In plain English, the SE-R has a marvellously quick steering system, the suspension tuning to back it up, and puts its power down very well. Virtually no torque-steer, either.
Add in the powerful brakes and the willing engine, and you’ve got a sporty little sedan that feels at home having its pants driven off.
Mediocre sound effects, soccer-mom clutch
While the steering and handling add much to the SE-R’s entertainment value, the engine may leave some enthusiasts longing for more. Acceleration, response and on-demand power are all adequate-- though the engine’s sound is mediocre at best. It lacks the high-RPM VTEC-actuated snarl you’ll find in a Civic Si, as well as the mellow howl created by the GTI’s turbo mill.
Your writer’s only other gripe dealt with the shifter and clutch. Though it’s easy to row the SE-R’s gears, the shifter’s long throw and a soft, spongy clutch lack the performance feel some enthusiasts will expect.
Sensible kicks
Of course, since this SE-R is also a Sentra, it’s not all about performance, either. Ride quality is decent, there’s surprisingly generous room inside, and even a relatively large trunk-- even if the rear seats don’t fold flat on account of a body stiffening brace fitted behind them. Fuel mileage was also decent-- and should clock in around 10L / 100km during combined highway cruising at real-life speeds and sporty city driving.
Add it all up, and the Sentra SE-R Spec V amounts to a machine that pulls off much of the look and feel of a sports car, without all the compromise of poor mileage, limited room and limited sensibility. Many test-drivers will find this machine a hoot ‘as is’, though die-hard enthusiasts will, probably, want to budget for an aftermarket exhaust, intake and short-throw shifter for a bit more fun.
That shouldn’t be hard to do, given the tester’s reasonable price of about $24,000. If you’re considering a new econo-rocket, be sure to give this one a spin.
Add in the powerful brakes and the willing engine, and you’ve got a sporty little sedan that feels at home having its pants driven off.
Mediocre sound effects, soccer-mom clutch
While the steering and handling add much to the SE-R’s entertainment value, the engine may leave some enthusiasts longing for more. Acceleration, response and on-demand power are all adequate-- though the engine’s sound is mediocre at best. It lacks the high-RPM VTEC-actuated snarl you’ll find in a Civic Si, as well as the mellow howl created by the GTI’s turbo mill.
Your writer’s only other gripe dealt with the shifter and clutch. Though it’s easy to row the SE-R’s gears, the shifter’s long throw and a soft, spongy clutch lack the performance feel some enthusiasts will expect.
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| Ride quality is decent, there’s surprisingly generous room inside, and even a relatively large trunk. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com) |
Sensible kicks
Of course, since this SE-R is also a Sentra, it’s not all about performance, either. Ride quality is decent, there’s surprisingly generous room inside, and even a relatively large trunk-- even if the rear seats don’t fold flat on account of a body stiffening brace fitted behind them. Fuel mileage was also decent-- and should clock in around 10L / 100km during combined highway cruising at real-life speeds and sporty city driving.
Add it all up, and the Sentra SE-R Spec V amounts to a machine that pulls off much of the look and feel of a sports car, without all the compromise of poor mileage, limited room and limited sensibility. Many test-drivers will find this machine a hoot ‘as is’, though die-hard enthusiasts will, probably, want to budget for an aftermarket exhaust, intake and short-throw shifter for a bit more fun.
That shouldn’t be hard to do, given the tester’s reasonable price of about $24,000. If you’re considering a new econo-rocket, be sure to give this one a spin.
2010 Nissan Sentra 2.5 SE-R Spec V
2010 Nissan Sentra 2.5 SE-R Spec V
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