# 2010 Nissan Sentra 2.0 S Review



## Administrator (Jun 27, 2006)

As sales within the compact car segment continue to rise, thanks no doubt to the state of the economy and concerns about the environment and rising fuel prices, the importance of building practical, fun-to-drive and fuel efficient small sedans has never been greater. Nissan's primary entry in the compact class is the Sentra, now in its sixth generation and 28th year on American soil. Built on the "C" platform (borrowed from the Renault Mégane), the current generation Sentra has undergone a mid-cycle refresh for 2010 that includes some impressive technology like the 2.0 S model's Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). But parked next to segment leaders like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, the Sentra isn't the beauty queen of the bunch. 

It's true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's also true that being distinctively styled is a good thing, especially in the automotive world and in particular in a segment littered with cookie-cutter options. So to be fair to Nissan's design team, they have succeeded in the distinctiveness department with the Sentra and for some buyers that'll be enough. But when you look at the complete lineup of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles, many of which are strong sellers because they're not just distinctive but also curvaceously attractive (some would even say downright sexy), the Sentra looks rather box-like and even a little awkward in its proportions. Nissan's funky new Cube, which you'd expect to be boxy given its name, appears to have fewer flat surfaces and hard edges than the Sentra.

Or at least so it seemed to my eyes as I washed the Sentra before returning it after a week of testing. I'm 6-feet tall and found myself struggling to reach the center of the roof panel with a chamois, something I've never had trouble with when washing other compact class sedans. At 59.5-inches tall, the Sentra is 2-inches taller than a Corolla and 3-inches taller than a Civic. That may not sound like a big difference, but combine this with the short overhangs and flat vertical surfaces of the Sentra and the result is a tall and boxy looking vehicle. 

More: *2010 Nissan Sentra 2.0 S Review* on AutoGuide.com


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