How is the car on the road? It is surprisingly impressive, even nimble. The rear torsion-beam suspension would have you thinking otherwise however body movements are limited and extremely well controlled. Its electric steering is very precise and does not suffer from a sloppy on-center feel. The brake pedal is stiff but I cannot fault the performance. Likewise for the CVT, its new programming does not allow the engine revs to shoot up to redline and destroy your ear drums. The revs

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

climb and then follow the progression of the speedometer, giving the impression that it is a smooth and responsive automatic transmission. The manual does not receive such praise as the throws are notchy and the lever lacks finesse.

All in all, the Sentra is a fine animal to drive which somehow gives me the impression that it will not age gracefully; perhaps I am bothered by the grill more so than I should. Seeing as though every other Nissan wears the new attire, I assume that Nissan will make some changes in the next couple of years. Looks are obviously a matter of personal opinion but thankfully, it can ride with the best of them.

The Sentra is entering dealer showrooms as you read these lines.

Pricing breaks down as follows:
2.0: $16,798
2.0 S: $19,498
2.0 SL: $23,998

Options include:
VOP package with A/C for the base 2.0: $1,300
Luxury package for 2.0 S: $1,600
Sunroof for the 2.0 SL: $1,000
CVT: $1,200