The 2013 Nissan Sentra makes its first play for conquest customers with completely revised sheetmetal. And, while the very general proportions have carried over from the sixth to this new seventh-generation Sentra the stubby, wide nose and abbreviated trunk lid are both familiar this new car looks very little like its sharply creased predecessor. If we're blunt, we don't care much for what the designers have done. The rounded, pugnacious front end gives the Sentra added visual height from the front view, while the high beltline and bulging character line do the same for the profile view.
In total, despite the fact that this Sentra is just a little bit lower and longer than the last model, it looks altogether more top-heavy. The new Sentra's ride quality was nearly as impressive as its noise, vibration and harshness tuning, as here again the Nissan made a passable impression of a larger, more expensive vehicle. Suspension compliance over potholes and such was excellent; the Sentra's primary ride was rarely upset by a cracked bit of asphalt or even some washboard-like sections we found on an unpaved back road. 2013 Nissan Sentra Interior.
In fact, whether we were just kicking back on the highway or pushing the car pretty hard on a fun road, the Sentra's suspension kept the wheels firmly planted on the road, with not much kickback in the steering or through the seats. the combination of Nissan's 1.8-liter four-cylinder and its revised continuously variable transmission hugely colors our impressions of the vehicle. The new engine is thoroughly more efficient and has a higher specific output than the old Sentra's 2.0-liter mill, though with just 130 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque it doesn't get the car moving with any sense of urgency. Nissan Sentra 2013 Engine.
Likewise, the CVT has been enhanced with a sub-planetary gear and smaller pulleys, aimed at better low-down response and improved high-speed fuel economy, but without doing much for driving satisfaction. We were able to snag a top-spec Sentra SL for this First Drive report, so we really did get the best that the model has to offer in terms of interior amenities and creature comforts. Adding the Leather (which also adds rear disc brakes, oddly), Premium and Navigation packages ensured that we wouldn't go without two-stage heated front seats, Bose audio, a 5.8-inch infotainment screen with backup camera, that powered sunroof and a few more odds and ends.
Overall the SL felt like a very complete, well-screwed-together cabin with respectable material quality as well as fit and finish (especially considering we had a pre-production model). Some noticeable detractors from the experience were the regrettable wood trim pieces on the center tunnel and the doors, as well as an overly large, thin-rimmed steering wheel that felt as if it were sized for a pickup rather than a compact car. Thankfully, we know that other Sentra trim levels do away with the wood bits the steering wheel is just something we'd have to live with.
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