With its sole 1.8L inline-four engine, the Nissan’s 2013 Sentra is not the most exciting compact sedan, but it does put up some impressive fuel economy figures, delivering as much as 39 mpg at highway speeds.
Key Points
- The 2013 Nissan Sentra is offered with a single engine option: A 1.8L inline-four producing 130 horsepower and 128 lb.-ft. of torque.
- Fuel economy is one of the top-selling points for the 2013 Sentra, providing an average of 33 mpg between the city and the highway.
- There are two transmission options for the 2013 Sentra. A six-speed manual is offered only on the S trim and the automatic CVT unit is standard for the rest of the range.
- Both Kelley Blue Book and Redline Reviews test drove a 2013 Sentra. Both found it uninspiring, but Redline Reviews also pointed out how “buzzy” the car is, that the seats, steering wheel, and pedals vibrate under hard acceleration.
- The economical mixture of a fuel-efficient engine and a large gas tank means you can expect almost 500 miles in between stops if you stick to the highway.
2013 Sentra 1.8L Engine Offers Just 130 Horsepower, but its Great Fuel Economy Gets Almost 40 mpg on the Highway
All four versions of the 2013 Nissan Sentra are powered by the same naturally-aspirated 1.8L DOHC four-cylinder. Nissan’s 1.8L only puts out 130 horsepower and 128 lb.-ft. of torque. What little power the Sentra’s engine does produce is sent to the front wheels via one of two transmissions.
There are technically two transmissions offered for the 2013 Nissan Sentra but one is much more common than the other. The majority of Sentras you’re going to come across will be equipped with the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). There is a six-speed manual option but it is only available on the base S trim level.
Nissan boasts that their next-generation Xtronic transmission improves overall fuel economy by 10% over previous models by reducing internal friction by almost 40%.
In terms of fuel economy, the 2013 Sentra performs well. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a 2013 model equipped with a CVT offers 30 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. Selecting the six-speed manual will cost you about three miles to the gallon in both the city and at cruising speed on the highway.
If stretching your fuel stops as far as they can go is your top priority, both the S and SV trim levels offer an optional Fuel Economy Plus package (FE+). The FE+ package slightly improves the Sentras highway fuel economy by adding low rolling resistance tires, and some aerodynamic upgrades but you only gain around one mile per gallon on the highway.
With an impressive mile per gallon rating and a fuel capacity of 13.2 gallons, the 2013 Nissan Sentra has a range of about 500 miles on the highway. City driving drops that range down to a little less than 400 miles, but that is still a long way to go on one tank of gas.
2013 Sentra Doesn’t Bring Much to the Table in Terms of Performance, with a Sluggish 9.6 Seconds from 0-60
The 2013 Sentra is an overall sensible car. It goes from zero to 60 in a leisurely 9.6 seconds, which makes it about half a second slower than other vehicles in its class. In Normal mode, a Sentra will take most of its power to keep up with traffic. If you want to minimize your ecological footprint while in traffic, Eco is available, but it will make it hard to accelerate at an acceptable pace.
Kelley Blue Book took the 2013 Sentra out for a test drive and had this to say regarding its performance: “the Sentra isn’t all that inspiring from behind the wheel, it ranks among the categories slowest in terms of flat out acceleration, and has the tendency to make spirited passing and merging an arduous affair, especially with a pair of well-fed adults in the backseat.”
Redline Reviews did a few acceleration runs in the 2013 Sentra and mentioned something KBB did not, “the engine is rather buzzy…you can feel it vibrating in the pedals, in the seats, the steering wheel, it’s rather annoying…you probably shouldn’t push this thing past 4,000 [rpms]…you really don’t want to, it’s horrible.”
Sport mode is available as well. Most Sentra drivers will tell you that shifting it into Sport mode creates an entirely different driving experience. Different isn’t always better though. While you’ll have a little more pick-up-and-go in Sport mode, the handling is reportedly a bit jerky.
2013 Nissan Sentra’s Engine will Get You there, but it won’t be Much Fun on the Way
The single 2013 Nissan Sentra engine option is adequate. Most people who own one find it to be a dependable vehicle, but there isn’t anything that stands out about it either, other than maybe its reliability. There aren’t any major engine-related complaints registered with the NHTSA, and no recalls or investigations either. Most complaints are isolated incidents mentioning engine vibrations, loss of acceleration, and the occasional stall.
When stacked up against other cars in its class, the Sentra falls right in the middle. There isn’t much special about the 2013 Sentra or its engine, but it is sure to get you where you need to go.
Photos: Nissan
