2023 Nissan Sentra

The 2023 Sentra (B18 generation, a carry-over year before the 2024 update) uses one engine on every trim: the 2.0L naturally aspirated MR20DD four making 149 hp. The volume SV and the range maximum are therefore the same figure, which sits at the bottom of the sedan band.

Peak torque of 146 lb-ft arrives high in the rev range, typical of a naturally aspirated four with no turbo option anywhere in the lineup.

With 149 hp moving roughly 3,000–3,100 lb, the Sentra is among the slowest compact sedans on sale in 2023, behind the Civic, Elantra and Mazda3.

The 2.0L is smooth and lag-free in light around-town driving, but it turns coarse and strained on highway merges and grades, where the CVT holds it near its power peak. That puts it in the lower half of the 'generally smooth with coarse notes under load' band.

The Xtronic CVT with D-Step simulated shifts is acceptably smooth in normal driving but drones more under sustained load than Honda's or Toyota's calibrations. The manual gearbox was dropped with this generation, so no alternative is offered.

Every 2023 Sentra trim is front-wheel drive, and no AWD option is offered, the same as the FWD-only Civic and Elantra.

The Sentra is a single-powertrain car: one 2.0L four, one CVT and front drive on all three trims, with no turbo, hybrid, PHEV, EV or manual. That is a take-it-or-leave-it lineup, against rivals like the Corolla (gas plus hybrid) and Elantra (gas, hybrid, N).

The volume S/SV trims are EPA-rated at 33 MPG combined. The SR, with larger wheels, is 32.

The EPA city rating is 29 MPG for the volume trims.

The EPA highway rating is 39 MPG for the volume trims, which is competitive for a non-hybrid compact.

The 12.4-gallon tank at the EPA 33 MPG combined rating gives about 409 miles, held back by the small tank.

This is the EPA annual fuel cost at 15,000 miles per year on regular gasoline for the volume trim.

Every trim runs on regular unleaded 87 octane, with no premium requirement anywhere in the lineup.

The 2023 Sentra 4-door FWD carries a 5-star NHTSA overall rating; the frontal sub-score is the weak leg at 4 stars because the passenger side rated only 3 stars.

Good in both small-overlap tests, the original moderate-overlap test, roof strength and seats, but the 2023 car earned no IIHS award: it rates Poor in the updated moderate-overlap test (the rear-passenger dummy's head/neck rated Poor) and only Acceptable in the updated side test, where the driver dummy's head struck the window sill.

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

The standard system is Superior vehicle-to-vehicle and Advanced for daytime pedestrians, but only Basic in the nighttime pedestrian test — exactly the adequate-day, weak-night pattern of the middle band.

Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are standard on every trim, and rear automatic braking adds real intervention when reversing; it is alert-only in the blind spot, with no steering/braking correction or safe-exit alert.

The volume SV gets lane departure warning (with Intelligent Lane Intervention on equipped cars) but no lane centering; true centering via ProPILOT Assist is locked to the top SR Premium package, where reviewers find it competent on well-marked highways.

The volume SV includes Intelligent Cruise Control, but the combined steer-and-follow highway assist with stop-and-hold (ProPILOT Assist) is only in the SR Premium package, and the base S has conventional cruise only.

No hands-free driving at any trim; ProPILOT Assist is a hands-on system and ProPILOT Assist 2.x was never offered on the 2023 Sentra.

The volume S and SV trims use halogen reflectors rated Poor, and even 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.

Forward sightlines are clean thanks to a low cowl, but the high beltline, raked rear glass and thick C-pillars limit the rear-quarter view; standard blind-spot warning helps, while the 360° camera is limited to the SR Premium package.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware Good+ — lower anchors sit 0-2 cm deep with low attachment force and wide clearance, tethers easy to find — though the rear seat's compact-class legroom limits it to two car seats in practice.

Standard five-passenger compact sedan layout on S, SV and SR.

Competitive front headroom for the class; the SV/SR Premium moonroof reduces it.

Generous front legroom, at the top of the sedan band.

The fastback-style roofline makes rear headroom merely average; reviewers note taller passengers brush the headliner.

Rear legroom is typical for a compact sedan, well short of Civic/Elantra-class stretch-out space in absolute terms.

Trunk is class-typical — larger than Corolla/Mazda3 sedan, smaller than Civic and Elantra.

Conventional console bin, door pockets and cupholders with 60/40 split-fold rear seat; nothing clever, but competitive everyday storage.

Nissan's Zero Gravity front seats are standard and widely praised; the rear bench is also cited as plush, though power adjustment arrives only with Premium packages.

Independent multi-link rear suspension gives a comfortable, well-damped ride that absorbs bumps; SR's 18-inch wheels firm it up.

Calm at a cruise but road noise and CVT/engine drone under acceleration make it slightly noisier than average on the highway.

Manual climate on S; heated seats, heated wheel, dual-zone auto climate and remote start are package extras on SV and SR — no ventilated seats or rear vents highlighted.

The 2023 Sentra S held its 2022 price of $19,950 before destination, keeping the Sentra among the cheapest compact sedans on sale that year and under a Corolla L, Civic LX and Elantra SE.

The SV is the volume trim, adding the new-for-2023 8-inch touchscreen, SiriusXM and extra USB ports; at about $22,300 delivered it undercuts volume Corolla, Civic and Elantra trims by roughly $1,500–3,000.

The naturally aspirated 2.0L four is cheap to service, and routine costs sit a little below the compact-car average; the Xtronic CVT is the out-of-warranty cost risk that keeps it behind the Corolla. Sources disagree widely, so a mid-range estimate consistent with how the rest of the fleet is valued is used.

The 2023 Sentra has held value reasonably through its first three years thanks to the tight 2023 used market, but heavy fleet/rental volume and Nissan CVT wariness keep projected five-year residuals well below Corolla and Civic.

Nissan's New Vehicle Limited Warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles — the segment floor, matching Toyota and Honda and half of Hyundai/Kia's term.

Powertrain coverage (including the CVT) runs 5 years / 60,000 miles, the segment minimum, versus Hyundai/Kia's 10 years / 100,000 miles.

No complimentary scheduled maintenance is included (no ToyotaCare or Hyundai-style plan); owners get roadside assistance for the 3-yr/36k basic term and a NissanConnect services trial on SV/SR, which is the 'basic roadside only' band.

$22,265 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (50% retained, or about $11,133) leaves about $11,133 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $15,733 in total.

The 2023 Sentra is a carry-over fourth year of the B18 generation (on sale since MY2020; the refresh arrived for 2024), so it benefits from three years of sorted production. J.D. Power places it in its 'Great' quality & reliability band and owner feedback is mostly positive, with the Xtronic CVT's low-speed behaviour and fluid-service sensitivity the recurring caveat — solid-average for a mainstream compact, short of the Corolla/Civic benchmarks.

Nissan is a mid-pack-to-lower-half dependability brand: it trails Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Mazda and the Korean brands in Consumer Reports rankings and was the lowest-ranked Japanese brand, though J.D. Power's 2023 VDS flagged it among the three most-improved brands. The 2013-2018 CVT failure legacy still weighs on its long-term record.

MY2023 itself is unusually clean — a single campaign, and a tiny one — because the generation's earlier tie-rod and rear-camera defects were engineered out before 2023 production. The generation as a whole still carries two tie-rod steering recalls, and CVT judder/reflash bulletins are a recurring Nissan TSB theme, which keeps it out of the top band.

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

The B18 Sentra's cabin is a bright spot for the price: reviewers repeatedly 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 areas.

Assembly is unremarkable but not problem-prone: no widespread rattle, squeak or panel-gap complaint pattern attaches to the 2023 car, and a mature fourth production year helps consistency. Nissan lands near industry average in initial quality rather than at the Honda/Toyota top of the class; the 2022 cowl-seal recall hints at occasional assembly slips.

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 placement is mid-pack, well behind Toyota and Honda, which caps the score.

A decades-old, 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 one tail risk keeping it out of the top band.

The 2023 update moved SV and SR to an 8-inch screen; S keeps a 7-inch unit. Small by segment standards.

Simple, logical system with physical knobs and climate buttons, but the small, dated-looking screen and modest graphics trail Civic and Elantra.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard on every trim but wired only; wireless projection was not offered for 2023.

Voice is handled via Siri Eyes Free / Google Assistant pass-through; no native navigation is offered on the 2023 Sentra, so owners rely on phone projection.

Four speakers on S, six on the volume SV; an eight-speaker Bose system is confined to the SR Premium Package.

Analog speedometer and tachometer flank a 7-inch Advanced Drive-Assist Display on SV/SR (4.2-inch on S) — partial digital, no full-digital option.

No over-the-air software updates are advertised for the B18 Sentra's head unit or vehicle systems; updates are dealer-performed.

NissanConnect Services (app remote lock/start, locate) comes only with the SR Premium Package and is subscription-based after a trial; the volume SV lacks connected services.

SV has one front USB-C plus one USB-A charge port in the console; no rear USB or wireless charging highlighted on the volume trim.

Intelligent Key proximity entry and push-button start on SV and SR; remote start optional on SV, standard on SR, unavailable on S; no phone-as-key.

Rear camera and Rear Automatic Braking are standard; Intelligent Around View Monitor is limited to the SR Premium Package and no automated parking is offered.

No head-up display is offered on any 2023 Sentra trim.

Easy-access LATCH hardware (IIHS G+) and a usable rear seat suit child seats, but sedan door openings, sloping roof and a 14.3 cu ft trunk limit stroller-and-gear logistics.

Safety Shield 360 and newly standard Intelligent FCW on every trim is strong for the price, but NHTSA frontal is 4 stars and IIHS updated moderate overlap rates Poor for the rear passenger.

Plush Zero Gravity seats front and rear help, but there are no rear vents or rear USB highlighted and the trunk is only class-average for four people's luggage.

Light steering, smooth CVT in traffic and comfortable seats make it an easy commuter; the engine gets strained only when pushed.

33 MPG combined on regular fuel is decent but trails Civic, Corolla and Elantra, and no hybrid is offered.

Compact 182.7-in footprint is easy to place, but the ~38-ft turning circle is wide for the class and surround view is SR-Premium-only.

No tow rating and a small trunk; not a work vehicle.

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

No onboard power outlets, tie-downs or upfit ecosystem beyond a split-folding rear seat.

Zero Gravity seats and ~409-mile range are real strengths, but above-average highway noise and ProPILOT Assist only on SR Premium (SV gets Intelligent Cruise) limit it.

FWD-only low-slung sedan with no tow rating or roof rails; pavement-bound.

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

Independent rear suspension and low center of gravity give secure, tidy handling, but reviewers call it competent rather than engaging next to Civic and Mazda3.

Light and quick with decent heft on center but little feedback.

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

The CVT is smooth in daily driving but rubber-bands and drones when pushed, and the 149-hp engine feels strained at highway merges.

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

Wider turning circle than most compact sedans.

Supportive seat, tilt/telescope wheel and simple physical climate and audio controls; manual seat adjustment on the volume SV and thick rear pillars are minor drawbacks.

Pleasant and tidy but the leisurely CVT powertrain makes it appliance-like; the SR adds looks, not performance.

Every 2023 Sentra gets Safety Shield 360 (front and rear automatic braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, high beam assist) plus the new standard Intelligent Forward Collision Warning; the SV adds an 8-inch touchscreen, SiriusXM and extra USB ports. Competitive, though the S still makes do with a 7-inch screen and steel wheels.

At $21,045–$23,935 delivered the Sentra undercuts every major compact rival trim for trim with a comfortable, roomy cabin, but its 149-hp 2.0L/CVT gives up performance to Civic and Elantra N Line, and there's no hybrid to match Corolla/Elantra efficiency.

Three trims (S, SV, SR) plus an SR Midnight Edition package, one engine, one CVT and front-wheel drive only — a narrow ladder with no performance, hybrid, manual or AWD options versus Civic's and Elantra's broader lineups.

Sentra sales jumped about 42% in calendar 2023 to roughly 153,000 units as supply recovered, putting it behind only the Corolla and Civic among compact sedans and ahead of the Elantra — though much of the volume is fleet/rental.

Nissan's mainstream image is neutral-to-weak in 2023, weighed down by CVT reliability reputation and a rental-fleet association that also drags on resale; it lacks the loyal following of Toyota or Honda.

After a supply-constrained start to 2023, Nissan returned to being one of the most incentive-heavy brands, and Sentra cash-back and subsidized financing were routinely available through the second half of the model year.

The 2023 model is the fourth model year of the B18 generation that launched for 2020 — solidly mid-cycle, with 2023 adding only equipment tweaks and a mid-cycle refresh arriving for 2024; buyers faced some near-term styling-refresh risk.

Reviewers praise the comfortable Zero Gravity seats, ride and standard safety tech but consistently rank the Sentra mid-to-lower pack behind Civic, Mazda3, Corolla and Elantra for driving refinement and powertrain; it earns no major awards or comparison-test wins.