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2007 Nissan Sentra 2.0 S Road Test

As of late, I've been driving a fair number of compact cars. They're cheap torun, spacious and not at all bad to live with thanks to big car luxuries and amenities that've filtered down. But there's one particular type of car that's emerged which is unique from the standard economy car fare. Let me explain. There are cheap compacts that bring value to the table, like the Suzuki's Korean-built Forenza. Unfortunately, they aren't particularly great to drive, and are somewhat unmemorable. Then there are performance-oriented compacts that aspire to be more than just devices for getting from A-to-B. They are cars that capitalize on the fun-per-dollar aspect, like the Mazda3, and the higher-performance Civics and VW Rabbit. Generally speaking, that's the way it's been for as long as I can remember. More recently, however, European luxury compact cars have entered onto the stage bearing Mercedes-Benz and Audi branding, and offering high scale features and amenities in a condensed package. Now, similar features are being offered by entry-level brands, and in this respect Nissan's new Sentra is the poster child of this high-value, fully

I can see strong appeal in a fully-loaded Sentra SL; it's classy looking and luxurious. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

endowed compact class, a car that puts the comfort of its passengers above everything else.

Most probably wouldn't hazard to guess that the Sentra is a comfort-orientedcar, especially when based solely on looks. Nissan deliberately gave it the “tall body” design that's been all the rage in Europe and Japan, although it comes dressed in some sharp looking clothes. The Sentra is also boxier than most of the organically styled cars that it competes with, which gives it a look that's fresh and modern without appearing like a space ship or for that matter, an egg. On this quirkily shaped canvas are all the little details that give the Sentra strong brand identity, a look that's easy to connect to other members of the Nissan family. It has thin vertical

CVT is best in class, but it could use a manual mode. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

headlamps, just like its bigger Nissan brothers and sisters, and a similarly shaped “T-bar” grille filled with dozens of matte squares that float on a backdrop of black.

Around back, the Sentra has a well proportioned, albeit high trunk lid that's decorated with ruby red vertical taillights housed in reflective bezels with clear lenses. The Brilliant silver paint and simple five-spoke wheel covers of my base-level tester really don't do the funky Sentra justice; it's best seen as the 2.0 SL where its polished multi-spoke alloy wheels and Magnetic Gray paint better convey the sophisticated and smart exterior. Of course, there are other colors available too, making nine in total.

I don't have many fond memories of the old Sentra, as most of them consist ofsqueezing my five foot ten frame into the cramped rear quarters (a friend had one that I often hitched

All Sentras, but the SE-Rs, get the 140-hp 2.0-liter four. It's enough to push it along comfortably. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

rides in prior to obtaining my driver's license). It might've possessed a decent driving position and roomy front quarters, but that was at the expense of rear leg and knee room. In the new Sentra, space is something that's definitely not lacking thanks to a longer wheelbase and upright pillars. Strangely, the Sentra doesn't feel as roomy in the back as the Versa in terms of rear legroom, which is indeed the case. The Versa has significantly more (3.5 inches) legroom, but the Sentra is still the car to buy if you're going to be transporting people in back. Load it up with five and the difference is clear. The Sentra's extra width and subsequently greater hip and shoulder room will swallow three full-size adults with no difficulties whatsoever, where the smaller car will leave shoulders rubbing. Comparing total interior volumes, the Sentra is still the bigger car, but not by the margin usually expected between subcompact and compact models. The trunk space that

So it's not much of a driver's car, but I don't think that's what its engineers were aiming for. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

the Sentra offers is an acceptable at 13.1 cubic feet, which can be increased when the rear seatbacks are folded flat, but the Versa Sedan offers more ... 0.7 cu-ft more. And the glove box is larger than most inner city bachelor pads.

Another particular area that left positive impressions was the overall look and feelof the interior. Besides feeling less claustrophobic, the overall ambiance of the cabin is improved by the clean dashboard design and the console-mounted gearshift lever. The quality of materials Nissan has used is also better; the brushed metal-look plastic around the high-mounted gearshift is pleasing, as are the chromed door handles, tricot velour door inserts and the matte, soft-touch grain on the upper dash. Slightly less impressive is the use of very brittle plastics on lower surfaces, which mark and scratch too easily. But as far as styling goes, this is one of the better interiors in the segment – everything is simple and straightforward yet attractively laid out. I especially like the little round, amber LCD display that provides

I was pleased and surprised to find the Sentra as comfortable as it is. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

digital readouts of temperature and fuel. It's nothing ground breaking per se, but it breaks up the black and silver faced gauges nicely.

Nissan is very proud of its new letter-series platforms,which were developed with its French partner, Renault. The Sentra's C-platform is shared with the Renault Megane, which besides having a strong record for safety, is lauded highly by the European press for its fun to drive nature. By association, the Sentra should be a hoot to drive with lots of lift-off oversteer, throttle-adjustable steering and such, right? No, not quite, which is where the whole comfort-oriented setup fits in. As is expected from a strong chassis, the Sentra feels rigid and tight, but it's the tuning of the suspension and steering that gives the car a different attitude. The strut and torsion-beam suspension layout does an admirable job absorbing rough pavement, while sharp impacts such as railroad tracks and expansion gaps are minimized, a sign of good tuning. To accomplish this, the Sentra was set up softly so there's more body roll than I'm used to having, and the electric power steering lacks feel and has a very strong self-centering action.

Glasshouse shape has plenty of headroom, but the Sentra's strength is in its width. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

On the plus side, the three-spoke wheel has a nice weight to it, and the base wheel and tire package provides more grip than expected, while its overall ride quality is excellent.

The engine that powers non SE-R Sentras is a two-liter inline-four thatmakes 140 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque; about average in this class. It's a new, advanced all-aluminum engine that features continuously variable valve timing, and with a long stroke it puts out more punch than its figures suggest. It's a good mate to the Xtronic CVT, given the relaxed nature of the entire car. Having driven many CVTs, Nissan's are the best, but jumping into one takes a bit of time to adjust. Compared to the Altima, I found the Sentra's CVT a little slow to react when passing on the highway, but better than say, the CVT from Honda's Civic Hybrid or Dodge's Caliber. Pushing the overdrive button on the gear selector helps the situation by raising the revs, priming the car for more instantaneous takeoff. While most automatic cars don't need a manual mode, the case can easily be argued for a CVT. During times of prolonged acceleration, such as accelerating on an on-ramp or passing uphill, the engine will stay pegged at 6,250 rpm, just a few hundred rpm short of its redline; thankfully, the Sentra

You wouldn't ever expect to see such high-end taillights on a Kia or a Chevy, would you? (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

accelerates quickly while on the move so the high-revving period is short. It's worth noting that if fuel economy is a top priority, you may want to pick the CVT over the standard 6-speed manual as it's more fuel efficient for both city and highway driving.

As a compact car the Sentra is happy in the city, but surprisingly it's even happier out on theopen road. Once cruising speed is achieved, the Sentra is eerily quiet; the engine noise seems to vanish and the wind noise from the body is well controlled. Even road noise is strangely absent, including the normal grumble from noisy winter tires. Add this to very comfortable seats that alleviate pressure points, plus a big dead pedal that contributes to a decent driving position, and the Sentra is a compact that is well suited to road trips, or, at the very least, a car that will make morning and evening commutes a comfortable affair.

Depending on the trim selected, the Sentra can be anything from a blue ribbon commuter special to junior luxury sedan. At just a hair over twenty grand for the 2.0S model that I tested, it represents a good deal, especially considering it has all the usual bases (power everything, keyless entry, air conditioning, ABS and six airbags) covered. There were a couple of features missing from this particular test car, such as the exclusive Hide 'n Divide trunk organizer

On the outside, the Sentra says sporty, but underneath it's soft and comfortable. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

that cordons off a hidden area between the trunk and the back seat. Its waterproof construction makes the flat-folding organizer useful for transporting dirty and muddy things. For those that like their music loud, Nissan offers an optional RockfordFosgate audio system with two 8-inch subwoofers, a six-disc changer and an overhead CD storage system that keeps eight of your favorite discs at hand. Hide 'n Divide, the sound system and Bluetooth handsfree connectivity, plus a trip computer, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and alloys are part of the Luxury package on the 2.0 S. Furthermore, 2.0 SLs come standard with perforated leather-trimmed seats in Charcoal or Saddle, a nice touch.

After learning and adjusting to the revitalized Nissan product range, the Sentra was an unexpected surprise. The Maxima and Altimas that have found their way into our hands had a sporting demeanor, even with their CVT transmissions, so we assumed that the Sentra would follow in suit. But, like the Versa, the Sentra is a small car with aspirations for best in class comfort and refinement. Fortunately, this grown-up compact has done its task well, and buyers will be nothing short of pleased with what it offers. With the knowledge that the Sentra's sporty Gallic relatives are some of the most entertaining and lively vehicles to drive, we are curious to see what the car is capable of doing when it puts on its SE-R and SE-R Spec-V badged track pants and running shoes.

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