Portmanteau – blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others. I learned this from my review of the 2016 Cadillac CT6….with the “Panaray sound system“, a combination of panoramic and array. In this case, NISMO is a portmanteau of Nissan and Motorsports. Not terribly exciting. Is this 2017 Nissan Sentra NISMO exciting? Yes and no. It’s a 6MT and low-production car, so perhaps it’s a unicorn after all?
For starters, I didn’t even know there was a Sentra NISMO, so I was a little surprised to see it on the CarMax website while searching for interesting manual-transmission cars. The web tells me there aren’t firm numbers on Sentra NISMO’s, just that of the 200,000 Sentras sold that year, maybe 1% were NISMO’s, and of those, very few were 6MT models. And the Sentra NISMO was only imported for three years. That, and all the red trim, won’t get you much gawkin at cars and coffee.
Is the Sentra just an appearance package, like Chevy’s RS and Ford’s Pony trim? Nope. Well, yes, the engine is unchanged and pumps a piddlin’ 188 hp through the front wheels. “Sprints” to 60 mph take an even seven seconds, and top speed is a governed 131 mph. But Nissan beefed up the Sentra’s handling and braking considerably. Car and Driver suggested…”Instead, focus on the NISMO’s reinforced cowl, floorpan, and rear bulkhead. Notice the new rear dampers, and the revised tuning of the front struts and electrically assisted power steering. The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires, in size 215/45ZR-18, are an inch larger and 10 millimeters wider than what’s available on any other Sentra.” The Sentra NISMO also braked from 70 mph in 156 feet for Car and Driver, which put it at the top of its class. So I’m on board that it’s more than an appearance package. You won’t see them at Barrett-Jackson auto auction, and there are maybe 15 for sale nationwide on Cars.com and Autotrader.
(CarMax has a second Sentra 6MT listed as a NISMO, but it is not – just a vanilla Sentra.)
Inside, we got red trim and some carbon-fiber accents to set the NISMO apart from regular Sentras. Car and Driver notes the seats are impressively comfortable and supportive, and “the NISMO’s ride is well controlled and comfortable, tauter than that of a Volkswagen GTI but without punishing the occupants.” That said, their summary included: “LOWS: The styling of 2017 wrapped around a 1980s GM interior, it’s not a VW GTI.” For comparison, a 2017-2019 GTI with about the same mileage will run you a $ 3,000 – $5,000 premium.
In addition to the 6MT, you get seat heaters, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, and a CD player. And unlike the GTI, a trunk. With fold-down seats, so kinda hatchy, except for the wheel wells.
Again, the engine is a turbocharged and intercooled 1.6-liter four-banger good for 188 hp. If you’re into it, chipping this stock turbo, injectors, and intercooler, people are realistically landing in the 240–250 hp range. Now that would make this a hoot to drive.
This 2017 Nissan Sentra NISMO sold for maybe $26,000 new nine years ago. It’s not as discounted as I would like at $20,998, and yet there’s only one with lower mileage on the major websites, from a private owner, and it’s selling for less. I’d keep an eye on this one and see if it lingers here at the Dulles, Virginia CarMax. It’s a one-owner, accident-free southern Virginia car, and if it drops in price into the teens, it could be fun. I’d skip MaxCare on this mostly analog car. Enjoy.
Stock No: 70075877 VIN: 3N1CB7AP2HY300042
