic and comfortable seats make it an easy commuter. The engine strains only when pushed.

It returns 33 MPG combined on regular fuel. That is decent, but it trails the Civic, Corolla and Elantra, and no hybrid is offered.

The compact 182.7-inch footprint is easy to place, but the roughly 38-foot turning circle is wide for the class and the surround-view camera comes only with the SR Premium package.

It has no tow rating and a small trunk, so it is not a work vehicle.

It is widely used in rental and fleet service, but concerns about Xtronic CVT durability and a light-duty chassis make it unsuited to hard use.

Beyond a split-folding rear seat, there are no onboard power outlets, tie-downs or upfit options.

The Zero Gravity seats and roughly 409-mile range are real strengths. Above-average highway noise holds it back, and ProPILOT Assist comes only with the SR Premium package (the SV gets Intelligent Cruise).

It is a low-slung, front-wheel-drive-only sedan with no tow rating or roof rails, so it is pavement-bound.

The 60/40 split-folding rear seat extends the 14.3 cu ft trunk, but the sedan trunk opening and the lack of rails or a hitch restrict bulky gear.

The independent rear suspension and low center of gravity give secure, tidy handling. Reviewers call it competent rather than engaging next to the Civic and Mazda3, and Cars.com lists handling as a drawback.

The steering is light and quick, with decent on-center heft but little feedback.

Four-wheel disc brakes give a firm, confidence-inspiring pedal for the class.

The CVT is smooth in daily driving, but it feels rubber-bandy and drones when pushed, and the 149-hp engine strains on highway merges.

The 2.0L gets loud and coarse under hard acceleration, with CVT drone. It is quiet enough at a steady cruise.

The turning circle is wider than most compact sedans'.

It has a supportive seat, a tilt/telescoping wheel and simple physical climate and audio controls. The volume SV's manual seat adjustment and the thick rear pillars are minor drawbacks, and Cars.com cites forward visibility as a con.

It is pleasant and tidy, but the leisurely CVT powertrain makes it feel like an appliance. The SR adds looks, not performance.

Every 2022 Sentra gets Safety Shield 360 as standard: front and rear automatic braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and high beam assist. The SV adds an 8-inch touchscreen, dual-zone climate, alloys and ProPILOT Assist. The equipment is competitive, but the S still has a 7-inch screen and steel wheels.

At $20,535–$23,725 delivered, the Sentra undercuts every major compact rival trim for trim and offers a comfortable, roomy cabin. Its 149-hp 2.0L and CVT give up performance to the Civic and Elantra, though, and there's no hybrid to match the Corolla's or Elantra's efficiency.

The lineup has three trims (S, SV, SR) with Midnight Edition and All-Weather packages, one engine, a CVT and front-wheel drive only. The manual was dropped with the B18 generation. That makes a narrow ladder with no performance, hybrid, manual or AWD option, versus the broader Civic and Elantra lineups.

Constrained by chip shortages, Sentra sales fell to roughly 108,000 units in calendar 2022 as Nissan's US volume dropped 25%. It was still one of the top-selling compact sedans behind the Corolla and Civic, but it was losing ground rather than rising.

In 2022 Nissan's mainstream image was neutral to weak. Its reputation for CVT reliability problems and its association with rental fleets hurt it, and that also pulls down resale. It lacks the loyal following of Toyota or Honda.

The 2022 model year sold during the peak of the chip-shortage inventory crunch. Incentives industry-wide fell to record lows and many dealers charged at or above MSRP. Nissan still offered occasional modest financing and cash deals on the Sentra, more than Toyota or Honda did.

2022 is the third model year of the B18 generation that launched for 2020. Its platform and safety tech are still current, and changes for 2022 were limited to new packages. A mid-cycle refresh was due for 2024.

Reviewers praise the comfortable Zero Gravity seats, the ride and the standard safety tech. They consistently rank the Sentra mid-to-lower pack behind the Civic (the 2022 North American Car of the Year), Mazda3, Corolla and Elantra for driving refinement and powertrain, and it won no major awards or comparison tests.