Honda Accord, Civic Remain Most-Stolen Vehicles

The 1994 Honda Accord and 1998 Honda Civic were the most-stolen vehicles in 2011, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The most-stolen list is compiled by data submitted to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center from law enforcement agencies.
 
While the top two look similar to 2010’s most-stolen list, NICB reports a new trend of late-model vehicle thefts. Newer cars typically are harder to steal because of higher-tech anti-theft devices.

2012 Nissan Sentra Video

The Nissan Sentra is getting a little long in the tooth, according to Cars.com Industry Analyst Kelsey Mays. Despite the car's age, there is still plenty to like, such as a spacious cabin and a responsive ride. But with a new Sentra just around the corner, what’s the benefit of looking at this near-obsolete model?

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Cars.com Reviews the 2012 Nissan Sentra

The Nissan Sentra has faced a steady stream of new competitors since the sixth generation of the sedan debuted in 2006. It remains a competent choice, but there are better options, according to Cars.com Industry Analyst Kelsey Mays.

2012 Nissan Sentra Review

Nissan Confirms New Rogue for 2013

Buried within the news about the launch of the 2013 Nissan Altima, Nissan confirmed that it's preparing an all-new version of its Rogue compact crossover. We don't know much beyond that, but we expect the model to be heavily influenced by the Hi-Cross Concept shown at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

The concept was a seven-passenger compact crossover featuring the Rogue's inline-four engine along with a new turbocharged four-cylinder coupled to a hybrid powertrain, and a new continuously variable automatic transmission. It seems perfectly reasonable to expect all those powertrains on the new Rogue, given the competitive nature of the segment.

2012 Nissan Sentra: Car Seat Check

Nissan's compact Sentra sedan may be one of the automaker's smallest cars, but you wouldn't know it by looking at its backseat. The Sentra's bench seat is wide and roomy, and we were surprised that we could almost fit three child-safety seats across the second row, a feat usually reserved for large sedans or crossovers.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

Nissan Teases 2013 Sentra

At the Beijing auto show, Nissan revealed a new car (above) that will be the basis for the 2013 Sentra. Nissan's compact sedan was last updated for model-year 2010, when it got a light refresh.

The 2013 Sentra marks the car's 30th anniversary in the U.S. Details are slim, but the Sentra SR teaser image (below) shows a more prominent deck lid and LED-accented taillights. The video showcases a grille in line with the 2013 Altima's styling, new fog lights and LED-accented headlights.

The Sentra is the third of five new vehicles Nissan plans to debut over the next 15 months. The redesigned-for-2013 Altima sedan will go on sale this summer, followed by the updated Pathfinder SUV and the new Sentra this fall. The Versa compact hatchback and Rogue compact crossover are next.

More details about the Sentra will be released this summer. Watch the video teaser below.

What's Under Nissan's Sheets?

Nissan is advertising that it plans to debut five all-new models in the next 15 months, giving consumers a glimpse of its future by showing vehicles hidden under sheets in TV ads and on billboards. So, what's under there?

Starting at the left is the Versa hatchback; its sedan sibling was unveiled last year so an updated hatchback seemed sure to follow. The hulking vehicle next to it has to be the new Pathfinder. There's no surprise there: The concept unveiled in Detroit was virtually production-ready. It forecasts the end of the Pathfinder's traditional body-on-frame architecture as well as some of its boxy, truck-like exterior styling cues. In its place are the curvy, fluid lines of a crossover. The 2013 Nissan Pathfinder goes on sale this fall.

Nissan CEO Talks New Cars, Sales Expectations

By any account, Nissan had a good year. Despite challenges in Asia and weakening consumer confidence in debt-ridden Europe, the Japanese automaker outpaced analysts' expectations for profits over the first half of its fiscal year, which ended last September. By year's end, Nissan's U.S. sales, including its Infiniti luxury division, improved 15%. Toyota and Honda ended 2011 with sales down 7% apiece, but they were greatly impacted by last year's tsunami in Japan, leading to far less dealership inventory than Nissan.

Ask CEO Carlos Ghosn to characterize Nissan's smooth sailing, and he tempers expectations: "If people are not upbeat, it's good," he said. "The company is moving into the right direction, even [though] there are a lot of headwinds."

Ghosn, 57, has been Nissan's chief executive since June 2001; he also oversees French automaker Renault, which has been allied with Nissan since 1999. He discussed Nissan's outlook for 2012 during this month's Detroit auto show, as well as at the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit the same week.

Major products like the Altima and Sentra — Nissan's first and third best-sellers in 2011, respectively — are set for redesigns this year. Both cars have been in their current guise since late 2006, and both are part of a global barrage that will include a new product every six weeks on average through 2016, Ghosn said.

Recall Alert: 2010-11 Nissan Sentra

Nissan is recalling 33,803 Sentras from the 2010 and 2011 model years because the vehicle may stall while it is moving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the affected cars, which have MR20 engines, the zinc coating on the terminal stud may be too thick. As a result, certain cars may experience a drop in voltage that would make starting difficult. This issue could damage the engine control module and cause the engine to stall while the car is moving, and the driver may not be able to restart the engine after it is stopped.

Nissan will start notifying owners on or before Jan. 23. Dealers will replace the positive battery terminal and cover for free. Owners can call Nissan at 800-647-7261 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

2012 Nissan Lineup: Ch-Ch-Changes

For the 2012 model year, Nissan will refresh the Maxima, add a Special Edition Package to the Rogue and increase the standard features on the Leaf. The automaker released the planned model-year changes for its lineup this week.

Nissan also plans to continue to sell the old Versa hatchback alongside the completely redesigned Versa sedan, which was first shown at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.

Continue reading below for more detailed information.