The 2013 Nissan Sentra, completely redesigned!

It is not easy to carve a niche in the very busy compact car niche, the segment most popular with Quebecers.

To do this, consumers must be offered an economical car, but also fun to drive and distinctive in terms of exterior design. This is the mandate given by the engineers and stylists of the all-new 2013 Nissan Sentra. The styling of the 2013 Nissan Sentra has been completely changed this year and it must be said that the stylists at Nissan have undoubtedly succeeded in giving the new Sentra a line less bland than that of the previous generation. In fact, when viewed from the side, the new 2013 Sentra is definitely reminiscent of Nissan's Altima midsize sedan. The massive body gives the car a European feel while the short overhangs at the front, the grille surrounded by chrome and the domed fenders add a touch of sportiness to the whole.

The interior of the 2013 Nissan Sentra, like the car itself, has been completely redesigned this year. It is now more spacious and above all achieves a level of refinement unsuspected in a sedan in the compact category. Our test model, a fully equipped Nissan Sentra 1.8 SV was offered with the seats covered in good quality leather and a wood finish that, without being made of real woodwork, is elegant. Buyers looking for a higher level of equipment will no doubt be happy to learn that the 2013 Nissan Sentra can be equipped with a navigation system, a rear view camera, dual-zone air conditioning, a sunroof and keyless push-button start, to name just a few.

On the road, the 2013 Nissan Sentra surprises with its comfort and flexibility. The seats provide good support and allow you to swallow the miles without getting tired. The cabin is quiet and relaxed, while the suspension does a great job of concealing the many imperfections of our road network.

There's plenty of storage space inside the 2013 Sentra, and each passenger gets plenty of head and leg room. The trunk is the largest in its class with 428 liters of storage space, which is more like a mid-size sedan than a compact car.

CYLINDER ENGINE MORE ECONOMICAL

The 2013 Nissan Sentra is fitted as standard a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine delivering 130 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque. This engine is nothing new and Nissan engineers have done well to continue its use in the new Sentra as it delivers more than acceptable power while being very economical at the pump. In fact, mated to Nissan's all-new CVT X-tronic automatic transmission, the 2013 Sentra has a highway fuel consumption of 4.9 liters per 100 kilometers. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard. On the road, the 1.8-liter engine displays good linearity and allows quick acceleration and pick-up without hesitation. We especially like the torque available at low speed which allows the 2013 Nissan Sentra to take off with confidence. The CVT X-Tronic transmission fitted to our test car did its job efficiently and smoothly. Gear change progress is quiet while the transmission responds quickly to driver requests. In other words, you never get the impression that the CVT is run out.

CONCLUSION

With the introduction of the new 2013 Nissan Sentra, Nissan dealers can now compete on a level playing field in the compact car segment. The heavyweights in the category need to behave.