4 door sedan, seats 5.
5 speed manual
1.6 liter I-4
Maroon
(One of the classiest colors you can get in a Sentra)Ride and handling - 3
Fuel economy - 5
Reliability - 5
Fun - 2
Practicality – 5
Style - 4
Power - 4
Overall - 4
RIDE AND HANDLING: I gave this Sentra a 3 here mainly because I simply prefer the ride feel of trucks and truck-based SUVs like the Rodeo. But its ride is not that great compared to small sedans either. You can feel small bumps with harsh intensity. If this was just a Ride section, it would have gotten a 1. But the handling of this car is pretty good. It's a small car, so you can swing it around and it will fit anywhere. You can take turns at normal speeds and you won't feel like you will skid out or tip over.
FUEL ECONOMY: I don't have any numerical figures to back up my claim, but it sure as hell gets much better mileage than the Rodeo and Taurus wagon. Also, duh, it's a compact car haha with a manual transmission.
RELIABILITY: Say what you will about German cars, but Japanese cars have unmatched quality. Japan adopted the Statistical Manufacturing techniques that weren't adopted by other countries decades later. This Sentra has 237,000 miles on it with the original clutch. Just routine maintenance, no major rebuilds. You will get more life out of this $10,000 Sentra than a $40,000 Ford Explorer.
FUN: Um, no it's not? Haha. I only gave it a point because it's a stick and therefore, is more fun to drive than most automatics. But seriously. This is a basic commuter car. It's not made for fun.
PRACTICALITY: A $10,000 sedan with great gas mileage that runs forever? No brainer. It's a compact so its trunk space is limited, but I can still get two bags of golf clubs in there. The leg room is excellent. I only wish there was more headroom. I'm 6'3" and if I sit perfectly with my back against the seat, my head is stuck up against the roof.
STYLE: This is not an ugly or boring looking car. I'd say the (more expensive) Honda Civic is the only economy compact that can compete with the aesthetics of the '96 Sentra. At the time, a direct competitor to the Sentra was the Suzuki Esteem sedan. It's so humdrum. The Sentra was a much more appealing option.
POWER: This model has a 1.6 liter I-4 engine. It's more than sufficient for your daily commute. Acceleration with the 5 speed manual is good to keep up in any traffic environment. Traveling on the interstate at 70 mph feels natural. I rated Power as a 4 because obviously it's not an Aston Martin V12, but it's perfectly fine for what it is.
