Nissan has been selling its popular compact Sentra sedan to American drivers since 1982, back when Eric Clapton was covering JJ Cale’s After Midnight on the radio. So it seems fitting that 40 years later, Nissan would begin offering an all-new SR Midnight Edition on the 2022 Nissan Sentra, perfect for cruising In the Midnight Hour. This model of the Sentra is in addition to the three current trim levels, running from the S and SV to the fully loaded SR.
Drivers will now have a new way to take the Sentra SR Midnight Edition to Georgia or spend Midnight at the Oasis in a Sentra SR Midnight Edition. This is because, after the SR Midnight Edition, we’re going to let it all hang out and give an exhibition about a long-running compact sedan that’s almost been as big of a hit over the years as these golden oldies. More than just a Sentra with a cool new black exterior paint job, the 2022 Sentra SR Midnight Edition offers a premium version of the sporty and economical compact. While any Sentra will do if you need a safe, dependable vehicle to get to work, why not go there in style?
The 2022 Sentra SR Midnight Edition Takes You Out on a Moonlight Drive
The 2022 Sentra SR Midnight Edition features a standard 2.0-liter I-4 gas engine paired with an Xtronic CVT or continuously variable transmission. The transmission has a D-mode step shift program that helps you simulate shifts, something unique to the CVT on Nissan’s vehicle. This will give you 149 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque, able to get you from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 9.2 seconds. While the 2022 Nissan Sentra isn’t going to win any road races, it will provide the kind of acceleration you will need when getting onto a busy highway or changing lanes in traffic.
The biggest benefit of the powertrain on the 2022 Sentra SR Midnight Edition is its ability to save you money at the gas pump. This is because the fuel economy on this model is exceptional. For example, when you take your Sentra SR Midnight Edition out for a Moonlight Drive like in the old Doors song, you are going to be able to get up to 37 miles per gallon on the highway. If you’d prefer to stay local, don’t worry because you will still get an exceptional 28 miles per gallon in city driving. That will leave plenty of money to spend at your favorite concert or going to the theater to see a midnight movie.
How We Got to the SR Midnight Edition of the Nissan Sentra
Let’s shine our ever-loving light on the Midnight Special Edition of the Sentra. Nissan first introduced the Sentra in 1982 as an extremely boxy compact sedan. This first generation did establish the Sentra as a very economical model, something that would continue throughout the history of one of Nissan’s most popular models. The main change over the years was that the Sentra became more aerodynamic, achieving its current sporty looks by the eighth generation, introduced in time for the 2020 model year.
The key difference this year is the introduction of the SR Midnight Edition, which is built on the top SR grade. Just like that model, the Sentra SR Midnight Edition rides on a set of all-season tires wrapped around black aluminum-alloy wheels. This will give you improved performance over the 16-inch wheels that come standard on the S and SV models of the 2022 Sentra. In addition, the SR Midnight Edition sports a unique black V-Motion grille and a black rear spoiler diffuser. Not only do these add to the sporty looks of the Sentra SR Midnight Edition, but they will also improve the handling of this model. For those who are into nice cosmetic looks, this model does feature black exterior badging to go along with the gorgeous exterior black paint job.
Nissan has done an awesome job of carrying the looks of the Sentra SR Midnight Edition to the car’s interior. The 96 cubic feet of passenger space features a gorgeous Sports Cloth seat trim with contrasting orange accent stitching. The shift knob and steering wheel are both leather-wrapped for added comfort. The standard NissanConnect system with an 8-inch color touchscreen completes the package on the SR Midnight Edition, helping you and your passengers to stay connected and entertained while you’re out on a Midnight Run.
Standard Nissan Safety Shield 360 Will Keep You Living After Midnight
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (“IIHS”) named the 2022 Nissan Sentra a Top Safety Pick for its vehicle class. This IIHS rating was due in large part to the Safety Shield 360 system of driver assistance technologies that Nissan has made standard on all models of the 2022 Sentra, including the SR Midnight Edition.
Nissan developed Safety Shield 360 as part of its Nissan Intelligent Mobility platform. This is the use of smart technology to improve the safety and performance of all Nissan vehicles, including the 2022 Sentra. Some of the features are designed to avoid a front-end collision. For example, Intelligent Forward Collision Warning will alert you if the system detects an imminent collision with a vehicle in front of you. This will allow you to take action to avoid an accident or reduce the results of an impact. In addition, the system may engage the Automatic Emergency Braking to bring your Sentra SR Midnight Edition to a safe stop. There is even Pedestrian Detection, which has been designed to alert you if there is a pedestrian in the path of your car.
One major problem that can lead to an accident is a distracted driver. This can occur when you are drowsy or if there is something that takes your attention off of the road. The 2022 Sentra SR Midnight Edition features an Intelligent Driver Alertness feature that will sound a warning if the system thinks you are losing focus on the road. If you begin to drift, Lane Departure Warning will sound an alarm and give you slight shifts on the steering wheel to help keep you on the straight and narrow. Similarly, Blind Spot Warning will help you change lanes safely and easily in your SR Midnight Edition. When you signal to change lanes, this feature will let you know if there is another vehicle in your blind spot so you can avoid a crash.
Every 2022 Sentra has a RearView Monitor that will let you see if there is a vehicle or pedestrian behind you. However, sometimes you can’t see every potential threat. This is where the Rear Sonar System comes into play. This will work with Rear Cross Traffic Alert to let you know if there is another vehicle or pedestrian about to cross behind your Sentra that you can’t see in the monitor. An alert will sound that will let you stop your Sentra before having a collision. In addition, if you don’t respond immediately, the Rear Automatic Braking will engage so you can avoid a crash or minimize the effects of a collision.
The 2022 Nissan Sentra SR Midnight Edition also has Intelligent Cruise Control. This will help reduce fatigue when out on a long drive, as it will allow you to take your foot off the Sentra’s pedals since the Intelligent Cruise Control will automatically slow your Sentra down when it detects another vehicle in its path that is driving slower than you. Once that other vehicle departs, it will adjust the speed back to your preset speed. This is like how the High Beam Assist will turn your high beams on and off depending on the lighting when driving at night. This feature will even turn your high beams off if it detects another vehicle, so you won’t have to worry about distracting other drivers. This is a key feature if you want to be a Midnight Rider in your Sentra SR Midnight Edition.
The SR Midnight Edition Won’t Let the Sun Go Down on the Nissan Sentra
Innovation has become one of the keys to success in today’s automotive world. This is why Nissan has embraced the Intelligent Mobility platform, working hard to improve its vehicles. Part of this involves constantly coming up with new models, new features, and new editions of existing vehicles. The Nissan Sentra has a track record of over 40 years of success. This is especially impressive considering that the market has shifted away from sedans like the Sentra and toward SUVs, pickup trucks, and crossovers. Nevertheless, there is a market for the 2022 Nissan Sentra, especially a premium model like the all-new SR Midnight Edition. Nissan looks to be betting that the 2022 Nissan Sentra SR Midnight Edition will be on the midnight express to continued success for this compact sedan.
