2024 Nissan Sentra

When it comes to high-value transportation that ticks the boxes for reliability, safety, and affordability, the Nissan Sentra has ranked highly. But it's never been a car that inspires any sort of emotion when driven, and it's arguably viewed by most as a functional piece of equipment - especially against the likes of Honda's Civic and the fun-to-drive Mazda 3 Sedan. But Nissan has done some things right with the Sentra, and with a few tweaks to its looks, a (hopefully) better Xtronic CVT under the hood paired with the same 149-horsepower engine, and the benefit of even more impressive gas mileage figures, the 2024 Nissan Sentra will appeal to many who don't want to - or need to - fork over chunks of cash. What it does well should be enough for those who see their daily commute as something to get out of the way, and that's not something to sniff at - not everyone sees the school run as an opportunity to achieve a personal best lap time. So what does the Sentra have to offer?

While the price of the refreshed 2024 Nissan Sentra hasn't been made available yet, it's likely to be just a little higher than the outgoing model. The MSRP for the Nissan Sentra in 2023 spec started at $20,050 for the base S trim, and $21,270 for the SV. The sportier SR had a starting price of $22,940. We expect a marginal increase, with the starting price for the entry-level model being between $21k and $22k, excluding destination charges of around $1,095.

The new Nissan Sentra sedan, like the models before it, is designed to provide reliable commuting that doesn't add to your stress. It's never going to be thrilling or exciting, but it's not a chore to pilot, either. It feels solid and handles competently when driven in an urban environment, and it will soak up most minor road abrasions without getting unsettled. The 2024 Sentra gets the benefit of a new Xtronic CVT paired to the inline-four engine, which will hopefully be less noisy and more responsive than the outgoing unit. The Sentra sedan is never going to roar up hills or cruise past slower cars, but it will go where you point it without a fuss. Steering is precise but not particularly feelseome, and it will be a little wallowy if you try to take some corners at speed. Drive it in its natural habitat - general city commutes - and it'll draw little attention to itself.

Excellent fuel economy and a good safety review make the Nissan Sentra even more appealing in 2024 - as a family commuter, that is. The Nissan sedan competes in a segment where expectations are primarily focused on affordability, reliability, and the peace of mind that you'll arrive in one piece at the end of your journey. In all these metrics, the 2024 Sentra excels. With the updates for 2024, your gas bills are also likely to be lower than before. Still, the changes haven't done much to make the Sentra more exciting to drive, and in a class where the Honda Civic and Mazda 3 are not too much more expensive, it'll only really appeal to those who see a car as an appliance. If your expectations are limited to that, you'll be happy with your purchase. For everyone else, Honda and Mazda rivals will serve you better.

There will likely be two types of buyers here, with the first drawn in by the price of the new Nissan Sentra. Those who want the cheapest car will have little reason to opt higher than the base model - and they'll be happy to know these models still come with cruise control, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, a rearview monitor, emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot warning, rear-cross traffic alert, and more. The second type of buyer will want to get the most from their Sentra, and will likely opt for the sportily-styled SR. Unfortunately, with no increase in power and no tuning to the chassis - and at a similar cost to the Honda Civic - they might be spending more than they should.