The Nissan Sentra, which was completely redesigned and re-engineered for the 2007 model year, continues into 2009 with only minimal changes. Among those things which are new for 2009 are a slightly restyled trunk lid, new cloth seat selections, standard automatic door locks, MP3 capability on the 2.0 S and 2.0 SL trim levels, a new Premium Plus Package for the 2.0 SL, and three new exterior colors.

The Sentra may be thought of as a compact, but it's not that small. The truly small cars are subcompacts: , , and . The Nissan Sentra is larger and roomier than those cars and competes with compacts such as the and . Sentra comes only as a four-door sedan (no hatchback is offered) and all models are front-wheel-drive.

This latest-generation Nissan Sentra was designed for American buyers. As a result, the cabin is spacious and it's finished like a more expensive car, with wonderfully supportive seats in cloth or leather. The 60/40 split rear seat folds flat, opening up the trunk space and creating a large flat cargo area. It's enough space for two to sleep back there, or to haul long items.

The high-performance Nissan Sentra SE-R and the higher performance SE-R Spec-V feature a 2.5-liter four-cylinder tuned to 177 horsepower and 200 horsepower respectively. These SE-R models have suspension modifications for sharper handling. The Sentra SE-R models have more power and better handling, but they're easy to live with and offer all the advantages of the standard Sentra. For 2009, SE-R models have a new Premium Audio Package and two new exterior colors.

Nissan Sentra 2.0 models come with an aluminum 2.0-liter engine and a choice of a wonderful six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT continuously variable automatic transmission. These cars are good values. They're roomy inside, the engine is modern and competitive, and the chassis provides good handling and a comfortable ride. Sentras with the 2.0-liter engine are EPA rated at 25/33 mpg City/Highway with the CVT, 24/31 mpg with the six-speed manual. Nissan is a leader in CVT, or continuously variable transmission, design, and we've been happy with them.