Page 24 - Motor Trend (April 2020)

NEWS I OPINION I GOSSIP
Intake
PHOTOS WILLIAM WALKER
FIRST TEST
2020 Nissan Sentra SR
he 2020 Sentra rides on a new
platform that’s 2 inches lower and
T wider, features a new multilink rear
suspension in place of the old torsion
beam, and has a new electric power
steering rack engineered to improve ride
quality and handling performance.
There are now just three trim levels: S,
SV, and SR, with the latter two available
with premium packages. Prices creep up a
hair, with the Sentra S starting at $20,015,
the SV starting at $21,195, and the SR
starting at $22,355. Fully loaded Sentras
should top out around $25,000.
Whereas the old Sentra wheezed,
groaned, and floated down the road, the
2020 model feels solid, competent, and
quite nice to drive. The biggest improve-
ment is in ride quality and body control.
The Sentra’s ride is compliant yet firm,
with minimal body roll. It’s not exactly
sporty, but it tracks straight and has decent ($2,170 extra on the SR.) This adds orange
feel from its slightly overboosted but
otherwise improved steering.
Nissan’s four-pot is nowhere near
segment-leading in power, but for most
buyers it’ll get the job done just fine. It’s
relatively smooth off the line and makes
power consistently throughout its rev
band—though it surges somewhat in heavy
24 MOTORTREND.COM APRIL 2020
stop-and-go traffic. The Sentra’s CVT does
its best to convince you it’s a real automatic
when you stomp on the gas, faking a whole
bunch of shifts before eventually giving in
and holding rpm steady.
Our 2020 SR tester’s 8.0-second 0–60
time is right in the mix with key compet-
itors—a second slower than the Civic EX
but 0.2 quicker than the Corolla XSE.
Although the Sentra’s best 60–0 braking
performance of 114 feet beat the Civic and
Corolla, we noted ABS pulses in the pedal,
generous dive, and inconsistent perfor-
mance over four tests. The real surprise
was how the 2020 Sentra presented itself
on the figure eight. With a time of 27.0
seconds at 0.63 g, the Sentra SR split the
difference between the Civic’s two engine
options but handily beat the Corolla.
The cabin is a nice place to be, especially
if you’ve opted for a premium package
accents throughout the SR’s interior.
Material quality is significantly improved.
The cabin is also relatively spacious. The
front buckets are comfortable, and both
occupants will have an easy time finding
outlets and cubbies. Passengers in back get
adult-friendly seats and a USB outlet.
Christian Seabaugh and Zach Gale
SPECS Base Price $22,355 As Tested $25,325
Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass,
4-door sedan Engine 2.0L/149-hp/146-lb-ft
DOHC 16-valve I-4 Trans Cont variable auto
Curb Weight 3,104 lb (61/39%) Wheelbase 106.8
in L x W x H 182.7 x 71.5 x 57.0 in 0-60 MPH 8.0 sec
Quarter Mile 16.2 sec @ 87.8 mph Braking,
60-0 MPH 114 ft Lateral Acceleration 0.89 g
(avg) MT Figure Eight 27.0 sec @ 0.63 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ 28/37/32 mpg
Energy Cons, City/Hwy 120/91 kW-hr/100 miles
CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.62 lb/mile
On Sale in U.S. Currently
TREND I 04.20
MIKE CONNOR
MT CONFIDENTIAL
The last Jaguar XJ sedan powered
by internal combustion rolled off the
assembly line at JLR’s Castle Bromwich
plant in the U.K. last July, ending 51 years
of continuous production of the iconic
nameplate. The XJ isn’t going away,
though: JLR is deep into durability testing
of the all-electric XJ, scheduled to make
its public appearance later this year.
Sources in Gaydon say the electric XJ will
be a more conventionally styled car than
the groundbreaking I-Pace, though it will
have a large rear hatch instead of a trunk.
The new XJ won’t share its underpinnings
with the I-Pace, either, but will be
built on the company’s new Modular
Longitudinal Architecture, designed to
accommodate mild hybrid and plug-in
hybrid powertrains in addition to a BEV
powertrain. Meanwhile, Porsche is hard
at work on the all-electric Macan,
due to appear in 2021. Porsche insiders
confirm the current Macan will be sold
alongside its redesigned electric sibling
for a period, but the intention is to phase
out the internal combustion version. By
2025, Porsche’s entry-level SUV will be
an EV exclusively. The electric Macan will
be built on VW Group’s new PPE premium
electric vehicle platform, and like the
Taycan, the launch versions are expected
to be high-performance models badged
Turbo and Turbo S. Less powerful and less
expensive versions will follow. Although
Volkswagen’s decision to launch the
striking, coupe-styled Arteon in the
U.S. is welcome, America’s allergy to
wagons means we won’t be getting the
best one. That would be the R version
of the Arteon Shooting Brake, powered
by a 330-hp version of the versatile
2.0-liter turbo-four, with all-wheel drive
and a dual-clutch transmission. Ford is
reportedly developing a radical new
high-performance Focus RS. Sources
in Europe hint the new RS will pack well
over 400 hp and have all-wheel drive.
But here’s the twist: The rear wheels will
apparently be solely powered by an
electric motor, the turbocharged mild
hybrid combustion engine driving the
fronts only. The radical hybrid will have
to carry a sizable battery, said to be
mounted under the rear floor to improve
weight distribution. But it won’t need
a heavy and complex all-wheel-drive
system, and the motor allows for highly
variable torque vectoring strategies. So
the handling should be razor sharp.