It pains me to say this, but the 2017 Sentra SR Turbo is a whole lot of empty hope. When “turbo” is not only part of a vehicle’s name but also slapped onto its rear for all to see, this means it’s going to be fun, right? For the newest member of the Sentra lineup, not so much. The Sentra nameplate has been around for 35 years, with its seventh generation receiving a refresh just last model year, but that doesn’t matter because the model still feels…basic.
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Nissan sales are on the rise, and the Sentra closed out 2015 with a not-too-shabby 203,509 vehicles, which is an 11 percent increase. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that for all the brand’s momentum, some of its models are left to languish. Competition is fiercer than ever in the compact car segment as consumers are not necessarily looking for a cheap commuter but an affordable bells-and-whistles hauler. And when compared to the rest of the class, the Sentra lags in almost every way that not even an alleged performance-oriented iteration should make it a top choice.
Bigger engine, little else
The Sentra SR Turbo is the first North American market Sentra to boast a turbocharged engine, which sounds like a great idea (on paper). Utilizing the same 1.6-liter direct injection gasoline engine found in the Juke subcompact SUV, the new Sentra SR Turbo produces 188 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 177 lb.-ft. of torque – a significant increase from the 130 horsepower, 128 lb.-ft. of torque produced in the non-turbocharged 1.8-liter engine of other Sentra models.
BUYER’S GUIDE: 2017 NISSAN SENTRA
The Sentra SR Turbo is available with a six-speed manual transmission and Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission, both of which are tuned to the vehicle’s unique power band and torque curve. Enhancements were also made to the suspension, steering and brakes to improve driving feel. These changes include a 10 percent increase in front spring stiffness; a 23 percent increase in front damping and 50 percent increase in rear damping; larger 11.7-inch vented front discs (versus 11.0 inches on other Sentra models); an optimized active understeer system; and a larger steering motor and revised electronic mapping to the electric power steering system.
Despite these changes, instead of feeling fun and robust, the Sentra SR Turbo merely feels the way a standard compact car is expected to drive: adequate. In fact, the Sentra SR Turbo is the Sentra that finally becomes competitive against the base 150+ horsepower engines of other compacts, like those found in the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, and Mazda 3. But that’s engine versus engine. Dynamics aren’t even close. Come on, Sentra. Your best needs to be better than their everyday.
When cruising along empty byways, the Sentra SR Turbo moves, but it’s nowhere near thrilling. It is pedestrian at best. While waiting for the torque to show up, I thought Godot would arrive first.
GALLERY: 2017 NISSAN SENTRA SR TURBO PHOTOS
Nevertheless, the suspension handles rough, gravel roads quite well, absorbing vibrations so I didn’t feel as if my fillings were going to rattle out. But back on a smooth road surface, any attempt to reach redline forced the engine note to whine into the quiet din an agonizing “Why?!” Pushing hard into corners doesn’t instill much confidence either as the rear seems to play catch up with the front.
Nissan has built a touted fun-to-drive turbocharged car that doesn’t want to be driven? Er, okay.
Bland styling to match
Design-wise, other than the badging and unique 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, the SR Turbo isn’t distinctive from the rest of the Sentra lineup and its so-so styling is even more pronounced amongst its competitors. Compared to the fresh and modern Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte and Mazda 3, the Sentra could pass for a 10-year-old econobox collecting dust at the local auction.
Similar to the SR trim, the SR Turbo’s exterior features include standard LED low beam projector headlights with LED accents, lower body side sill extensions, a rear spoiler with an integrated LED brake light, fog lights, a chrome exhaust finisher and heated outside mirrors with LED turn signals.
On the inside are more SR-esque details, including sporty interior trim, premium cloth sport seats, a driver’s seatback pocket and heated front seats. The SR Turbo also receives a power sliding moonroof as standard as well as keyless entry, push-button start and a rearview camera. And like the SV, SR and SL trim levels, the SR Turbo features Nissan’s 5.0-inch Advanced Drive-Assist Display, which is located between the tachometer and speedometer.
The soft-touch trim pieces along the armrests were comfortable and the manual shifter felt solid, even if the shifts themselves weren’t the smoothest. Overall, though, the interior is uninspiring. The standard 5.0-inch color center display doesn’t provide much info and is more of a fancy placeholder for the 5.8-inch infotainment and navigation touchscreen, which is part of the optional Premium Package.
Featuring one of the largest interiors in its class, the Sentra does provide ample leg and headroom. Of course, this is a compact car so basketball centers and football linemen types will be snug. The seats will do for long drives but I did find the steering wheel to be astonishingly heavy. I may have flinched while adjusting the steering wheel as I heard it bowling ball-clunk into its lowest position.
Standard technology
Hands-free Bluetooth capability, Android and iPhone smartphone integration, and Siri Eyes Free voice recognition are standard on the Sentra SR Turbo. One available package option, the SR Turbo Premium Package ($2,590), adds leather-appointed seats, an auto-dimming outside mirror with HomeLink, a premium Bose sound system, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Also included in the package is NissanConnect with navigation and mobile apps, which adds a 5.8-inch touchscreen, voice recognition, SiriusXM Traffic, SiriusXM Travel Link and NissanConnect mobile apps.
On sale in October, the 2017 Sentra SR Turbo will start at $21,990 for either the manual or the automatic transmission-equipped models. Destination charges will be an additional $835. Unfortunately, the higher price point doesn’t equate to an increase in fun or features for the Sentra, something the model sorely needs in order to keep up with its forward-progress competitors.
While its 2015 sales numbers were good, the Sentra still ranked fifth behind the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra and Chevrolet Cruze – in that order. Not only do the others boast more sales but they offer more features as well, including whiz-bang safety systems such as adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning. Even the lower-volume Mazda 3 offers similar safety features in addition to its stellar dynamics.
Surely, not every compact car buyer is looking for a track day competitor, but if you’re going to advertise a turbocharged engine as a performance-oriented fun feature as opposed to a miles-per-gallon, engine-efficiency benefit, the vehicle better act like it. And the Sentra SR Turbo is no Sentra SE-R Spec V. Not even close, and that’s a shame.
