All hail the B13!
Photography courtesy Nissan
[Editor's Note: Photography depicts a Sentra SR, while the Nissan we drove was a Sentra SV.]
Once upon a time–and this is way back in the ’90s–the Sentra nameplate meant something to most any SCCA card-carrying member. What until then had mostly been an efficient, fairly anonymous little car–okay, Nissan offered that cool Sport Coupe for a hot minute–had received an injection of holiness in 1991.
The Sentra SE-R had the goods: more power, more brakes, a factory limited-slip diff. It could rev north of 7000 rpm. Only one transmission was offered: a close-ratio, five-speed manual.
[Nissan Sentra SE-R: Cheaper and more powerful than a Civic Si?]
It was the weapon of choice for autocross and road racing. I ran mine in D Stock autocross.
And then add in factory motorsports support. Nissan even offered fiberglass body panels for those who wanted to build a Sentra-looking GT race car.
The Sentra SE-R nameplate continued into the early 2000s before, sadly, disappearing. But today Nissan still offers a Sentra, one of the remaining car-shaped cars still offered.
The sportiest thing about the current Sentra might be its steering wheel. It’s D-shaped, with Nissan noting that it recalls the GT-R. No matter how it’s configured, power comes from a 2.0-liter engine making 149 horsepower. In the states, you can only get it with a CVT. The base model comes with rear drums.
[Nissan Sentra Cup: Is this one of the best deals in motorsport?]
Our 2025 Nissan Sentra 2.0 SV tester had rear discs along with 17-inch wheels. I see that 18s, paired with all-season tires, come with the SR package. The Sentra line starts at $21,590. Our test car stickered at $28,035.
While most sporting concessions have been cast aside, the latest Sentra looks good. Nissan’s current angular design language works well on this four-door sedan. Dare I say it looks a bit upmarket?
It’s comfortable, quiet and roomy. It has today’s expected USB plugs.
It’s a fine people mover for the masses.
It’s just not an SE-R.
All hail the B13!
If the CVT grenades as soon as Nissan's earlier designs supposedly do, I have to question that "fine car for the masses" conclusion. What evidence has Nissan offered that they fixed their CVT teething problem?
Appleseed said:All hail the B13!
+1
I mean, Nissan must be onto something, because I see a lot of Sentras–both new and old–on the road, at least here in Central Florida.
It's not my cup of tea, but it clearly tastes just fine for plenty of buyers.
It's funny to look back and remember how much I lusted after this car. 140hp gave a 0-60 time of 7.5 and a 125mph top speed. A modern Corolla LE would smoke it. But in the day, it was the poor-man's BMW and I wanted one.
In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :
Mine was that metallic gray.
In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :
I bet you could lift the wheel and mounted tire up to the hub with one hand, while threading the lug nuts onto all four studs, without giving it a second though.
pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:
It's funny to look back and remember how much I lusted after this car. 140hp gave a 0-60 time of 7.5 and a 125mph top speed. A modern Corolla LE would smoke it. But in the day, it was the poor-man's BMW and I wanted one.
I am still mad at myself for not buying a super clean one owner SE-R just like this one for $1200 because the hood had some paint fading. I would like to go back in time and give myself a smack.
Tony Sestito said:pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:
It's funny to look back and remember how much I lusted after this car. 140hp gave a 0-60 time of 7.5 and a 125mph top speed. A modern Corolla LE would smoke it. But in the day, it was the poor-man's BMW and I wanted one.
I am still mad at myself for not buying a super clean one owner SE-R just like this one for $1200 because the hood had some paint fading. I would like to go back in time and give myself a smack.
I'm in the same boat with a 1 owner, completely unmolested, followed the factory maintenance schedule to the letter S13 that I could've had for $1500 because the owner (a neighbor) was retiring and moving to Europe, so everything must go. I passed on it because it was a stick, and at 17, I didn't know how to operate a proper gearbox. I owe myself a swift kick in the pants for that one
I drove a Nissan Sentra last summer. It didn't do anything exceptional, but it did that well, if that makes sense, and sometimes you want that. It's not a bad looking car by any means, either, especially in that blue. The seats were a bit too simple for my tastes, though, but adequate.
Displaying 1-10 of 44 commentsView all comments on the GRM forums
You'll need to log in to post.
