By developing more aspirational products, Nissan hopes to attract more creditworthy customers and reduce the need for discounting, which has harmed the brand’s image and wreaked havoc on dealer margins.
The interior boasts a leather-wrapped instrument panel, satin-chrome aluminum accents, Nissan’s Zero Gravity front seats and a power sliding glass moonroof.
Research shows even compact-segment customers value craftsmanship and high-quality materials, brand manager Rob Warren told Automotive News at a press event in Santa Monica, Calif.
“What we are seeing in the compact segment is really about blending that balance of advanced tech and quality fit and finish,” Warren said. “So rather than benchmark Corolla or Civic, we started benchmarking higher-level cars to really kind of bring in that craftsmanship that customers were wanting, and that appearance that they were looking for.”
Interior materials in the 2020 Sentra, such as the leather-wrapped instrument cluster and door trim accents, were inspired by Audi, said Stephen Soley, senior manager of engineering marketability at Nissan.
The new Sentra, which debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show and goes on sale in January, is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that delivers 149 hp, up 19 percent from the current generation’s 1.8-liter engine.
