The Sentra doesn't offer anything approaching the performance of some other cars in its price range that have come through the CNET garage, most notably the Acura RSX Type-S and the Honda Civic Si. But, of course, the Sentra is a four-door vehicle, is better-equipped at the price than those pumped-up competitors, and deliberately trades outright speed for economy.
The 16-inch alloy wheels that come as part of the SL trim level spoiled the otherwise pleasant if unremarkable exterior for us, floating visually as they do in wheel openings that really need more filling. Otherwise, the styling both inside and out was generally well-done, in keeping with the mostly successful corporate design language we've seen from Nissan of late, the strange and ultimately ineffective cues in the interior of the last Quest minivan notwithstanding.
