2003 Nissan Sentra Reviews, Pricing & Specs
Overview
It seems the 2003 Nissan Sentra has a car for every member of the family. The base XE is a nice compact economy car that's light on both...
It seems the 2003 Nissan Sentra has a car for every member of the family. The base XE is a nice compact economy car that's light on both features and the wallet. The GXE, with power accessories, a CD player, and 60/40 split-fold seats, is geared toward a young family or personal commuter. Then, for the mom or dad needing a break from routine, there is the sporty SE-R and racing-inspired SE-R Spec V. Now, in 2003, there is the 2.5 Limited Edition, a solid economy family compact sedan full of convenience and safety features.
Both the XE and GXE carry a 1.8-liter, 126-hp I4 engine with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. The 2.5 LE is basically a GXE that adds on standard ABS brakes and side impact airbags and comes only with the auto tran. The 2003 Sentra also bids farewell to the CA, as both the XE and GXE now meet low emissions requirements in California. The SE-R Spec V gets a new 6-speed manual transmission with closer gear ratios. Both the SE-R and Spec V are fueled by a 2.5-liter I4 that is rated at 165-hp (SE-R) or 175-hp (Spec V). The SE-R has a choice of the 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. Both feature sports-tuned suspension, sport seats, a rear spoiler, side sills, chrome exhausts, and titanium gauges. The Spec-V is a bit more aggressive, with larger performance tires, stronger brakes, and a more racing-tuned suspension.
The 2003 Sentra is a popular choice for those seeking both performance power and a low price tag. Drivers say it the engines are responsive and the SE-R models are a lot of fun to drive. Handling is tight, and gas mileage is excellent, even on the SE-R models. Overall room seems larger than other compacts (and the Sentra is longer than its competitors). Owners also praise the sound system. Negative comments mention the lack of rear legroom, peeling and chipping paint, the poor quality of interior materials, no standard ABS on the XE and GXE, and the undescript rear styling that doesn't match the aggressive front end.
What owners say
"Overall, drivers seem to appreciate the 2003 Nissan Sentra for its reliable performance and good handling. Many enjoy its fuel economy, making it a great choice for daily commuting. Owners favor its comfortable ride and low maintenance costs but have raised concerns about some build quality issues and performance limitations compared to newer models."
Rally nice car for daily commute. It saves money on Gas and has comfortable ride. It is low on maintenance which makes this car very economical. It's small in size that helps to park easily. Bottom line best daily commute car.
April 6, 2015This car is great... I was looking for a nice sporty sedan with a couple requirements. One was it needed a sunroof (check) and another was a manual tranny (check). I looked around at a Mazda Protege5, but it wasn't very fast with the 130hp engine. Found a bright yellow SE-R Spec V Sentra for sale for about the same price as that Mazda. Test drove it and realized that it had been taken care of. The QR25DE 2.5L engine with 175hp and 180lb/ft of torque combined with the low gearing makes for some great acceleration. The car has so much low end torque that I can leave it in 6th gear when slowing down to 50km/h (32MPH) for a town and not have to shift down to accelerate back to highway speed. However, due to the low gearing, high speeds and fuel economyaren't high points. The 6 speed manual with it's double overdrive (4th is 1:1, 5th and 6th are both overdrives) can't manage more than 27 MPG with my wife driving or 25 MPG with me driving. In contrast, I had a faster SVT Contour with a V6 of the same capacity that could outrun this and acheived better fuel economy. The build quality is about par for a Japanese car, lots of durable but hard plastics and other materials. Due to the factory 17" wheels, the turning circle is VERY large for a car this size, but hey, this car definitely has the looks. Gets stares EVERYWHERE you go because of the "look-at-me-yellow" paintjob. This is definitely a super fun car to drive, but with my back I wish it had more lumbar support. It now has about 100,000 miles on it, and it hasn't needed any repairs beyond normal wear and tear items. This is a GREAT car for the price!
September 11, 2008I like the fact that the car is the last edition on the Sentra, it comes with a 2.5 engine with a 4 cylinder and is very economical in gas. Very low maintenance needs it for this type of cars. I don't like that sometimes with out realizing I am going over the speed limits.
November 16, 2014What owners say
Rally nice car for daily commute. It saves money on Gas and has comfortable ride. It is low on maintenance which makes this car very economical. It's small in size that helps to park easily. Bottom line best daily commute car.
April 6, 2015This car is great... I was looking for a nice sporty sedan with a couple requirements. One was it needed a sunroof (check) and another was a manual tranny (check). I looked around at a Mazda Protege5, but it wasn't very fast with the 130hp engine. Found a bright yellow SE-R Spec V Sentra for sale for about the same price as that Mazda. Test drove it and realized that it had been taken care of. The QR25DE 2.5L engine with 175hp and 180lb/ft of torque combined with the low gearing makes for some great acceleration. The car has so much low end torque that I can leave it in 6th gear when slowing down to 50km/h (32MPH) for a town and not have to shift down to accelerate back to highway speed. However, due to the low gearing, high speeds and fuel economyaren't high points. The 6 speed manual with it's double overdrive (4th is 1:1, 5th and 6th are both overdrives) can't manage more than 27 MPG with my wife driving or 25 MPG with me driving. In contrast, I had a faster SVT Contour with a V6 of the same capacity that could outrun this and acheived better fuel economy. The build quality is about par for a Japanese car, lots of durable but hard plastics and other materials. Due to the factory 17" wheels, the turning circle is VERY large for a car this size, but hey, this car definitely has the looks. Gets stares EVERYWHERE you go because of the "look-at-me-yellow" paintjob. This is definitely a super fun car to drive, but with my back I wish it had more lumbar support. It now has about 100,000 miles on it, and it hasn't needed any repairs beyond normal wear and tear items. This is a GREAT car for the price!
September 11, 2008I like the fact that the car is the last edition on the Sentra, it comes with a 2.5 engine with a 4 cylinder and is very economical in gas. Very low maintenance needs it for this type of cars. I don't like that sometimes with out realizing I am going over the speed limits.
November 16, 2014The '03 Sentra SE-R is a good little car. The exterior styling has an aggressive look, but the interior is essentially the same rental car feel of the normal Sentra. There is too much hard plastic in the interior, and there are some minor squeaks that come from the dome light and the occasional rattle in the doors from excess bass in the stereo. As far as mechanicals are concerned, the car has been very reliable, with the only real problem I have had being a leaky A/C hose. There is a big issue that I was able to take care of before any problems arose. The stock exhaust header has a catalytic converter built in, and the catalyst substrate material tends to break up and can get sucked back into the motor. An after-market header takes care of this problem. In it's stock form, the SE-R is pretty quick, and is fun to toss around on the back roads. With my added header and catback exhaust, however, there is some real power to the car. The gas mileage is fairly decent, I average about 23 MPG driving on mostly back roads. Overall, this is a fun little car, and despite some interior quality issues, is well worth looking at. Just make sure to get rid of the stock header and the pre-catalyst of death.
July 7, 2009The QR25 makes a lot of low end torque making this car a lot of fun driving around town. Six-speed manual transmission with LSD is standard for the spec-v and optional on the SE-R. The seats are very supportive and good for "swift" driving and sharp turns but are still comfortable enough for road trips. Decent amount of room in the back seat and trunk.
January 4, 2008This is truly an all around great car. It is reliable has low maintenance cost. It does well on gas, handles well and it's performance is great. As a college student this car was always dependable and besides the basic tune up i never had any problems with this car.
March 27, 2013Performance: Acceleration is great...Braking could use an upgrade but I haven't the need to get a big brake kit...Handling could also use an upgrade if your tires can keep up. Build Quality: Only in recent years have things started to go wrong on it, but it is getting old (replaced flex pipe, currently has an air leak). Before all this happened nothing was wrong with it. Cost of Ownership: Good but not great gas mileage and maintenance has never been that much of an issue. Fun Factor: I absolutely love this car, but I'm looking to sell it. I can finally afford a Z, but I need to sell this car first.
November 17, 2010I love my Sentra. Rick drives it now, but he loves it too. It has great pickup and is very quick. Only car I have ever gotten caught speeding in. Fun to drive and very sporty looking. Handles very well.
October 13, 2009Terrible build quality. Needs repairs often. Absolute blast to drive through corners, having an LSD and a lightweight body allows it to keep up with much faster cars in the twisties. Gear ratio is short, transmission is terrible. Engine is very torquey for a 4 cylinder Japanese car. Junky interior, looks alright from the outside.
July 7, 2009Performance is great for a car of this category and price. With a few mods it's probably at 200hp at the engine (175hp stock). Suspension is so-so due to the live axle at the back. Fuel mileage is not terrible. Appearance is ok. I like the wheels and the front bumper. Bottom line, if you want a "cheap" fast car, I think it's the way to go.
September 19, 2008
