As for features, other than the easy-to-read dials, the Sentra SE-R also boasts a slew of interesting accessories. The navigation system, for instance, effortlessly and clearly guides you on your way despite the small screen.
You have to pay particular attention to the audio controls, as they’re small and hard to use when driving. At least the engineers had the good sense to include redundant controls on the steering wheel.
A race car? Really?
Once I’d finished with the physical inspection, it was time to verify my editor’s claim that the Nissan Sentra SE-R has the soul of a racer. Of course, I couldn’t push the car to its very limits, but still.
Admittedly, it’s surprisingly powerful. The low weight of the vehicle, coupled with the 2.5-litre engine’s 200 ponies, ensures more than adequate acceleration for daily use. But a race car it is not.
The steering doesn’t have the looked-for precision. It seems vague in the middle, and constantly requires trajectory corrections. Thankfully, the brakes are great, unhesitatingly stopping the car over a decent distance.
The transmission is also good, and though it isn’t a model of precision, it still enables a good level of control thanks to well-spaced gears.
Lastly, I have to mention that the addition of a rear stabilizer bar, whose presence does cut into trunk space as it prevents the rear seats from folding down, distinctly increases the chassis’s stiffness compared to the ordinary Sentra.
Conclusion
When I handed back the keys to my editor, he was smiling. And I answered him with my own smile. You see, even though the SE-R Spec V isn’t exactly what you’d call a race car, its sporty intentions are still sufficiently convincing to set it apart.
And considering its price, it has very few rivals. And really, who needs a race car when you’re happy to cruise along at the speed limit?
You have to pay particular attention to the audio controls, as they’re small and hard to use when driving. At least the engineers had the good sense to include redundant controls on the steering wheel.
A race car? Really?
Once I’d finished with the physical inspection, it was time to verify my editor’s claim that the Nissan Sentra SE-R has the soul of a racer. Of course, I couldn’t push the car to its very limits, but still.
Admittedly, it’s surprisingly powerful. The low weight of the vehicle, coupled with the 2.5-litre engine’s 200 ponies, ensures more than adequate acceleration for daily use. But a race car it is not.
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| The low weight of the vehicle, coupled with the 2.5-litre engine’s 200 ponies, ensures more than adequate acceleration for daily use. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
The steering doesn’t have the looked-for precision. It seems vague in the middle, and constantly requires trajectory corrections. Thankfully, the brakes are great, unhesitatingly stopping the car over a decent distance.
The transmission is also good, and though it isn’t a model of precision, it still enables a good level of control thanks to well-spaced gears.
Lastly, I have to mention that the addition of a rear stabilizer bar, whose presence does cut into trunk space as it prevents the rear seats from folding down, distinctly increases the chassis’s stiffness compared to the ordinary Sentra.
Conclusion
When I handed back the keys to my editor, he was smiling. And I answered him with my own smile. You see, even though the SE-R Spec V isn’t exactly what you’d call a race car, its sporty intentions are still sufficiently convincing to set it apart.
And considering its price, it has very few rivals. And really, who needs a race car when you’re happy to cruise along at the speed limit?
2010 Nissan Sentra 2.5 SE-R Spec V
2010 Nissan Sentra 2.5 SE-R Spec V
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