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Nissan's Sentra SE-R is a bit of an anomaly as a bridge between the compact and sport compact segments. At 177 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque, it's at least 23 hp shy of being considered a true sport compact. Rather than a Honda Civic Si, the SE-R compares more closely to cars like the Mazda 3 and Kia Forte with their optional engines.inline_mediumwraptextright32132889/reviews/editors_notebook/1001_2010_nissan_sentra_ser1001_01_z+2010_nissan_sentra_sE-R+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

The Honda Accord Crosstour is a spectacular example of automotive social media marketing gone wrong. When the car was revealed on Facebook, virtually everyone posted horrible things about it on Honda's page. One of the (very) few people to say something positive turned out to be a Honda employee, and the social media crowd had a field day with that bit of news. The debacle certainly got the Crosstour name out quickly, but it might give reason to think about the notion that there's no such thing as bad publicity.inline_mediumwraptextright27867883/reviews/editors_notebook/1001_2010_honda_accord_crosstour_exl_4wd1001_01_z+2010_honda_crosstour_eX-L_4WD+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

I suspect this is a rare bird because only a few outliers would knowingly select two doors and six gears in a Honda costing well over $20,000. Nonetheless, it's good to see this brand tip its hat in the enthusiast's direction. Overall, I'd give the Accord coupe an A-minus for execution and a B for value. High points are the stylish envelope, beautifully finished interior, and reasonably roomy rear seat. Practically every control function feels liberally lubricated and friction-free. The most noticeable exception was a slightly heavy shift effort moving across the H-pattern. Hints of gear whine while cruising and notable impact harshness on frozen roads also took the edge off the Accord's perfect score.inline_mediumwraptextright32093004/reviews/editors_notebook/1001_2010_honda_accord_coupe_exl1001_05_z+2010_honda_accord_coupe_eX-L+side_view.jpgTrue