Nissan Working On A New Maxima, Redesigned Sentra Due In 2019

Nissan’s big debut at the New York Auto Show was the 2019 Altima but that didn’t stop the company from talking about its other sedans.

Speaking with Roadshow, Nissan North America’s vice president of product planning confirmed the company is already working on the next-generation Sentra and noted it is “probably the vehicle where we have the most opportunity.” Michael Bunce went on to acknowledge the current model is a tad underwhelming so “We have a lot of ground to make up there.”

We’ll find out how successful the changes are soon enough as Bunce reportedly confirmed the next-generation Sentra will be unveiled in 2019. While the current model has been criticized for its uninspired styling and anemic 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, that produces 124 hp (92 kW) and 125 lb-ft (169 Nm) of torque, the Sentra has done surprisingly well with consumers as Carsalesbase data shows Nissan sold 218,451 units in the United States last year. Those numbers are nothing to sneeze at but they pale in comparison to sales of Honda Civic (377,286) and Toyota Corolla (308,695).

Bunce also confirmed the company is working on an all-new Maxima. Little is known about the car but the VP suggested Nissan will “really push the envelope” and deliver “something greater than people ever thought or imagined a Maxima could be.”

The current Maxima was unveiled three years ago with a bold design and one of the nicest interiors ever fitted to a Nissan model. These changes helped to boost sales but they’re still just a fraction of what they used to be years ago.

There’s no word on when the new model will be unveiled but it could draw inspiration from the latest Altima which offers all-wheel drive and a 2.0-liter VC-Turbo four-cylinder engine that produces 248 hp (184 kW) and 273 lb-ft (369 Nm) of torque.