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.

    See also:

    Air conditioner button (if so equipped)
    Air conditioner button (if so equipped) The button is provided only on vehicles equipped with an air conditioner. Start the engine, turn the fan control dial to the desired position and push ...

    Heater and air conditioner
    - The air conditioner cooling function operates only when the engine is running. - Do not leave children or adults who would normally require the support of others alone in your vehicle. ...

    DOOR position
    When the switch is in the DOOR position 2 the map lights will illuminate under the following conditions: - ignition switch is turned to the LOCK position — remain on for about 15 seconds. ...