Styling

The Sentra's tall stance and short hood and trunklid make the car look a bit stubby in profile. It's not nearly as sleek as the Civic, which is still futuristic looking even though it's been around in its current form since the 2006 model year — an incredible feat. I like the Sentra's design more than the Corolla's, which is about as bland and nondescript a car as you'll find these days. For a side-by-side comparison of the Sentra, Civic and Corolla, click here.

Not everything's right with the Sentra's design. A couple of our editors, myself included, weren't fond of the car's clear-lens taillights. This design cue was a fad a few years ago, and it's time for Nissan to ditch the look.

The Sentra comes standard with steel wheels, but our 2.0 SL had 16-inch alloy wheels with an eight-spoke design. Alloy wheels always dress up a car's exterior, and 2.0 S and 2.0 SL models get chrome door and trunklid accents that serve the same purpose.

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    Shifting
    To change gears or when upshifting or downshifting, depress the clutch pedal fully, shift into the appropriate gear, then release the clutch slowly and smoothly. To ensure smooth gear changes, f ...

    SENSE AND STYLE
    Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Excellent Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times ...

    Cleaning
    If your windshield is not clear after using the windshield washer or if a wiper blade chatters when running, wax or other material may be on the blade or windshield. Clean the outside of the wi ...