The 2023 Sentra delivers on the most important aspects for a small sedan. It's stylish, comfortable and well stocked with features. Its performance is unremarkable, but otherwise the Sentra is a pretty solid choice, especially if safety and value are top priorities for you.
The 2023 Nissan Sentra is a tempting option among small and affordable sedans. As is the case with many cars in this class, the Sentra delivers a lot of features for the money and is loaded with up-to-date safety tech. Unfortunately, it's held back by a rather weak engine, an outdated infotainment system and longer-than-average braking distances.
We would love to say these issues will be addressed in the 2023 model year, but the Sentra returns unchanged for 2023. As a result, we're confident you'd be better served by the Honda Civic, Kia Forte or Hyundai Elantra that are all ranked higher than the Sentra. These alternatives have their own faults, but they're much more forgivable, as noted in our Expert Rating of the Sentra below.
We drove the 2023 Nissan Sentra on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.
Performance
6.5/10
How does the Sentra drive? Acceleration is not bad off the line, but the Sentra loses vigor as you gain speed. We measured a 0-60 mph time of 8.8 seconds. That's a little below average for the small sedan class but similar to other slowish cars such as the Kia Forte and Toyota Corolla. In routine driving, the Sentra's continuously variable automatic transmission is smooth and unobtrusive. But it doesn't provide much engine braking effect when you lift off the gas, so you might find yourself needing to use a little more of the brakes than you might expect when slowing down.
The brake pedal is smooth and easy to control in casual use. Emergency braking performance, however, is subpar. Our test Sentra needed 131 feet to stop from 60 mph. For context, the segment average is about 123 feet. Steering and handling are unremarkable but should suffice for the average owner for everyday use.
Comfort
7.5/10
How comfortable is the Sentra? Comfort is one of the Sentra's stronger attributes. The ride is very composed and easily smooths out road imperfections. This softness, though, can make the Sentra feel floaty at higher speeds. Road noise is ever present but never intrusive, and it's nothing the stereo can't easily cover.
The front seats have decent cushioning and support. The best seats in the house are shockingly found in the rear. They're plush, comfortable and accommodating for two average-size adults. The climate control system is not particularly powerful, but air flow coverage from the vents is good. Our test car did not have rear air vents, but that's typical for this class.
Interior
7.5/10
How’s the interior? The controls are easily accessible for both driver and passenger and are simple to understand whether tuning the radio or adjusting the climate control. The 8-inch touchscreen is equally easy to read and use.
There's plenty of interior room for front occupants. Rear legroom is among the most generous in the segment. Most drivers will find it easy to settle into a comfortable driving position thanks to the decent range of adjustments that come from the seat and steering wheel. Visibility is quite good to the front and sides, but the thick rear roof pillars and sloped rear window impede over-the-shoulder and rear visibility.
Technology
7.5/10
How’s the tech? The Sentra comes with many standard safety features and driver aids. Adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree parking camera system are still options, but overall Nissan's standard safety suite is pretty generous. We did, however, experience some glitches with the backup camera and one false alarm with the forward collision warning system in our test car.
The infotainment system is a little slow to respond and the graphics look dated, but you do get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration as standard. Nissan does not offer an onboard navigation system.
Storage
7.5/10
How’s the storage? The Sentra's 14.3 cubic feet of trunk space is better than average for a small sedan. The 60/40-split rear seats fold down to help accommodate longer cargo items. But the only release is from the rear seat; there aren't any releases in the trunk. Also the seats don't fold completely flat, which can make loading longer objects, like a flat-screen TV, more of a hassle.
There's sufficient interior storage for small items, cups and bottles, although others including the Honda Civic and Volkswagen Jetta do this better. There's also a good amount of child seat space, but you might find the cushions make access a bit tight to car seat anchors.
Fuel Economy
6.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? The Sentra achieves an EPA-estimated 33 mpg combined (29 city/39 highway), which is about average for vehicle with a base engine in this class. We observed 28.7 mpg over three tank fills in our test vehicle, with a best fill of 32 mpg. That's slightly below what we expected given the EPA figures.
Value
7.5/10
Is the Sentra a good value? The Sentra offers compelling value. It comes well equipped with loads of standard tech and safety features and starts at a lower price than a lot of the class. The cabin looks upscale and the materials all feel pretty good. Our test car's build quality, however, was a bit lackluster, with some noticeable interior trim gaps the primary culprit.
Nissan gives you a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty and three years/36,000 miles of roadside assistance. All are typical for a non-luxury automaker.
Wildcard
7/10
The newest Sentra maintains its point A to B sensibility, but it looks much better doing it than prior generations. It makes for a solid daily driver with its comfortable and relatively upscale interior. But is top rivals manage to be similarly comfortable and practical while delivering a driving experience that's more fun and enjoyable.
2023 Nissan Sentra trim level differences
The 2023 Nissan Sentra is a small sedan available in three trims: the S, SV and SR. All versions are powered by a 149-horsepower four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission. The Sentra is front-wheel-drive only. Feature highlights include:
Which Sentra trim does Edmunds recommend?
Nissan hasn't released official information on the 2023 Sentra as of this writing. We'll update our recommendation if anything changes, but based on last year's Sentra, we recommend the SV trim with the All-Weather package. It comes with some desirable features you can't get on the base trim, such as dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, heated seats and traffic-adaptive cruise control.
The 2023 Nissan Sentra has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and 1 recall. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 4 out of 5, ranks it #16 out of 46 among Compact Cars. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Reliability Rating by RepairPal
4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent
#16 out of 46 among Compact Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$401/yr
vs. $416/yr for Average Compact Car
Frequency
0.94x/yr
vs. 1.01x/yr for Average Compact Car
Severity
11.2%
vs. 10.4% for Average Compact Car
powered by RepairPal
Recalls
1 recall found
Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.
If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).
Recall Number:
24V154000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
PD103, PD1
Number of vehicles affected:
351
Defect Description:
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50, and 2023 Rogue vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the driver's air bag inflator may absorb moisture, and cause the air bag to deploy improperly.
Defect Consequence:
An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Corrective Action:
Dealers will replace the front driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD103, PD104, and PMA34.
I love the SR Trim so much it looks sporty while at the same give at the light to moderate luxurious feel. At the end of the day the speed is amazing the mpg is amazing $20 - $22 to fill up from half or less than that a little. Which that in alone was an eye catcher for me. I recommend this vehicle if you want to save on gas while at the same time have really solid speed which surprised … me and I’m 24. And I’ve driven fast cars. 10/10 no issues with the car 549 Miles and counting i really do enjoy this car
Premium all around
5 out of 5 stars
EvanW, 02/21/2022
2022 Nissan Sentra SR 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
Spent alot of time researching cars before I decided the Sentra was the one. Nearly every review mentioned it was "underpowered". Since I drive to work and back and don't drive laps at Daytona I have had no issues with power. Merging, passing and regular driving is not a struggle and RPMs stay low during driving which keeps noise down. Car is super comfortable and quiet, the nasa seats … are awesome and all of the amenities like heated steering wheel are a class above so it really is extra nice. Love the look of the car, love everything about it. Since I do alot of driving for work when I am looking for a car I am looking for comfort and gas mileage and this fits the bill by a mile!
New 2023 sentra sr
5 out of 5 stars
Jose M, 03/19/2023
2023 Nissan Sentra SR 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
More safety features and more streamlined. Vehicle performance and engine definitely improved over the years. Was well worth getting my third nissan vehicle in a row. I’m a loyal customer.
Just bought, but excellent bang for your buck
5 out of 5 stars
Michael, 06/09/2022
2022 Nissan Sentra SV 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
Just purchased with 7 miles on it and now have 26 miles on it. First, the bad. I’m assuming there are a lot of different ways to option. I was looking at a versa that has remote start but my Sentra doesn’t. Both were SV models. I don’t really mind too much about remote start but would be nice to have. I don’t like the parking brake being the foot brake kind. Wish it either had the hand … brake or better yet had electronic brake with brake hold which we have on our Elantra and use it all the time. Also the driver seat should go back a bit more. I’m 6’1 and 210 pounds and fit fine but can’t stretch my left leg out unless it’s in between the parking brake and the brake pedal. It’s still comfortable but if I could move the seat back another inch it would be perfect to put on the foot well. Not a deal breaker or I wouldn’t have purchased it. No lane keep assist which is nice to have on the Elantra and the Sentra has lane departure warning so not sure why they couldn’t have added lane keep assist. The infotainment screen is great but I wish it were more angled toward the driver like in my Elantra rather than just straight on toward the back seat.
It seems like I’m complaining but it’s more nitpicking for a car that’s $22k before taxes/fees/etc.
Now the good. I love the drive. It’s smooth as silk. I know it’s a brand new car but it drives, in my opinion, better than my Elantra SEL that’s also a 2022 with 5k miles. The transmission and engine feel great and I feel connected to the road more so than my Elantra. I like the infotainment. It’s responsive with each button press and Apple CarPlay is instant when you press the button. It’s a little delayed in my Elantra but the Elantra has wireless CarPlay so there’s a bit of a delay and I’m assuming using the usb-c to lighting adapter is faster than usb-a but it’s extremely quick. The satellite presets are quick too and I love the replay feature that records 12 channels at once, two more than my Elantra.
The armrest is nicely padded and extremely deep. The versa I was looking at had a laughable arm rest and the storage was almost non existent. I know it’s different price points but I will definitely say it’s worth the extra $2k to get the Sentra over the versa and the arm rest is one of the many reasons to do so.
I really like the a/c vents and at max ac and max fan speed it’s extremely powerful. Probably the most powerful fans I’ve ever felt and they’re super powerful if you close the vents on the passenger side if you’re driving alone even at a lower fan speed setting.
The trunk is nicely sized and the mouth of the trunk going into the cabin is gigantic compared to the Elantra. You can fit big items in that area with zero resistance. It’s a compact car but doesn’t feel that way. I’m sure through the years car dealers have been stretching the compact segment more and more so where it could have been considered a full size maybe 20 years ago. I remember riding in like a ‘99 Sentra and it was super tiny in comparison.
My favorite things are the safety technology and the instrument cluster. I like how the tach and speedometer and analog and there’s a big digital cluster with a variety of info that you can see while driving, from the digital speedometer to the real time mpg. It’s really great. Our Elantra has the all digital cluster so Elantra wins there, but the Sentra is no slouch. I really like the variety of the various customization of the cluster. The adaptive cruise control is amazing. Have it on the Elantra and one reason I chose the Sentra over the versa. The 2k difference was worth it for that alone but I like the blind spot monitor on the inside instead of on the mirror. The backup camera could be better quality but honestly it does the job. As stated previously I wish it had lane tracing but not a big deal it doesn’t.
I know I only had the car for a couple of hours and put 20 miles on it but don’t sleep on it. I never owned a Nissan and frankly was scared to but I was okay with getting it since it has a long warranty and I take care of my cars with maintenance. I usually go with Hyundai but they never got back to me so I put an inquiry into Nissan and within 5 minutes had an appointment an hour from the phone call and with 3 hours of the appointment papers we’re signed after I took the versa, kicks and Sentra on 10 mile test drives. The technology and safety features are great and really worth considering purchasing new. I probably wouldn’t buy a used anything these days but if you can get a new one at a decent price then go for it. I look forward to ownership for the next few years.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Nissan Sentra, so we've included reviews for other years of the Sentra since its last redesign.
These Are the Cheapest New Cars & SUVs on Sale Today | Top 10 Least Expensive New Cars for 2023
New cars these days are expensive, to say the least — the average price of a new car is currently standing at almost $50,000 — and trying to find something less expensive can feel like a daunting task. Fortunately, though, there are still a decent number of cheaper new cars available, and we're here to help you find them. Edmunds' Lauren McCay takes you through the top 10… cheapest new cars on sale today in the video above!
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