The 2013 Nissan Sentra has six recalls, and five are over airbag defects.

The airbag problems are also the subject of two NHTSA investigations.

Recalls for faulty airbags are due to unreliable sensors and deformed seat belts.

The sixth recall is over poorly sealed fuel tanks leading to gas leaks when tank is topped off.

NHTSA investigations involved approximately 3.3 million vehicles.

A third investigation addressed a brake pedal that requires extra effort to stop.

2013 Sentra owners report transmission noises and shuddering when accelerating.

A class-action lawsuit was filed against Nissan over its problematic transmission.

According to Car and Driver, Sentra's acceleration times are among the slowest in its segment.

Motor Trend says the CVT feels elastic, leading to revving and preventing fast acceleration.

There are other small sedans that offer better performance than the 2013 Nissan Sentra.

The top contenders include the 2013 Honda Civic and 2013 Hyundai Elantra.