All-new 2020 Sentra is what we really want from Nissan PH

Crossovers may have become the vehicle of choice for most car buyers, but that doesn't mean the sedan is no longer relevant. In fact, Nissan still believes in sedans for their practicality, space, as well as looks.

After debuting the all-new Juke two months ago, Nissan has taken the covers off the eighth-generation Sentra. Featuring a new head-turning design that is paired to a more luxurious-looking cabin, the compact four-door has been redesigned from the ground-up and is more vibrant than ever.

"Nissan has a vibrant portfolio of new-generation sedans for customers in the U.S. Market. With more than 6 million Sentra vehicles sold, we believe the all-new Sentra will reach new heights offering refinement and quality, technology and performance not seen before. The lower stance and more athletic design cues from the Maxima sports sedan give Sentra a sexy new look,” said David Kershaw, division vice president, Nissan Sales & Regional Operations at Nissan North America Inc.

Taking on a sleeker appearance, the 2020 Sentra gets a new V-Motion front grill that is complemented by a pair of eye-catching LED headlights. It also has a more sculpted hood which further accentuates the Sentra's sportier design. Wraparound taillights, meanwhile, give the sedan a sophisticated finish and are of the LED kind as well. A blacked roof along with five-spoke alloy wheels provide the 2020 Sentra an unmistakable look.

Inside, the Sentra's interior has been refined and is covered in high quality materials. The seats, the dashboard panel, as well as the steering wheel are all wrapped in fine leather. It also has contrast stitching which spruces up the overall look of the cabin. To improve riding comfort for the driver and front passenger, it has Nissan's NASA-inspired Zero Gravity Seats and come with a heated function.

In-car infotainment comes courtesy of an 8-inch touchscreen display. It comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Nissan Connect. It also doubles as a display for the Intelligent Around View Monitor which allows for safer parking / maneuvering.

An all-new 2.0-liter, naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine replaces the previous 1.8-liter from before. It puts out 151 PS along with 197 Nm of torque; which Nissan claims is a 20% and 16% improvement respectively compared to the older engine. Besides having more oomph, Nissan said that the new 2.0-liter will deliver better fuel efficiency.

A bevy of active and passive safety features are available on the 2020 Sentra. These include 10 airbags, rear door alert, intelligent forward collision warning, as well as intelligent driver awareness. Aside from those, driver assist systems such as automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, and high beam assist are also available on the 2020 Sentra.

The all-new sedan is set to go on sale in the US in late January. As to when will this arrive in the Philippines, we're not entirely sure yet. However, since the Sylphy already debuted in China last April 2019, maybe it's only a matter of time before it gets to the ASEAN region. Who knows, maybe its next appearance will be at the 2020 Bangkok International Motor Show which might signal its arrival to the Philippine market some time next year.