2011 Nissan Sentra

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Rating7.3

Ranked #10 in 

Compact Sedan
Write Review
$16,060 - $20,620
Starting Price 
Nathan Dyer's image
Nathan Dyer 

Senior Editor,

Updated on November 3, 2023

ProsConsWhat's New

Roomy front row

Poor safety ratings

Standard Anti-lock brake and Electronic brake distribution system on the base trim

Modest fuel economy

Sluggish acceleration

Standard Electronic stability control and traction control on base, S, and SR trim levels

Spacious cargo

Specs & Features

$17,240

price

140 hp @ 5100 rpm

horsepower

147 lb.-ft. @ 4800 rpm

torque

Continuously Variable-Speed Automatic

transmission

2.0L 4cyl FWD CVT

engine

-

basic warranty

Overview

Outside looks of the Nissan Sentra might deceive some, but from the inside, it is full of comfort. A good fuel economy and a number of standard features are some of its main attractions. There are a total of six trim levels given on the 2011 Nissan Sentra, out of which two trims are performance-oriented and come with the 2.5-liter inline-4 engine, which puts out 60 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque more as compared to the base engine. 

Buying Advice

Our pick for you would be the S trim, and the reasons for it are that it has optional packages to uplift your experience and comes with a security system along with some remaining standard features which were not available on the base trim. Therefore, the S trim is the most economical and suitable trim. 

Comparative Analysis against Competition

The ride is comfortable and the Sentra provides good control, but in the safety department, it is lacking compared to the rivals. The starting price of the 2011 Nissan Sentra is $16,060, and it can go up to $20,620. With a little over $1,100, you can also get CVT on the base trim. The main competitors of the 2011 Nissan Sentra are the sleeky Corolla from Toyota,snappy Forte from Kia, and last but not least, the snazzy Elantra from the Hyundai.

Features
8.0/10

There are four fundamental trims given on the 2011 Sentra lineup, which house a 2.0 four-cylinder engine. However, there are two more trims in the lineup which are SE-R and SE-R Spec V, which are the performance trims. The Nissan Sentra has a base model, which is furnished with almost all the features given, but if you want to have a better sound system, bigger wheels, leather seats, and a more punchy engine, then you will have to climb the trim levels.

Trim

2.0 Base

2.0 S

2.0 SR

2.0 SL

SE-R

SE-R Spec V

MSRP (Manual)

$16,060

NA

NA

NA

NA

$20,620

MSRP (CVT)

$17,240

$17,990

$17,990

$19,390

$20,120

NA

Key Features

2.0-liter inline-4 engine

16-inch steel wheels

16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels

Power sliding glass moonroof

2.5-liter inline-4 engine

silver stitched leather steering wheel

 

15-inch steel wheels

6-speaker sound system

Leather-wrapped steering wheel

Leather upholstery 

 

 

Aluminum pedal pads

 

 

Rear spoiler

Radio data entry

Nissan Intelligent Key

Heated seats

Dual illuminated visor vanity mirror

 

 

4-speaker sound system

Remote keyless entry

Remote trunk release

Bluetooth

 

 

 

Tilt steering column

Trunk lid trim

Fog lights

 

 

 

 

Cloth upholstery

Vehicle security system

Smoked tail lights

 

 

 

 

Engine immobilizer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tire pressure monitoring system

 

 

 

 

 

In the list of numerous optional packages, the Convenience package is given on S and SR trim and contains Nissan Intelligent Key keyless entry, remote trunk release and ignition system, and cargo nets and hooks. The Leather package on the SL trim provides leather and heated seats. With the SL Special value package, dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors are given by Nissan.

We Recommend

Our pick for you would be the S trim, and the reasons for it are that it has optional packages to uplift your experience and comes with a security system along with some remaining standard features which were not available on the base trim. Therefore, the S trim is the most economical and suitable trim. 

Engine and Performance
7.0/10

Two engine options are given on the 2011 Nissan Sentra. A 2.0-liter inline-4 naturally aspirated engine is present under the hood of the base, S, SR, and SL trims. This base engine is coupled with the 6-speed manual transmission, which can be replaced with an optional CVT. The CVT is standard on higher trims. This 2.0-liter mill churns out 140 hp and 147 lb-ft of torque. 

The performance group of the Sentra trim range comes with a 2.5-liter inline-4 gas engine, which is mated to CVT in SE-R but engages with 6-speed manual transmission on the SE-R Spec V. It churns out 200 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. With this powerful engine, the Sentra reaches 60 mph from 0 mph in 6.3 seconds, which is 3.3 seconds faster than the base engine.

Model

2011 Nissan Sentra S

2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS

2011 Toyota Corolla Base

2011 Kia Forte LX

MSRP

$17,990

$17,195

$16,700

$15,995

Engine

2.0-liter inline-4

1.8-liter inline-4

1.8-liter inline-4

2.0-liter inline-4

Drivetrain

FWD

FWD

FWD

FWD

Transmission

CVT

6-speed automatic 

4-speed automatic 

6-speed automatic 

Power

140 hp @ 5100 rpm

148 hp @ 6500 rpm

132 hp @ 6000 rpm

156 hp @ 6200 rpm

Torque

147 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

131 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm

128 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm

144 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm

0-60 MPH (seconds)

9.6

9.4

9.8

9.2

Quarter mile (mph)

17.4

17.1

17.4

17.0

Top speed (mph)

119

130

NA 

NA

In terms of horsepower, the Kia Forte has won the game along with the crown that makes it the fastest sedan in the segment. On the other hand, if we talk about the whole engine output, then the rival from Toyota is last in the race and also the slowest in the bunch. Meanwhile, the Elantra beats the Sentra by 8 hp and completes the 0-60 mph goal 0.2 seconds faster than the Sentra.

Fuel Economy
7.0/10

With the 2.0-liter motor and CVT arrangement, the Sentra returns a fuel economy of 27/34/30 mpg in the city/highway/combined, but if a 2.0-liter and 6-speed manual transmission setup are taken, the fuel efficiency drops by 3 mpg in the city, highway, and combined. However, if a 2.5-liter motor with manual transmission is taken, then the fuel economy will be 24 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. Lastly, when CVT is coupled with this engine, fuel economy is reduced by 3 mpg in the city, 2 mpg on the highway, and 4 mpg combined.

Model

2011 Nissan Sentra S

2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS

2011 Toyota Corolla Base

2011 Kia Forte LX

MPG (city)

27

28

26

28

MPG (Highway)

34

38

34

36

MPG (Combined)

30

32

29

29

Fuel Capacity

14.5

12.8

13.2

13.7

Range (City/hwy)

392/493

358/486

343/449

356/493

Nissan Sentra is not the most fuel-efficient sedan in the competition as this title has been claimed by the Hyundai Elantra. As for the Corolla, it consumes slightly more fuel in the city, while the fuel consumption on the highway for Sentra is more as compared to the Forte. Even though the Nissan Sentra does not have the least fuel consumption, it has the biggest fuel tank in the competition. 

Interior
8.0/10

The cabin has decent quality material and is spacious enough to fit three adults in the back seats, but given the tight legroom, some discomfort is bound to happen. A wood-tone trim is given on the SL trim, while the metallic accents are reserved for the performance trims. The seats are comfy and come with cloth upholstery, which can change with leather on the topmost trims. The steering wheel is covered in leather and has silver stitching on the SE-R SPEC V trim. 

A 4-way manual setting for the front seats is standard, which can be upgraded to a 6-way manual for the driver seat. Heated seats are not given on any trim except SL. The steering wheel has a tilt feature, but the absence of telescopic features is a letdown. A dual 12-V power outlet, keyless entry, driver-side one-touch power windows, and manual air-conditioning are some standard cabin features given on the 2011 Sentra.

Model

2011 Nissan Sentra S

2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS

2011 Toyota Corolla Base

2011 Kia Forte LX

Seating Capacity

5

5

5

5

Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

40.6/56.9/42.4

40/55.9/43.6

38.8/54.7/41.8

40/55.7/43.3

Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

37.3/55.1/34.5

37.1/54.8/33.1

37.2/54.7/36.3

37.6/54.7/35

Cargo Capacity (cu-ft)

13.1

14.8

12.3

14.7

The most generous legroom is given in the Corolla, but it is the least spacious car, while the opponent from Kia is the most spacious. As for the Elantra, it has passenger volume in between the Sentra and the Toyota Corolla. The largest cargo capacity is offered on the Elantra, whereas the opposite is given on the Corolla. Major interior features include:

  • Cloth seats
  • Manual air conditioning
  • 6-way manually adjustable driver seat
  • Tilt telescopic steering column
  • Leather and heated front seats (optional)
  • Keyless entry 
  • Nissan intelligent key keyless entry (optional)

How intuitive is the 2011 Nissan Sentra’s infotainment unit?

An AM/FM/CD audio system, audio jack, and 4-speaker sound system are the only entertainment or audio features given on the base Sentra. As you go up in the trim range, iPod Interface System, 6-speaker sound system, Illuminated steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, and XM satellite radio and radio data system are also given. Under the Visual Audio package in the S and SR trim, Nissan provides a 4.3" color display, Rockford Fosgate eight-speaker system, and a USB port. The SL Navigation package on the SL trim adds a 5-inch touchscreen with a navigation system. Major infotainment features are:

  • 4-speaker sound system
  • XM satellite radio 
  • Radio data system
  • AM/FM/CD audio system
  • Aux jack
  • 5-inch touchscreen (optional)
  • Navigation system (optional)

Exterior
6.0/10

The exterior design of the 2011 Nissan Sentra is not appealing as rivals, but the simplicity of the design language is a positive point that Sentra does take into its final report card. A 15-inch steel wheel setup has been given as standard for the Sentra to run, but they can be swapped with the 16-inch steel wheels, 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. A rear spoiler is given, but only on the CVT variants. Features like fog lights and smoked headlight surround and smoked taillights are reserved for the higher trims, but the lower trims do get power side mirrors and side moldings with chrome insert. 

Model

2011 Nissan Sentra S

2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS

2011 Toyota Corolla Base

2011 Kia Forte LX

Curb Weight (lbs)

2978

2701

2767

2791

Length (in.)

179.8

178.3

180.0

178.3

Width (in.)

70.5

69.6

69.4

69.9

Height (in.)

59.5

56.5

57.7

57.5

Ground Clearance (in.)

5.7

5.5

5.8

5.9

Wheelbase (in.)

105.7

106.3

102.4

104.3

In terms of length, Sentra and fellow opponents are in a similar range. As for the width and height, the Sentra has the lead. It is also the heaviest car in the competition. Meanwhile, the Forte has the biggest ground clearance, while the Corolla has the shortest wheelbase, which results in its cramped cabin space. Major exterior features are:

  • Rear spoiler 
  • 15-inch steel wheels
  • Power sliding glass moonroof with tilt feature (optional)
  • Remote trunk release (optional)
  • Fog lights

Safety
6.0/10

The 2011 Nissan Sentra is passing with flying colors on all fronts except the safety. It has received an overall 4-star safety rating from the NHTSA, where it has the worst performance in the frontal crash tests. As for the IIHS, it has mostly received an 'Acceptable' rating for all the areas. On the other hand, rivals like Elantra have performed much better on the safety aspect. Apart from the structural safety, the sedan has some safety features to keep the passengers safe, some of them are mentioned below:

  • Cruise control
  • Traction control system
  • ABS
  • Engine immobilizer 
  • Security system
  • Tire pressure monitoring system

Final Verdict

Even though we expected more, overall, the 2011 Nissan Sentra has given just above-average performance from the Nissan. It does have pros like a bigger fuel tank and airy cabin, but in other areas, opponents have an edge. Therefore, if you want to enjoy an entry-level sedan that is an all-rounder, then the 2011 Hyundai Elantra or Kia Forte is a far better choice as compared to the Nissan Sentra.

Trims

    Base
    $16,060 onwards
    • 15-inch steel Wheels
    • A-Spec Sport Seats
    • AM/FM stereo
    • Cloth Seat trim
    • Front manual air conditioning
    • Seek-Scan Radio
    S
    $17,990 onwards
    • 16-inch steel Wheels
    SR
    $17,990 onwards
    • 16-inch silver aluminum Wheels
    • Front Fog/driving lights
    • Remote keyless entry
    SL
    $19,390 onwards
    • 16-inch silver aluminum Wheels
    • Front Fog/driving lights
    SE-R
    $20,120 onwards
    • 17-inch silver aluminum Wheels
    • AM/FM stereo
    • Premium cloth Seat trim
    • Seek-Scan Radio
    SE R- Spec
    $20,620 onwards
    • Engine: 2.5L 4cyl FWD 6M
    • Horsepower: 200 hp @ 6600 rpm hp
    • Torque: 180 lb.-ft. @ 5200 rpm
    • 0-60 mph: 6.8 sec
    • Top Speed: 130 mph
    • Fuel Economy Combined: 24 mpg

Compare to similar cars

Price

$16,060- $20,620

Engine

Gasoline

Rating

7.25

Horsepower

200 hp @ 6600 rpm

Torque

180 lb.-ft. @ 5200 rpm

Capacity

5

Read Review

$16,525- $22,225

Gasoline

7.88

136 hp @ 6300 rpm

123 lb.-ft. @ 3800 rpm

5

Read Review

$16,640- $19,670

Gasoline

7.96

140 hp @ 6000 rpm

136 lb.-ft. @ 4250 rpm

5

Read Review

$13,200- $17,500

Gasoline

7.68

120 hp @ 6350 rpm

112 lb.-ft. @ 5000 rpm

5

Read Review

$15,605- $25,490

Gasoline

8.05

140 hp @ 6300 rpm

128 lb.-ft. @ 4300 rpm

5

Read Review

$14,945- $20,195

Gasoline

7.97

148 hp @ 6500 rpm

131 lb.-ft. @ 4700 rpm

5

Read Review

$14,995- $19,395

Gasoline

8

156 hp @ 6200 rpm

144 lb.-ft. @ 4300 rpm

5

Read Review

$15,800- $23,810

Gasoline

7.54

144 hp @ 6500 rpm

135 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm

5

Read Review

$15,295- $28,095

Gasoline

7.57

148 hp @ 6000 rpm

146 lb.-ft. @ 4200 rpm

5

Read Review

$21,599- $23,999

Gasoline

7.93

160 hp @ 5500 rpm

157 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm

5

Read Review

2011 Nissan Sentra vs competitor's 0-60

    Car Name
    0-60 MPH
    Quarter Mile
    Top Speed
    SourceCompare
    8.8 sec16.6 sec120 mph
    2011 Saab 9-3

    Ranked #1

    7.4 sec--
    8 sec--
    8.01 sec--
    8.1 sec16.2 sec120 mph
    8.2 sec16.2 sec-

    2011 Nissan Sentra vs competitor's MPG

      Car Name
      MPG City
      MPG Highway
      MPG Combined
      Fuel Tank Capacity
      Range (C/H)
      SourceCompare
      24 mpg31 mpg27 mpg14.5 gal.348/449.5 mi.
      28 mpg38 mpg32 mpg12.8 gal.358.4/486.4 mi.
      29 mpg37 mpg32 mpg16 gal.336/444 mi.
      28 mpg35 mpg31 mpg13.2 gal.369.6/462 mi.
      22 mpg36 mpg30 mpg15.6 gal.405.6/561.6 mi.
      25 mpg34 mpg29 mpg13.7 gal.342.5/465.8 mi.

      2011 Nissan Sentra vs competitor's dimensions

        Car Name
        Length
        Width
        Height
        Ground Clearance
        Wheelbase
        SourceCompare
        179.8 in.70.5 in.59.5 in.5.6 in.105.7 in.
        191.1 in.72.4 in.57.9 in.5.9 in.108.3 in.
        2011 Saab 9-3

        Ranked #2

        182.9 in.70.9 in.57.1 in.5.9 in.105.3 in.
        182.2 in.70 in.57.2 in.5.5 in.104.4 in.
        181 in.70.7 in.58.1 in.7 in.105.7 in.
        2011 Mazda 3

        Ranked #5

        180.7 in.69.1 in.57.9 in.4.7 in.103.9 in.

        2011 Nissan Sentra vs competitor's trunk space

          Car Name
          Trunk Capacity
          Passenger Volume
          Max Trunk Volume
          SourceCompare
          13.1 cu.ft.97.4 cu.ft.-
          14.7 cu.ft.96.8 cu.ft.217.3 cu.ft.
          12 cu.ft.90.9 cu.ft.6 cu.ft.
          15.5 cu.ft.94.1 cu.ft.168 cu.ft.
          2011 Mazda 3

          Ranked #4

          11.8 cu.ft.94.1 cu.ft.95.2 cu.ft.
          13.8 cu.ft.93.4 cu.ft.61 cu.ft.

          2011 Nissan Sentra vs competitor's cargo space

            Car Name
            Cargo Volume
            Cargo Volume w/ Seat Area
            Max Cargo Volume
            Bed Length
            SourceCompare
            -13.1 cu.ft.--
            2011 Mazda 3

            Ranked #2

            95.2 cu.ft.11.8 cu.ft.95.2 cu.ft.-
            18.6 cu.ft.12.3 cu.ft.12.3 cu.ft.-
            170.4 cu.ft.12 cu.ft.6 cu.ft.-
            168 cu.ft.15.5 cu.ft.168 cu.ft.-
            83.1 cu.ft.13.8 cu.ft.61 cu.ft.79 ft.

            2011 Nissan Sentra vs competitor's towing capacity

              Car Name
              Towing Capacity
              Payload Capacity
              Weight
              SourceCompare
              -1020 lbs.2875 lbs.
              2000 lbs.1157 lbs.3075 lbs.
              1500 lbs.-2734 lbs.
              1000 lbs.1219 lbs.3102 lbs.
              --2578 lbs.
              -827 lbs.2672 lbs.

              2011 Nissan Sentra Sedan Problems, Issues, Complaints, Recalls, and which year to avoid?

              2

              Recalls

              0

              Investigations

              141

              Complaints
              Overall Safety Rating
              Read More

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              #10

              2011 Nissan Sentra User Reviews

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              POPULAR TAGS

              Bab

              Beth ann burgess

              2012 Nissan Sentra

              4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M)

              Not Rated

              User Overall Rating

              Posted On: July 5, 2024

              KEYSHA IS THE BADDEST 4 CYLINDER EVER

              Pros - ["Its white and saves alot of gas thats a plus and it also was a company car", "Great gas saver.Gets me from point a to point b."]

              Cons - ["Nothing at alll.", "NOTHIN at all."]

              The performance is crazy with yhe little 4 cylinder motor it has it gets up to speed very quickly and its great on gas no hesitation whdn it drives it.it gets great gas mileage.interior is ok i smoke in it .safety is great it has 20 airbags so i guess its outstanding safety rating.aand the only thing that has impacted me is when my tires went flat and i had to go get new tires all the way around ...

              Not Rated
              Features
              Not Rated
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              Not Rated
              Design
              Not Rated
              Safety
              Not Rated
              Reliability
              Not Rated
              Deal Value
              Not Rated
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