Along with the expected styling updates, Nisaan has dropped the quirky orange multi-media interface in favor of a new color screen with available backup camera. But the big news is the negative price increase, with drops of $130 from the 2009 MSRP of the base 2.0 CVT (now $16,600), $1100 from the 2.0 SL (now $18,560), and $1080 from the SE-R ($19,580) and Spec V ($20,080) editions. If you can't make it much better, at least drop the price and add some features.

2010 Nissan Sentra Features Revised Styling, Interior Enhancements and New Available Technology

The Nissan Sentra continues to hone its reputation as a stylish, roomy, fun-to-drive compact sedan with a number of enhancements for the 2010 model year, including revised styling, new interior treatments, refined trim and option package content and newly available technology features such as an advanced Nissan Navigation System with XM NavTraffic® Real-Time Traffic Information (XM® subscription required, sold separately).

For 2010, Sentra is offered in six trim levels – 2.0, 2.0 S, 2.0 SR (with sporty exterior styling features), 2.0 SL and two performance-oriented models, SE-R and SE-R Spec V (please see separate 2010 Sentra SE-R press materials for information on these models). Sentra 2.0 models feature a standard 140-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and a fuel-efficient Nissan Xtronic CVT™ (Continuously Variable Transmission) on all models except the Sentra 2.0, which is offered in a choice of CVT or a 6-speed manual transmission.

All 2010 Sentras receive revised headlights and taillights, while the 2.0, 2.0 S and 2.0 SL feature new grille and front fascia designs. Three new exterior colors are also offered – Anodized Orange, Espresso Black and Aspen White. Inside, Sentra offers revised seat cloth and door trim and the instrument panel accents and illumination have been revised.

Other major changes include the separation of leather seating into an optional package on the Sentra 2.0 SL model and the addition of new Technology and Navigation Packages for the SL model. In addition, the Convenience Package is added as an option for the 2.0 SR model and the Sentra 2.0 SL adds standard Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and Traction Control System (TCS). Wheel designs have also been revised for 2010, with new 16-inch wheel covers (2.0 S) and new 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels (2.0 SL).

Sentra is again available with a range of unexpected amenities – ranging from the luxury of leather-appointed seating to the convenience of Nissan's Intelligent Key™ keyless entry system.

"Buyers in the compact sedan segment expect a car with good fuel economy, durability, safety, reliability and affordability and Sentra meets and exceeds these expectations," said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America, Inc. "But Sentra doesn't stop there; it goes above-and-beyond and offers a completely unexpected level of style, roominess, responsiveness and versatility – attributes that set Sentra apart in the segment."

A Stylish Sedan Designed for Active Lifestyles
Built on Nissan's global "C" platform, Sentra's exterior reflects Nissan design language and offers styling cues found on other distinctive Nissan products. The profile includes a long wheelbase, short front and rear overhangs, crisp character lines and large door openings, while in the rear the high deck accentuates the roomy cabin and cargo area.

For 2010, all models offer revised headlight and taillight designs, while Sentra 2.0, 2.0 S and 2.0 SL models also receive a new, refined front fascia and grille. The 2.0 S and 2.0 SL also feature new fog light covers and new body side moldings with chrome inserts and a new chrome trunk finisher.

The Sentra 2.0 SR, which was introduced in the mid-2009 model year, continues with its new sporty appearance package – which includes a sport grille, unique front and rear sport fascias, side sill spoilers, rear decklid spoiler with integrated brake light, smoked headlights and taillights, driving lights, exhaust finisher and "SR" badging on the rear deck.

"With the enhancements to the Sentra 2.0, 2.0 S and 2.0 SL, along with the dynamic, sporty look of the new 2.0 SR, Sentra maintains it fresh, eye-catching and high-quality appearance," said Castignetti. "Like every Nissan, Sentra beautifully blends stylish design with other important attributes such as performance, roominess, comfort and utility."
Inside, the interior continues the sporty, functional theme of the exterior, with the use of high quality materials, large gauges and a spacious, flexible center console. For 2010, all Sentra 2.0 models receive new cloth seat trim, with upgraded cloth on 2.0 S, 2.0 SR and 2.0 SL. The instrument panel has been revised with new accent trim, chrome HVAC knob accents and a new instrument panel coin holder. The instrument illumination has been changed to a new reddish orange color, and all models feature new audio head units, with a 4.3-inch color display on Sentra 2.0 SL.

Sentra's interior is designed to accommodate five full-size adults in comfort, with an ample passenger volume of 97.7 cubic feet. Along with the roomy, social space of the interior, Sentra's trunk provides 13.1 cubic feet of cargo space and is designed to accommodate long, bulky and "unexpected" items through the use of an oversized pass-through opening. Combined with the 60/40 split double-fold rear seat (the cushion folds forward, allowing the seat back to fold down), Sentra offers exceptional cargo flexibility for carrying snowboards, hockey sticks and even bikes.

Other storage solutions include a rear seat armrest with cupholders that can accommodate a 20-ounce bottle and 32-ounce drink cup, extra instrument panel storage next to the driver's door, and a large glove compartment that can fit a 8x11-inch writing tablet or a large-sized map book. The center console offers multiple storage options, including an adjustable cup holder design and cell phone space.

Along with ample roominess, Sentra is offered a wide array of premium equipment, including available leather-appointed seating, Nissan Intelligent Key™ keyless entry system, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System and premium Rockford Fosgate-powered audio system with 8-channel amplifier and 8 speakers. New for 2010, Sentra adds standard Interface System for iPod® (except 2.0).

Responsive and Fun-to-Drive
Sentra's powerful 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine designed to combine responsive acceleration with good fuel economy and efficient operation. It is mated to a standard Xtronic CVT™ or 6-speed manual (Sentra 2.0 only).

The advanced 2.0-liter Nissan MR20DE aluminum block engine is designed to offer an exceptional balance of responsive acceleration, excellent low and mid-range torque and increased thermal efficiency. The engine is rated at 140 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque. Up to 90 percent of the torque is achieved by 2,400 rpm – providing comfortable driving and excellent fuel consumption in real world driving when mated to the Xtronic CVT.

Fuel economy is rated at 34/26 miles per gallon City/Highway with the CVT and 31/24 miles per gallon with the 6-speed manual transmission (Sentra 2.0 only).

The 2010 Sentra again offers responsive handling. The front suspension is an independent strut design with coil springs and stabilizer bar. The rear features a torsion beam with integral stabilizer bar, with the rear shock absorbers mounted below the trunk floor for improved trunk roominess. Sentra's ride comfort has been enhanced through use of special "ripple control" shock absorbers, an insulated front cradle-type subframe with pendulum engine mount system, roller-type front strut bearings and large, tuned rear beam isolators.

Standard safety features for the Sentra include the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors; front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags; roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags for front and rear-seat outboard occupant head protection; and front seat Active Head Restraints. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and Traction Control System (TCS) are added as standard equipment on the 2.0 SL (optional on all other models).

Four Well-Equipped Models
The 2010 Sentra 2.0 is offered in four well-equipped models, starting with the Sentra 2.0 with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and a choice of Xtronic CVT™ or 6-speed manual transmission. Standard features include electric power-assisted steering, 15-inch wheels and tires, suede-like cloth interior, oversized glove compartment, power windows and door locks, rear folding seat, 4-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with auxiliary input and much more.

Sentra 2.0 S adds 16-inch wheels, P205/55HR16 tires, 6-speaker AM/FM/CD RDS audio system with MP3 playback capability, Interface System for iPod®, upgraded cloth, Vehicle Security System, trip computer, cruise control, Remote Keyless Entry, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and more.

The 2.0 SR takes its sporty styling cues from the high-performance Sentra SE-R, adding a unique exterior treatment including sport grille, driving lights and rear spoiler. It also offers 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.

The top-of-the-line Sentra 2.0 SL is available with standard cloth seats or optional leather-appointed seats. Standard SL equipment includes 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, Nissan Intelligent Key™ with power trunk release, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System, XM® Satellite Radio (XM® subscription required, sold separately), leather-wrapped steering wheel, 4.3-inch color audio head unit with iPod® and Bluetooth® controls, driving lights, Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Traction Control System (TCS) and "SL" badging on the rear decklid.

Available options and packages include Convenience Package (2.0 S, 2.0 SR models), ABS and VDC Package (2.0), VDC Package (2.0 S, 2.0 SR), and four packages exclusive to the 2.0 SL – Navigation Package, 2.0 SL Premium Package, 2.0 SL Premium Package Plus and 2.0 SL Tech Package.

Krider Racing took their LeMons Thunderhill veteran SE-R, added a few more safety items, spent a lot more than $500 and convinced an official to issue the car a racing log book. Then they took the car racing in NASA’s Performance Touring series. How does an ex-LeMons car fare? Pretty darn well, it turns out. In 2008, Krider Racing won four Performance Touring F races at Infineon while racing alongside the United States Touring Car Championship cars.

“When we told the rest of the drivers in our class that they had just been beaten by a LeMons car, the look on their face was priceless,” said Rob Krider. “But remember boys and girls, the important lesson here is this: you can take a LeMons car and make it a real racecar, but don’t be foolish enough to think you can take a real racecar to LeMons. That will only get you a date with the dozer. Just ask Team Salazar Racing or Team Fantasy Junction. Our SE-R will never run LeMons again, we spent way to much money on it after Thunderhill. I don’t want to see that thing under a tractor.”

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: Yes
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: Yes
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: Yes
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: Yes
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• Volkswagen GTI
• Honda Civic SI
• Mazdaspeed3
• Subraru WRX
• Chevy Cobalt SS
• Dodge Caliber SRT-4
• Nissan Sentra SE-R, if you don't think the LSD, larger brakes, red seatbelts, 23 extra horses and stiffer chassis Spec V brings are worth $500.

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Nissan
• Model year: 2008
• Base Price: $20,470
• Price as Tested: $21,660
• Engine type: 2.5-Liter NA I4
• Horsepower: 200 @ 6,600 RPM
• Torque: 180 @ 5,200 RPM
• Transmission: 6-speed Manual
• Curb Weight: 3,048 lbs
• LxWxH: 180.1" x 70.5" x 59.1"
• Wheelbase: 105.7"
• Tires: P225/45WR17
• 0 - 60 mph: 6.7 Seconds
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 21/29 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: *****

Also see:
• 2008 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, Part One
• 2008 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, Part Two

Acceleration: ***
Though the 2.5-liter QR25DE engine doesn't quite relive the turbocharged glory of Nissan's famous SR20DE, it does provide reasonably quick off-the-line performance. Pumping out 200 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque, the Sentra achieves a claimed 0-60 mph time of 6.7 seconds, on par with a Cooper S and just ahead of the Civic SI. Also, they fixed the problem that made them burst into flames. Victory!

Braking: ****
The base Sentra still has drum brakes, but the SE-R gets disc brakes at all corners, providing ample stopping while requiring little stomping despite the little sedan's big curb weight of 3,048 pounds. In Spec V trim the massive 12.6" vented front discs bring the party to an end before you have a chance to get your coat.

Ride: ***
Even with the lowered height and sport-tuned shocks there's not the expected rough ride over bumps. It would have been easy for the Nissan engineers to sacrifice a bit of smoothness for improved handling, but they managed to achieve both. While lacking the staccato nature of other cars in this class, I wouldn't perform a bris in the backseat or anything.

Handling: ***
The "V" in Spec V is, presumably, the same as the V in GT-R V Spec, which stands for victory. And given the stiff suspension it isn't unreasonable to believe it could claim victory... against any base model economy car out there. All the 'ring tuning in the world can't change the fact that the Sentra platform puts a priority on space, meaning it requires a bit of effort to fight the laws of physics.

Gearbox: ***
The shifter sits up high on the dash, within easy reach for anyone not sitting on the floor of the car (though drivers that do sit low may have to contend with an awkward angle). Shifts are quick and clutch action is pretty easy. Gear selection is a bit vague, especially when downshifting diagonally from sixth to fourth. Though a bit buzzy, sixth gear still helps the SE-R achieve a respectable 31 mpg highway.

Audio: **
The 340-watt Rockford Fosgate, eight-speaker system has a large display, robust sound and the crucial auxiliary port. This should be a knockout. But they put said port in the dead center of the dash RIGHT ABOVE THE DAMN SHIFTER. If your friend wants to drop that hot new remix from their iPod you're going to have to tell them you'd like to, but you're going to have decline because the choice you have to make is between sweet jamz and shifting gears.

Toys: ***
In addition to the G-meter, the bright orange display will present trip info such as average speed, average fuel economy and trip time. The sunroof isn't really necessary but is large enough to enjoy sunny days. Navigation would have been nice, as well as satellite radio, but HD radio for this class is good enough.

Value: ****
The SE-R Spec V starts at $20,470 with nearly every feature you'd want, including the sport-tuned suspension, 23 horsepower bump over the SE-R and helical limited-slip differential. Though more can be had for a bit more, there's not much that can be had for less. If there's one value complaint I have, it's that it makes the SE-R, at just $600 less, a horrible relative value.

Overall: ***
KRS-One said a real thug is a thug that's hush and the Spec V is pretty hush, certainly even more so in black. Even in its currently ugly state, it's an improvement over the previous generation and, we hope, the sign of better things to come. Performance is on par with cars at the lower end of the sporty-yet-economical segment, but so is the price.

Also see:
• 2008 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, Part One
• 2008 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, Part Three

Stealth is key in Chicago's underground city as I hoped to avoid attention both from the police and those they've pledged to protect me from. Did anyone know Nissan still makes an SE-R version of the Sentra? Did anyone remember they still make a Sentra? Despite the paint, body kit, spoiler and split five-spoke wheels, the SE-R looks like any other econobox.

Another key to survival here is a car quick enough to keep up with your reflexes. Lower Whacker, the main underground pathway, feels like a Driver's Ed video made real. Delivery trucks and commodity traders late for lunch with the mistress randomly dart out of alleys and into the narrow, concrete-edged roadway. The small Sentra, despite its unimpressive origins, handles itself with impressive poise. The speed-sensitive power steering is so quick I had to pause and remind myself what I was driving, right before my brain turned back on and I narrowly avoided one of the many pieces of construction equipment left, as an obstacle, in my path.

I pulled off onto a side street, only to catch a red near one of the underground city's biggest traps: the transient cartographers. Conventioneers staying at any of the area's finer hotels often get lost down in the catacombs, sometimes never to be found again. These homeless men appear to the misplaced orthodontists, emerging from the ether to offer help. At a price. But I was here to expose secrets and they rely on confusion. I was their sworn enemy.

The red light snapped to green and I put pedal to floor, escaping what could have been a trap. The Sentra's normally aspirated fourbanger springs to life with only a minor squeak of the tires, power instantly available from the high compression engine. Unlike the Caliber SRT4 and MS3 there's no hint of torque steer, meaning there's no chance I'll nick a curb as I delve further into the darkness.

With its thick concrete walls, steel girders and a layout similar to the inside of a church organ, this world beneath worlds tends to amplify sounds. This works to my disadvantage as the SE-R Spec V whines with an unpleasant high-pitch buzz as the needle sweeps across the tach, alerting those in the area. There's no need to slow down, though, as the Sentra absorbs the bumps of uneven concrete competently enough for a souped-up econobox.

I finally make it to the lowest levels of Randolph, hoping to find the market. There are mysterious stairwells, unmarked cop cars and parking garage entrances galore. But no market. Unlike its competitors, the SE-R doesn't even offer navigation as an option, so I've got nothing but my wits to help me find this enchanted locate. And my wits fail me.

Maybe the market closed. Maybe it never existed. Maybe those lurking below the pizza joints and coffee shops were alerted to the presence of a nosey surface dweller and concealed it from view. Of course, even if I'd found it I wouldn't be able to haul that much treasure home. The V-brace in the trunk invalidates the possibility of pass-through storage.

And just like my quest, the Sentra SE-R Spec V doesn't quite measure up to expectations. An unexpectedly enjoyable platform with usable power and predictable handling is somehow ruined by its own gimmicks, namely the dyed-red seatbelts and boost-gauge wannabe G-meter stolen from the Z that both look obnoxious in this sedan.

No worry. Unlike some if its overpowered and oversized competitors, the SE-R isn't a chore to drive in urban areas, making the journey equally as fun as anything I was likely to find. Maybe between here and there is truly better than either here or there.

Also See:
• 2008 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, Part Two
• 2008 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, Part Three