Driving around in a 1995 Nissan Sentra GLE this week I was continually reminded of how ephemeral the term "luxury car" has become.
Every time I opened the power sunroof, adjusted the power outside mirrors, engaged the cruise control, lowered the power windows, hit the ABS brakes, turned on the four-speaker stereo, tweaked the air conditioning, or automatically unlocked the doors with the keyfob remote, I thought about how nice it is to be driving a luxury car.Luxury car? The Sentra is Nissan's bottom feeder, its entry-level econobox for people who can't afford its Altima or Maxima - never mind the offerings of its way upscale Infiniti line.
True, the Sentra's seats are not clad in leather, and you have to dim the headlights yourself. The seats aren't motorized, either, you must adjust them manually.
Still, the Sentra GLE has a host of luxo goodies that were once found only on Cadillacs, Lincolns and the ultra-status German imports. It must be annoying for rich people to know that we more plebeian types can buy a subcompact and still not have to wind down our windows by hand.
But that's where the auto industry has gone in recent years. Like consumer electronics that start out costing hundreds of dollars and quickly work their way down to $14.95 at the local discount store, many entry-level marques now offer a long list of neat stuff as standard equipment.
Of the items mentioned above, all are standard equipment on the GLE except for the $995 anti-lock brakes, and I suspect that ABS will soon become standard. In truth, it should be already. Safety features, in my opinion, should never be optional - recent consumer complaints about failing ABS systems notwithstanding.
Before you dash out to buy this nifty little car with all the neat hardware, you should know that "entry level" means different things to different manufacturers. To Nissan, it means $16,784, the bottom line on my test car including destination charges and a California emissions system ($150).
There are cheaper versions of the Sentra - the base, XE and GXE models (base price for the GXE is $14,249) but if you want a small sedan that delivers 28/37 mpg with an automatic transmission and 30/40 with a five-speed manual (which I always recommend for cars of this type) the GLE means you don't have to forego the niceties of upscale motoring.
But don't expect to receive many admiring glances from your fellow motorists. Unlike most of the other Nissan/Infiniti cars, the Sentra's body style does not stand out in the crowd of small cars, which include the Toyota Corolla, Geo Prizm, Hyundai Elantra, Dodge Neon, Mazda Protege, Chevrolet Cavalier, Saturn and Ford Escort, among others.
That's not to say the Sentra is unattractive, but there is nothing special about it, which is kind of odd considering that Nissan has gone out of its way to make its other models instantly recognizable. If you want people to say, "What a cute little car," check out a Neon or one of the new Honda Civics that will debut this fall.
Added incentive: You don't have to feel unpatriotic if you buy a Sentra. The car is built in Smyrna, Tenn., not far from Spring Hill where the Sentra's direct competitor, the Saturn is made.
Motivating all Sentra models is the 1.6-liter four-cylinder that was used in the previous models, but Nissan says it has breathed on the engine to boost horsepower a skosh from 110 to 115 while also increasing fuel mileage by 5 percent - not a bad trick.
I don't know that you can actually detect five extra ponies in daily driving, but the Sentra is more than adequate in the power department. As noted above, a manual transmission does a better job of getting the most out of any four-banger, but the automatic, with overdrive, does a good job. It's particularly nice to just click the overdrive button on and off for passing or climbing hills.
Ride and handling are superb. Nissan has made some major changes in the new Sentra by adding the multilink beam suspension found on the '95 Maxima. The ride is quieter and the car hangs through the twisties with a grip that was once reserved for sports cars. Performance car handling in ordinary sedans is one of Japan's great contributions to the industry.
Despite its entry-level status, there is nothing cheap or flimsy about the Sentra. Like most Japanese cars, everything about it speaks "quality." It's hard to talk about the "feel" of a car, but you recognize it in a hundred different ways, from the solid "chunk" of the doors to the ease with which the key slides into the ignition.
On the inside, it's more of the same. The look is low key and understated but the fabrics are high quality, the seats are comfortable and very supportive and all of the knobs, switches and instruments are exactly where you expect them to be. Nissan never requires you to read the owner's manual to figure things out - something the Europeans have not begun to master.
Interior room is surprisingly expansive for a subcompact, especially for rear-seat passengers who are usually given short shrift in such cars.
On the safety front, dual air bags are standard along with adjustable front seat anchors, child-safety rear-door locks and reinforcements in the side doors. As noted, ABS is optional on the GXE and GLE but is not available on the base and XE models.
For storage, there are little bins and cubbyholes all over the place - including cup holders.