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:

    USB memory operation
    Audio main operation: The USB outlet connector is located in the center console. Open the lid and connect a USB memory as illustrated. Then, switch to the USB memory mode automatically. If t ...

    Connecting iPod®
    To connect an iPod® to the vehicle so that the iPod® can be controlled with the audio system controls and display screen, use the USB jack located in the center console. Open the protectiv ...

    Seat belts with pretensioners (front seats)
    - The pretensioners cannot be reused after activation. They must be replaced together with the retractor and buckle as a unit. - If the vehicle becomes involved in a collision but a prete ...