2017 Nissan Sentra SR Turbo

Although we find the Nissan Sentra distressingly mediocre and one of our least favorite compact cars, the model is nonetheless quite popular, with the company moving some 203,500 Sentras in the U.S. last year—enough to rank third among all Nissans behind the Altima and the Rogue. But for enthusiasts—especially those of us who can remember the awesome original Sentra SE-R—it has been a particular disappointment. Now, Nissan looks to be attempting to rectify that situation with the introduction of the new 2017 Sentra SR Turbo. The new Turbo is powered by the Juke’s 1.6-liter direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces a robust 188 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 177 lb-ft of torque at 1600 rpm—64 more horsepower and 52 lb-ft more torque than the 1.8-liter powerplant in the non-turbo 2017 Sentra SR. Even better, as with the Juke, it’s available not only with a continuously variable automatic transmission but with a manual, too. That makes it the only Sentra model other than the stripper S trim level to offer a manual.

While it’s not being called SE-R, it does remind us of the original, B13-generation Sentra SE-R from the early 1990s, which was essentially a workaday Sentra coupe with a 140-hp engine and a sprinkling of performance upgrades that earned it four straight years on our 10Best Cars list (1991–1994) and turned it into a sleeper performance car and something of a cult classic. We expect zero-to-60-mph times to drop from the mid-nines to under seven seconds, but we won’t know for sure until we strap our test equipment to it, of course.

As with the old SE-R models, the SR Turbo’s upgrades are subtle on the outside but thorough under the skin. Based on the SR trim level, the Turbo gets larger front brakes (11.7 inches versus 11.0), a reinforced cowl, front springs that are 10 percent stiffer, and damping that is firmer by 23 percent up front and 50 percent at the rear. The SR Turbo also benefits from revisions to the electrically assisted power steering that are designed to provide better feel on the highway, and both transmissions have been tweaked for SR Turbo duty.

The wheels are the same 17-inchers used by the non-turbo model. In addition to the SR standard equipment, the Turbo adds a sunroof. An SR Turbo Premium package adds leather, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and Bose premium audio.

While it’s not a full-on performance package that we expect the upcoming Sentra NISMO to be, this is a huge step in the right direction. And for its sub-$23K base price, it appears to represent a reasonably good performance bargain. Could it become worthy of the SE-R’s cult cred? That remains to be seen. But with deliveries starting in October, we won’t have to wait long to find out.