2017 NISSAN SENTRA SR TURBO

When Nissan introduced the current Sentra for the 2013 model year, the automaker omitted a performance model. Better late than never, the SR Turbo arrives to change the Sentra’s character to sporty from sedate. The previous sixth-generation Sentra was available in SE-R and Spec-V livery, with engine outputs reaching 177 and 200 horsepower, respectively, compared to the base model’s meager 135 ponies. Those gains were sufficient for a 3,000-pound small sedan, but manual transmissions were mandatory. Compared with the SE-R and Spec V, the 2017 SR Turbo is an improvement of sorts, mostly because the platform is different. It’s larger (but not heavier) and therefore roomier and more comfortable, with a design that’s arguably better looking than before. The platform is also more rigid, which is a decent starting point for the SR Turbo. As a sportier model, the springs are 10 percent stiffer and the dampers (shocks) are 23 percent firmer in front and 50 percent at the rear. Structurally, there’s a thicker and stiffer cowl — the part of the car that supports the dashboard and windshield — along with a revised electric-power-steering system with a different ratio. The SR Turbo also gets larger front brakes while the cabin receives thicker front and rear glass for a quieter ride. There’s also a new floor console with double the storage capacity of what you’ll find in a regular Sentra. Spotting an SR Turbo is relatively easy, given its standard rear spoiler, rocker cladding, LED headlights, unique 17-inch wheel designs and requisite badging on the trunk lid. But what separates the SR Turbo from run-of-the-mill Sentras is a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that comes from the Nissan Juke. It’s rated at 188 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, compared to the 130 horses and modest torque rating of 128 pound-feet that the base 1.8-liter four-cylinder puts out.