2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy

2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - Printable Version

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2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - car fanatics - 08-31-2012 11:20 AM

Nissan
Photo credit: Nissan

2013 Nissan Sentra

Nissan's all-new 2013 Sentra, unveiled here today, continues the brand's product onslaught as the third of five all-new vehicles being introduced in a 15-month period.

Like the recently unveiled Nissan Altima and Pathfinder, the redesign of Sentra focuses on class-above design standards inside and out, as well as efficiency in engineering. The new Sentra is 150 pounds - or five percent - lighter than the outgoing model, yet has slightly larger overall dimensions and more interior room. The lighter and more aerodynamic new Sentra allows Nissan to use a more fuel-efficient 1.8-liter engine, which along with the next generation Xtronic CVT® with sub-planetary gear helps deliver a 13 percent improvement in EPA combined fuel economy.

With the FE+ models, Sentra achieves up to 40 mpg on the highway. Other CVT-equipped models are rated at 39 mpg on the highway. All CVT models achieve a best-in-class* EPA rated 34 mpg combined (City and Highway).

"The 2013 Nissan Sentra is the most revolutionary design in the nameplate's 30-year history, a worthy addition to what is without question the most innovative, highest quality, highest value sedan lineup in Nissan history," said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America, Inc. "With the complete redesign for 2013, Sentra is closer in look and feel to Altima than a typical compact sedan. Like Altima, the new Sentra offers best-in-segment attributes, such as high fuel economy and easy-to-use connectivity, that offer real customer value and convenience."

The new Sentra has a strong family resemblance to the recently introduced 2013 Nissan Altima, both in exterior and interior styling cues and its "class-above style" against competitive vehicles in the compact sedan segment.

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - BasiliskSt - 08-31-2012 12:01 PM

Okay RougeRiver or someone else want to explain what a sub planetary gear is? It looks like they've added a gear box after the traditional CVT mechanism to further step down (less than 1:1 ratio) the rotations on the output shaft?

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - zeep - 08-31-2012 12:04 PM

Coming from a current Sentra owner this is definitely an improvement mechanically and stylewise. I get about 36mpg with mine and this will get more with the smaller engine and much much more refined CVT (as if mine wasn't already good enough). Stylewise, while my SR does look good in black with the grey alloy wheels and bodykit, the rest of the range looks like rental cars (especially the base trim) so this new one is a great improvement and that SR trim looks great in that blue (I could care less for the wheels.) I can't tell too much for the interior but it looks more upmarket.

I really do hope that Nissan reintroduces the SE-R trim but they need to realize that they can't just stick the Altima engine in it, that won't do them any good. What they could (and probably should) do is use the engine from the Juke.

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - nell_z - 08-31-2012 01:17 PM

This is the most attractive Sentra I've ever seen. Great job, Nissan. Let's just see if those performance times can mirror the Altima.

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - redsky - 08-31-2012 01:22 PM

Less power than out going model? What?

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - lengnert - 08-31-2012 01:31 PM

Looks as good and similar to the Altima. A good change for what had become a good but pretty poorly styled little car.

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - lengnert - 08-31-2012 01:34 PM

BasiliskSt;228866 Wrote:Okay RougeRiver or someone else want to explain what a sub planetary gear is? It looks like they've added a gear box after the traditional CVT mechanism to further step down (less than 1:1 ratio) the rotations on the output shaft?

That is interesting. A 2-speed CVT (kidding) or one with a low range CVT of its own?

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - McLovin - 08-31-2012 02:09 PM

Strong family resemblance is an understatement . All three car classes look identical. Not a fan of that. I like a little differentiation. Meh, soso

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - RougeRiver - 08-31-2012 03:34 PM

BasiliskSt;228866 Wrote:Okay RougeRiver or someone else want to explain what a sub planetary gear is? It looks like they've added a gear box after the traditional CVT mechanism to further step down (less than 1:1 ratio) the rotations on the output shaft?

The planetary multiplies the CVT output to provide two ranges.

The steep line on a CVT plot is the shortest ratio of the cone/pulley system and the flat line is the tallest.

The V spread represents what a CVT pulley can do. Without any range multiplication, Nissan would have to make the cone/pulley ratio larger to get a wider spread and this would yield more inertial and friction loss.

So they use the range multiplication to allow for a smaller cone/pulley while achieving a flatter (more fuel efficient) tall ratio and a steeper (more intitial response) short ratio than previous CVT designs.

This gets a big thumb up from me.

The Sentra allows the driver to have performance ratios and economy ratios co-exist in the same transmission.

Honda will also be introducing a CVT.

CVT systems can operate in either a "continuous" or "stepped" torque multiplication mode.

I really thing one should test drive thse products before they are dimissed for using a CVT.

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - RougeRiver - 08-31-2012 03:38 PM

One other point.

I believe that the smaller cone/pulley system reduces the parasitic loss dedicated to the oil pump that drives it.

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - BasiliskSt - 08-31-2012 09:33 PM

It made sense there would be less friction from the belt and cones with smaller pulleys. And I understood the graph. The total gear box is supposedly smaller. I assume the compactness of the planetary gear set aids in that. Looks like a winning combination. The Altima impresses me. This new Sentra is another impressive effort from what I can tell. Is this innovation from Nissan, Renault, both, or a supplier? Nissan has put CVTs to best use. If it's internal innovation, I'm even more impressed.

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - RougeRiver - 09-01-2012 05:54 AM

Yep, I missed the reduction in size aspect yielded by using a planetary.

RE: 2013 Nissan Sentra delivers 40 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined fuel economy - LovemyPathfinder - 09-01-2012 05:52 PM

Love the technology but don't like the styling and the engine. Wish they would have given it the jukes motor, but maybe that is in the cards..?