2004 Nissan Sentra Review (continued)
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Walkaround

The majority of the enhancements to the 2004 Sentra lineup are in exterior design. For 2004, Sentra features restyled headlamps and rear combination lamps, a new smooth front and rear fascia with a fresh hood design and a distinctive grille. The changes are designed to take the styling of the Sentra to a new level with more flair, making it look more stylish, assertive, and self-confident.

Sentra maintains its flush-mounted, one-piece multi-parabola halogen headlamps as well as its body-color front grille, side moldings and bumpers. Handsome and solid, the basic Sentra design features a low hood line, high rear deck, and strong rear fenders, with a distinct front-to-rear character line. Robust and rounded, the design was penned by Nissan's California styling studio.

The SE-R was designed to evoke the image of the Nissan Skyline, a sports sedan legendary in the Japan market for its performance. For 2004, the sport-inspired Sentra SE-R receives several body enhancements, including new front and rear fascia, new headlamp shapes, and a restyled hood. A rear spoiler and large chrome exhaust tips indicate the intent of the SE-R.

The term compact is relative, as all of these cars seem to grow over time. This is not your father's subcompact. Sentra fits between the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, with an overall length of 177.5 inches and body width of 67.3 inches, but it's about 2.5 inches shorter than those at a height of 55.5 inches.

Interior Features

Sentra offers a roomy interior, both for people and cargo. The interior is designed well from a functionality standpoint and everything seems to fit well.

At first glance the Sentra's front seats look like normal economy car perches, but once you're in them they feel much roomier than they look. In all but the base model, the seats adjust for height with dual lifters. The driver's seat is eight-way adjustable (four-way on the base 1.8 model), with a four-way adjustable passenger seat. Driver and passenger sit relatively high in the hip area, making getting in and out easier.

New for 2004, SE-R gets new charcoal-colored fabric. The seats in the SE-R are supportive, with big side bolsters. They hold you firmly, but comfortably, in place. One knob on the side adjusts the front half of the seat bottom; another knob adjusts the rear half. Leather covers the SE-R's steering wheel and gearshift knob. New fabric upholstery for the SE-R Spec V features silver accents.

Red markings on black gauges are difficult to read on bright days with sunglasses on (there's a surprise), but they look cool at night. Stereo controls are positioned high on the center console, making them easy to adjust, and the metallic trim of the faceplate matches the latest in trendy Continental design. Other controls are straightforward and easy to use. Sentra is equipped with generous cabin storage, including a center-console with lid and a large glove box. A compartment on top of the dash is useful for storing a wallet or sunglasses. The cup holders work well for standard-size cans and cups. For 2004, a trip computer comes standard on all models with the 2.5-liter engine.

The rear seats can accommodate grownups, and all seating positions provide good breathing room. All three rear-seat positions have three-point belts, though three back there is a crowd. The four outboard belts are equipped with automatic pretensioners, an important safety feature for an economy car. This is equipment that many bigger sedans didn't have just five years ago.

The trunk is big, with 11.6 cubic feet of cargo space. The 60/40 split folding rear seatback can be unlatched from the trunk (difficult to figure out without help), making the Sentra a versatile cargo hauler. The available Fosgate subwoofer reduces versatility, taking up space and reducing the size of the passthrough.

The optional Fosgate stereo sounds fantastic with crisp bass and clear highs and no clipping at high volumes, but the controls are on the small side. For 2004, the system has been enhanced for improved sound quality.