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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

Nissan's Leaf is highly important, a true milestone in automotive history. Essentially, it's the first electric car from an established manufacturer that is seriously intended for imminent production. Yes, I know about General Motors' EV1, which was our 1997 Design of the Year. But you couldn't buy it. You could only lease it and, ultimately, had to give it back to be scrapped. Most of the electric cars I've seen in fifty years in the automobile business were funny little Renaults stuffed full of lead-acid golf-cart batteries, which transformed nimble four-door sedans into heavy, slow two-seat city cars. A few electric conversions are available now-Peugeots and Minis-but they're basically existing small cars that have been clumsily repurposed in half-hearted gestures toward being "green."inline_mediumwraptextright26339858/features/by_design/1002_2010_nissan_leaf_design_analysis1002_03_z+2010_nissan_leaf+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Months in fleet: 11
Miles to date: 21,745inline_mediumwraptextright25604660/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1001_2010_nissan_gtr_premium_january_update0910_02_z+2010_nissan_gTR_premium+side_view.jpgTrue

If you are a regular reader of Automobile Magazine, you know that we start each year by selecting our "of the Year" award winners. More than any other award, our Design of the Year causes confusion and provokes controversy. By choosing the Nissan Cube as our 2010 Design of the Year, this time around was no exception. The Cube is certainly no beauty queen - our own design editor Robert Cumberford called it "funny-looking" - but it has an undeniable presence and loads of charisma, and that character continues inside. The cabin is more roomy than its 156.7-inch overall length implies and the simple yet stylized interior is at once peaceful and functional.inline_mediumwraptextright31973226/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1001_2010_nissan_cube_sl_introduction1001_02_z+2010_nissan_cube_sL+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue