2006 Nissan Sentra S – A Compelling Choice Among Compact Sedans (Detailed Review)

Finding the right car can be a challenge and the Nissan Sentra isn’t the absolute best car in class but the 2006 Nissan Sentra S is an affordable compact sedan that offers great value for only a small amount of money. It drives like it’s worth more than its price and its practical, frugal, roomy and comfortable.

If you’re looking for an affordable mid-size sedan with plenty of standard features, then the 2006 Nissan Sentra S should definitely be on your list to check out! This vehicle has been well-reviewed by consumers who have given it high marks in many categories including comfort, safety, performance and reliability. From predictable handling to ample cargo space this vehicle delivers everything you need at a very attractive price point. In this 2006 Nissan Sentra S review you will learn everything you need to know about the car.

2006 Nissan Sentra S Overview

The 2006 Nissan Sentra receives modest upgrades from it’s previous year model, including an audio fanatic six disc CD player and two new color options which are Sapphire blue and Sunburst (New to 1.8S). The Sentra has a standard 1.8 Liter engine and meets ULEEV standards.

The 2006 Nissan Sentra is available in the following four different trims, the 1.8, 1.8 S, SE-R and SE-R Spec V. The 2006 Sentra S is only offered as a four door sedan with seating for up to five people, although the rear seat doesn’t offer much legroom compared to some mid-size sedans like the 2006 Honda Accord or 2006 Toyota Camry. For the S model a 126 hp 1.8 liter four-cylinder provides power to either a five speed manual or four speed automatic transmission.

2006 Nissan Sentra S models also offer Nissan’s Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with VTCS, a standard anti-lock braking system and a tire pressure monitoring system. The 2006 Sentra S is reasonably priced and it drives like it’s worth more than its price, as previously mentioned, it’s practical, frugal, roomy and comfortable.

The 2006 Nissan Sentra has won several awards after being reviewed by many as a fantastic affordable sedan.

Driving the 2006 Nissan Sentra S

The Sentra is fun to drive, its 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine provides good acceleration and and a decent level of handling. The car is equipped with a standard 126 hp front wheel drive powertrain with a choice of either a five-speed manual or four speed automatic transmission.

The handling of the Sentra S is responsive and secure.  It also has a good ride quality and low levels of noise, vibration and harshness. You could say for what it is, it’s a sporty sedan and some feel that it has a semi aerodynamic profile that enables it to slip through the air.

As we move to the interior the seats are comfortable and supportive, although taller drivers may find themselves sitting slightly higher than an optimal position. The Sentra offers plenty of room for both front and rear passengers even though the design was downsized to fit into this class. You could say within this segment the interior is upscale yet simple, comfortable yet uncluttered, classy yet not luxurious.

The 2006 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V

The 2006 Nissan Sentra SE R Spec V comes with a 2.5L Inline 4 cylinder engine capable of producing 175 hp. What is special about the 2006 Nissan Sentra SE R Spec V is that it is the only 2006 Nissan Sentra that has a six-speed manual transmission, this makes 2006 Nissan Sentra SE R Spec V more fuel efficient and also helps it to achieve 0-60 in 7.1 secs, which isn’t bad for a sedan at this price point.

2006 Nissan Sentra SE R Spec V comes with 17in alloy wheels and 215/45/17 tires, 4 channel ABS, Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Speed Sensitive Power Steering (SPS). This unique trim has quite a special interior with silver and black accents throughout, it is also equipped with the famous Nissan Skyline style sport bucket seats.

2006 Nissan Sentra special edition

The 2006 Nissan Sentra Special edition is another variant of the 2006 Nissan Sentra S. What makes this one so special is the addition of alloy wheels, fog lights, body colored door handles and mirrors. 2006 Nissan Sentra Special Edition also offers leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, adjustable accelerator pedal and brake handle. 2006 Nissan Sentra Spec V has a 1.8liter DOHC 4cylinder engine mated to a 6speed manual transmission which returns EPA estimated 27mpg in city driving and 35mpg on highways (With the standard transmissions).

2006 Nissan Sentra S Features

The 2006 Nissan Sentra S has a bunch of features that Nissan have included.

Among the 2006 Nissan Sentra S’s main features are cloth seats, tire pressure monitoring system, four-wheel ABS, power locks with remote keyless entry, AM/FM CD player audio system with six speakers and auxiliary input jack for removable MP3 functionality. Additional 2006 Nissan Sentra S features include power windows, cruise control and alloy wheels for 2006 Nissan Sentra S SE-R Spec V model.

The S model also includes keyless entry system (remote), powered windows and locking doors and a 300 watt Rockford Fosgate 9 speaker sound system, which can stack up to 6 discs in the CD changer.

2006 Nissan Sentra S Fuel Economy

Fuel economy is important these days with the ever rising price of gas. 2006 Nissan Sentra S fuel economy numbers are fairly remarkable with 24 mpg city, 31 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined. For the time, these were actually considered fairly good miles per gallon, but obviously if you opt for a newer car the mpg improves with better technology.

2006 Nissan Sentra S Safety

Aside from safety equipment such as four-wheel ABS, the 2006 Nissan Sentra S has safety features like front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters, front-seat active head restraints and side impact door beams. 2006 Nissan Sentra S has been tested by NHTSA and earned five out of five stars for driver protection in frontal impacts and four out of five stars in side impacts.

2006 Sentra safety features also include an advanced Airbag System including front seat-mounted side impact supplemental airbags for torso protection along with roof mounted curtain side impact supplemental airbags for head protection from the elements.

2006 Nissan Sentra Problems

2006 Nissan Sentra S is a great compact sedan, but it also has some common problems. The Sentra’s A/C might need reconditioning because after years of work it can lose its coolant efficiency. The Sentra is also plagued with relatively poor headlights that make it harder to drive at night, this problem can be solved by replacing the headlight bulbs with newer and brighter ones. There are also suspension problems which are common due to front struts that lose their damping ability over time as well as cars having idle issues because of bad coils.

Some other problems that occur on every car but you need to be slightly more aware of as these cars are not very good for cold weather because of their poor batteries, the average price for a car battery should not be more than $100, and you can buy one at an auto parts store or local hardware shop. 2006 Nissan Sentra needs better tires because the ones that are supplied from Nissan when the car is first purchased don’t have the best tire life.

For more information on other common problems with the 2006 Nissan Sentra S you can find out more detail on them here.

2006 Nissan Sentra Specs

The 2006 Nissan Sentra specs are offered in four trim levels: 1.8, 1.8 S, SE-R and SE-R Spec V. The 2006 1.8 comes standard with a 126 hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, five-speed manual transmission, power accessories, 15-inch steel wheels, air conditioning and CD stereo with four speakers; 2006 1.8 S adds 16-inch alloy wheels and remote keyless entry; 2006 SE-R has a 2.5 liter engine producing 175 hp.

The Final Round Up

The 2006 Nissan Sentra is honestly a fairly decent car for the money, we didn’t quote any specific Nissan Sentra 2006 price because it’s such an old car the price is constantly changing with the market and there’s too many variables.

But honestly, if you’re looking for something cheap and fairly reliable but has some problems that aren’t expensive to fix, this could be the car for you. It has decent power and looks ok, but you’re not buying this car too look cool, it’s a car you buy for practicality and to rely on to get you to places, whilst you save for something even better in the future like a the halo car in the Nissan line up, the Nissan GT-R. Now you know everything there is to know about the 2006 Sentra you’re well equipped to make a decision if it’s the car for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

This section outlines some of the most frequently asked questions about the 2006 Nissan Sentra S and answers them directly.

Alfio Capicollo