I drove a $28,000 Nissan Sentra. It's not quick, but can be a good deal.

Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

• The Nissan Sentra is a subcompact sedan that competes against the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.
• I was impressed by its attractive styling, standard safety tech, and affordable pricing.
• But I was disappointed with its lackluster performance and a somewhat noisy engine.

For over 40 years, the Nissan Sentra has been a key player in the subcompact segment, competing against economy car stalwarts like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.