Nissan Sentra Spec V Pt. 3: Performance Review

Nissan's Sentra is a sensible, economical and affordable car positioned near the bottom of the company totem pole. As such, it's a decent entry-level car in a very competitive segment. But what happens when you take that basic Sentra and turn it into a performance car? More to the point, can an entry-level economy car platform make the transformation from mild sauce to hot sauce?

The SE-R Spec V's 2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve inline four with variable valve timing definitely has some kick, with a full 200 horsepower available. The torque number is less impressive at 180 lb-ft, but the car seems to have more grunt than that number might suggest. The Spec-V engine is pretty hardcore - pulling hard all the way to 7000 rpm.

The base Sentra SE-R makes less power - 177 - and is mated to a Constantly Variable Transmission... clearly more Hollandaise sauce than Chili sauce. The Spec-V, with it's six-speed manual, is the one to get if you're really after the top performing Sentra, as the CVT transmission on the non-Spec-V is really at odds with the mission of any SE-R model.

The CVT also deletes one of the most entertaining aspects of the SE-R Spec-V, which is the spicy intake and exhaust noise it makes as it climbs toward its redline. Surely the special resin-molded intake manifold deserves some credit for the soundtrack. That intake highlights the attention to detail shown by Nissan engineers when developing this car. Aluminum would have worked perfectly well, but the resin-molded intake helps to lighten the Spec-V.

Other special touches include under-hood bracing, as well as bracing on the trunk bulkhead and a drive-by-wire throttle. Compared to the regular SE-R, the Spec-V features front brakes that are nearly an inch larger in diameter, the extra power we mentioned, 24 fewer pounds and a ride height that is nearly a half-inch lower.

The stiffened and lowered suspension gives the Spec-V decent handling, although its setup is pretty conservative, making the car reluctant to rotate. So getting the car into a corner isn't as much fun as it could be. But getting out of the corner is much more satisfying thanks to the helical limited slip differential specific to the Spec-V model.

Thank goodness for that limited slip diff because this thing has a good bit of torque-steer even with the LSD. Just make sure you've got a firm grip on the steering wheel before you try to put any significant power down while cornering.

There's a lot to like in the SE-R Spec-V, but there are also a few issues to discuss. The rear twist beam axle doesn't perform as well as the more sophisticated rear suspensions on the other cars that compete in this category. And despite the attention paid to keeping weight down to just over 3000 lbs. - among the lowest in its class - the Spec-V's performance is below that of its turbocharged competitors.

The Spec-V does ride more comfortably than most if not all cars