11 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, March 11, 2009 Sometimes small cars aren't all that small By Rob Beintema Carguide Magazine Metroland Newspapers The Nissan Sentra has grown steadily over the years, evolving in both size and content. The Sentra starts with Nissan's "C" platform, shared with the Rogue and Renault products. Building on that foundation, this sixth generation Sentra follows a standard sedan formula featuring tall car architecture blended with Nissan design DNA. In other words, the designers were probably told to "make it look like an Altima". And you can hardly blame them. The Altima, still one of the handsomest cars on the road, is one of the most successful vehicles in Nissan's lineup. For the most part, it works. There's an element of dwarfism in the design, the headlights and taillights looking almost too big for the body, but the Sentra has at least shed the bland anonymity of generations past. The long wheelbase, short front and rear overhangs, and large door openings emphasize the accent on interior roominess. The high rear deck maximizes the cargo area without crimping rear visibility. Inside, the Sentra is spacious for a car of this class, enough so that it has been bumped up to a midsize rating in some markets. Yes, it still requires compromise from the front seat passengers to make leg room for the second row, but on the whole this compact is quite roomy. The ergonomic layout, quality of construction and available content levels are all up to snuff. And some extra thought was given to storage innovation and flexibility. An available integrated, removable overhead compact disc holder above the driver's sun visor can hold up to eight CDs. The oversized glove box can fit a standard 8x11-inch folder. The centre console offers multiple storage spaces and the front cupholders feature dial-the-size adjustments matic in fuel efficiency. But the Xtronic CVT automatic is efficient enough to smoke the manual by a substantial margin when it comes to fuel economy, with a rating of 8.0L/5.9L/100km (city/hwy) compared to the six-speed's 8.4L/6.4L/100km. Nissan's justifiably pumped about that difference but let's not get too excited here. For an average driver, according to my math, that only works out to a difference of about a hundred bucks a year, which, if you like shifting a manual, is easy to live with compared to the $1300 cost of the optional CVT. For 2009, Nissan has bolstered the Sentra's dynamic abilities with significant enhancements including Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), now standard, along with power door locks with auto-locking on all models. Nissan's three trim selection (we'll skip the SE-R and Spec-V hot rods for another time) starts with the Sentra 2.0 that includes electric power-assisted tilt steering, six airbags, 15inch wheels and tires, suede cloth interior, 4speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with auxiliary input and much more. The Sentra 2.0 S adds air conditioning, 16inch alloy wheels, 6-speaker AM/FM/CD RDS audio system, in-dash vehicle information display monitor, cruise control and Remote Keyless Entry. And the Sentra 2.0 SL tops the lineup with leather-appointed seats, Rockford Fosgate Audio System, XM Satellite Radio (required monthly subscription sold separately), interior accent lights, integrated overhead CD storage and a few other bells and whistles. There are also a variety of options and packages to choose from, along with an accessory list to personalize your own special Sentra. More information is available online or, better yet, if you're set on a sedan and comparing compacts, consider test driving the 2009 Nissan Sentra. For 2009, the Nissan Sentra carries forward its compact car qualities of dependable fuel economy, affordable pricing and a surprising level of available equipment with new enhancements including Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), now standard on all models. for different drink containers. There's also a small instrument panel drawer near the driver's left knee and, in back, a rear seat armrest with cupholders. The trunk, with 371L (13.1 cu. ft.) of cargo space, has been designed to accommodate awkward cargo items through an oversized pass-thru opening. With the available 60/40 split double-fold rear seat (the cushion folds forward, allowing the seat back to fold flat), Nissan boasts that the Sentra should even be able to accommodate a bicycle. And a patented Divide-N-Hide optional trunk divider can be raised into a vertical position, creating two separate compartments. Complementing its innovative use of space and storage, the Sentra offers a wide array of available premium equipment, including leather seating, Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone System and premium Rockford Fosgate-powered 6-CD audio system. "Sentra has broken free of the pack of likesized and like-styled compacts with exceptional style, available features and innovative utility," said Ian Forsyth, Director, Corporate and Product Planning, Nissan Canada Inc. "A typical entry-level buyer has only one vehicle, so we designed Sentra to serve as a 24-hour mobile knapsack, a home base for people who are anything but homebodies." Nissan has, frankly, been letting the side down when it comes to its overall selection of alternative fuel and power options, but the Sentra still manages a slightly unique combination of economical four-cylinder power offered with a choice of a standard 6-speed manual transmission or an optional Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). The 2.0-litre Nissan MR20DE DOHC aluminum block engine is rated at 140 hp @ 5100 rpm and 147 lb-ft of torque @ 4800 rpm. The engine pulls competently with good low and mid-range torque, feeling quite responsive. Obviously, engineers have fine-tuned the relationship between the engine and CVT transmission (as tested), eliminating most of the "rubber band" feel of earlier CVTs where it always felt like somehow the car was trying to catch up to the engine. Usually, a manual tranny will beat an auto-