Vehicle Overview The Nissan Sentra sits between the subcompact Versa and the midsize Altima. Regular Sentras come in base 2.0, 2.0 S and 2.0 SL trim levels. The Nissan Sentra is an alternative to the likes of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. The Sentra SE-R and SE-R Spec V are Nissan's representatives in the hotly contested sporting compact segment they compete against the Mazdaspeed3, Chevrolet Cobalt SS and Honda Civic Si. New for 2009 For 2009, the Sentra gets a redesigned rear trunklid, new cloth seat trims, standard automatic door locks and an available MP3 compatible radio for 2.0 S and 2.0 SL models. Exterior From the grille material to the high-mounted clear-lens taillights, the Sentra looks like a smaller version of the Altima. The Sentra is on the larger side of compact class. It's nearly 180 inches long and 70.5 inches wide, which is larger than its competitors. Available 15- or 16-inch tires Available fog lamps (standard on S and SL) Optional powered moonroof (on S and SL) Power mirrors (on S and SL) Interior The Sentra offers some innovative features for a compact, including rear cupholders that can hold 32-ounce cups and 20-ounce bottles high-mounted front-seatback pockets for backseat passengers and a configurable partition in the trunk that can form two compartments, one of which Nissan describes as hidden. The Sentra stands taller than conventional compacts. This trend improves forward visibility and entry and exit from the car by increasing the minimum seat height. A 60/40-split folding backseat is standard. Overall, there's about 98 cubic feet of passenger volume and 13.1 cu. ft. of trunk space. Just like its exterior, the Sentra's interior bests the competition. Available suede-like cloth or leather-appointed seats Standard air conditioning Standard power windows and locks Cruise control and steering-wheel-mounted controls (standard on S and SL) Keyless ignition system (optional S, standard on SL) XM Satellite Radio (optional S, standard on SL) Under the Hood The Sentra is powered by a single powertrain and two transmission options. 140-horsepower, 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder with 147 pounds-feet of torque Six-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmission Electronic drive-by-wire throttle Safety Standard safety features include: Standard side-impact airbags Standard side curtain airbags Available security system (optional 2.0, standard on S and SL) Available four-wheel antilock braking system (optional 2.0, standard on S and SL)