Powertrain and Fuel Economy: 2013 Nissan Sentra
Fuel economy has become the name of the game with regards to the world of the compact sedan. The 2013 Nissan Sentra is no exception, and it's stepping up to the plate with a brand-new 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder engine. It's not packing a serious power punch with just 130 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque, but Nissan put the new Sentra on a diet and it lost 150 pounds along the way. That helps keep the car somewhat sprightly while also pushing fuel economy in the right direction.
The Sentra can be paired with either a six-speed manual gearbox on the S trim, while the second generation CVT is an option. All other trims only come with the Xtronic CVT because there's no fuel economy bump to offer the manual gearbox, and 90 percent of customers don't want to shift gears on their own.
Thanks to that efficient CVT, the 2013 Sentra is rated to hit 39 miles per gallon on the highway. In combined driving you can expect to achieve about 34 miles per gallon, and you'll get 30 miles per gallon in the city. Spend a few extra bucks for the FE+ package available on the S or SV trims, and highway fuel economy climbs to 40 miles per gallon thanks to a few subtle aero tweaks.