Nissan has enjoyed a product revolution during the past several years, with every model in the automaker’s lineup getting a total redesign. Well, almost every model. The dowdy Nissan Sentra has soldiered on with minimal updates, but for 2007, the Sentra gets a complete redesign that takes it upscale in feature content and price. Just a glance at the interior appointments and options list confirms that Nissan is looking to pull buyers in from a higher income bracket.

The 2007 Nissan Sentra is built on Nissan’s global "C" platform, and comes with a new 135-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, connected to either a six-speed manual or CVT automatic transmission. The new Sentra remains front-wheel drive, with a torsion-beam suspension setup in back, employing stabilizer bars both front and rear. Electric power steering replaces the old hydraulic system. Inside, the 2007 Nissan Sentra offers a “floating” shifter in a mini center console that juts out from the bottom of the instrument panel, similar to the layout in vehicles like the Toyota Matrix and Lexus RX 330. There’s an overhead eight-disc CD holder and various other contemporary features, such as a Bluetooth hands-free phone system, an auxiliary input jack, and a Rockford Fosgate MP3-compatible CD-changer audio system. The rear seat has an innovative 60/40 double-fold system, and the trunk offers a unique storage divider system. Leather upholstery is also available. Power locks and windows, air conditioning, full-length side-curtain airbags, and side-impact airbags all come standard.