People buying compact sedans aren’t generally looking for a vehicle that will take home beauty awards. They tend to want something functional and practical and affordable.

Nissan competes in this segment with the Sentra, and saw a need to step things up for the 2020 redesign. And it turned out quite nicely.

With the 2020 Nissan Sentra SR Premium, Nissan has managed to meet all the criteria listed above, plus offer a beautiful looking ride that will turn heads. It looks like a sports car, and drives much better than you’d expect from an entry-level sedan out of a non-luxury automaker’s stable.

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The 2020 Nissan Sentra I tested featured a two-tone Monarch Orange and Super Black color scheme which was sharp and among the best looking vehicles I’ve seen this year. The design up front is especially bold and attractive and jumps out at you in a good way.

In a class not known much for its looks, this may be among the best-looking options available in 2020. I got more feedback on this car than I've gotten on vehicles that cost twice as much, and it was all positive.

This is a compact sedan, so legroom and headroom are tight in the rear, but the front seats are quite comfortable. The quality of materials used inside the Sentra were higher than you might expect for this price point, too.

Standard on the SR trim level are 18-inch alloy wheels, dark chrome grill, LED headlights and fog lamps, heated exterior mirrors, a rear spoiler, leather shift knob, and sport cloth interior.

The Premium package (well worth its $2,170 cost) will get you thin lens LED headlamps, power sliding glass moonroof, a heated steering wheel and heated front seats, leatherette seats, Intelligent Around View Monitor, and auto-dimming rear view mirror.