Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
23 -28 City / 28 -35 HWY
Horsepower
126 -175
Seats
5
Front angle view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Joy Love Haislip
Crosse Country, city driver ex school bus driver
I bought my 2003 nissan in 2005. I'm second iwner. I played$13,000 for a car with 12,000 miles on it and it now has 174,00 miles. Never had has any leaks whatsoever . Never ever had any issues. I love this Nissan. The best car ever. Joy H. 2019.
accountCircle Christina P
This vehicle is really great!
This vehicle is durable. This vehicle is comfortable. This vehicle is dependable. It is so safe and it is wonderful. It really lasts. This vehicle has great gas mileage. This vehicle is cute. This vehicle is compact. This vehicle is amazing. This vehicle is wonderful.
accountCircle Bekka L
Great on gas only cost about 20 to full up
Like it because it's cheap on gas. It's too small in the backseat for my child. It also is very slow
accountCircle Jessica R
My car pulls to the left really bad. The tired pressure isn't always the best.
My car drives great. It has wonderful gas mileage. Its very trustworthy
accountCircle Andrea M
It's fast and useful. Not the prettiest but there when needed
It's very old and it's at the point where it stops working at least once a month but it's still very useful to me for the day to day chores
accountCircle Mike S
That you can run it forever it is very durable.
No problems runs forever, low maintenance little to no work on it, and it goes for miles because of gas economy.
accountCircle Joe S
2003 Nissan Sentra great car.
My Nissan Sentra 2003 is a great car. It is faster than what I expected when I brought the car. It handles great in snow and rain.
accountCircle Michael S
2003 Nissan Sentra performance review.
The Nissan is gas economy ( 29 /42 mpg) durable, and trouble free, it is comfortable. Little to no maintenance compact yet spacious room inside. Powerful 1. 8 EfI engine, automatic transmission. Quiet, runs forever when it comes to mileage. We have only had to keep the oil changed with a new engine belt. Otherwise it is efficient and have power windows.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Conner G
Small, cramped, barely made it through 1 Minnesota winter.
My shocks are going bad, my brakes are going bad, its tiny and cramped and is only 1. 5 liter engine so it sounds like a freight train when it tries to work in the cold. The lock and window mechanism in the driver door is also going out. It also has terrible gas mileage.
accountCircle Justin B
A true workhorse. This car can go forever.
Not a looker by all means but it is been the most reliable car I have ever had. We got this car out of desperation since we crashed the last one but this was a hidden gem. Easy to fix when it has problems, decent gas mileage and the is a workhorse. The CD player doesn't work though.
accountCircle Mary K
It is getting old being 15 years old.
It gets okay gas mileage and I have good visibility. I need a little more lift in the seating. Plenty of room for passengers.
accountCircle Amanda C
That its reliable and not unreasonably priced.
Well, my car is very reliable, I have to admit. I haven't had any major issues within 3 years of ownership, plus it was used when I got it. It's not super fancy or fast or high tech, but it does get me where I need to go.
accountCircle Derly C
It has no A/C which is what I usually tell those who will be in my car.
Since I bought it from someone online, it is used, the paint seems to be peeling badly on the front of the car. The A/C doesn't work, and In the area I live it can get to 100 degrees outside, which can be excruciating. However it hasn't broken down since I got it, it gets me from point A to B.
accountCircle Brandy C
2003 Nissan sentra, not the best condition.
I was given my car as a gift from my father and the car was bought used from someone off of Facebook marketplace. We assumed the car was not going to be in the best shape because we were only spending 1,300 dollars on the car. As it turns out, the car does have quite a few problems and the check engine light remains on. However, when you have to buy an inexpensive car, then you usually do not have the extra money to fix said problems. There is a problem with the fuel, catalytic converter, heating/air.
accountCircle Jeremy H
Nothing too major that I have found. The car has served me well other than the bad transmission.
The engine runs great, the only problem is the transmission will not engage all the time. It does have a large transmission leak, thus I am continually putting transmission fluid into it.
accountCircle Cheri B
Nice car, good mileage, seats 4. Less than 90K miles
It is hard to get in & out of for me. I love trucks

Nissan Sentra Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
XE
126 HP 32-32 MPG 5 Seats
car
GXE
126 HP 32-32 MPG 5 Seats
car
Limited Edition
165 HP 26-26 MPG 5 Seats
car
SE-R
165 HP 26-26 MPG 5 Seats
car
SE-R Spec V
175 HP 26-26 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2003 Nissan Sentra Owner Reviews

3.93
43 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 40%
4 stars 16%
3 stars 42%
2 stars 2%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Jennifer B on March 28, 2021
I love my car like family
My car has been all over the place and is still kicking after nearly 15 years. Very reliable. No major problems. Just the normal.
accountCircle Gina S on March 16, 2021
My highlight for it is that it takes me to work and back.
Sometimes because it is an old car it kind of gives problems but overall it runs good, I honestly would give it a 7 out of 10 on a scale of 1-10. It's a good car just not my thing. I prefer a newer model. Its reliable for close distances. If you use it to go out of state it might give you issues as it has done for me.

Ranks #14 Small Cars by Owners

The 2003 Nissan Sentra has an average owner rating of 3.93 out of 5 which ranks it #14 of 21 other Small Cars.

1
car
4.5
2
car
4.35
14
car
3.93

Ranks #4 Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2003 Nissan Sentra has a combined MPG of 35 which ranks it #4 of 21 other Small Cars.

1
car
48 MPG
2
car
43 MPG
3
car
38 MPG
4
car
35 MPG

Related Articles for 2003 Nissan Sentra

From the Vehicle History blog

car
Nissan Sentra: Common Problems You Might Experience

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2003 nissan sentra wheel bolt pattern?

Answer: The wheel bolt pattern on a 2003 Nissan Sentra iS4 lugS4.5 inch. A torque wrench is a must-have when tightening the lugs nuts. Youre never supposed to use an impact gun to put lug nuts on because theres no way...

2003 Nissan Sentra: What is the oil type and capacity?

Answer: The 2003 Nissan Sentra uses SAE 5w-30 full synthetic oil. It has a capacity of 2.9 quarts. Oil keeps the internal parts of Your engine lubricated and it also removes dirt, sludge, and other impurities which...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

Not Rated
*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Not Rated

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety