2012 Nissan Sentra in Richmond, VA - $5,500

The Nissan Sentra has long been a reliable workhorse in the Nissan fleet for the better part of 30 years. Inexpensive and dependable, millions of Sentras in a variety of body styles continue to ply America's highways and by-ways. For 2013, the all-new Nissan Sentra moves up in style, sophistication, refinement and fuel economy.

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. 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.

Available in S, FE+ S, SV, FE+ SV, SR and SL trim levels, the lighter and more aerodynamic new Sentra allows Nissan to use a new more fuel-efficient MRA8DE 1.8L four-cylinder engine joined to a six-speed manual gearbox. When bolted to the available next generation Xtronic CVT® automatic transmission with sub-planetary gear, the Sentra delivers a 13 percent improvement in EPA combined fuel economy over the previous model.

The 2013 Sentra is built on a new platform that is lighter than the previous design, contributing to the new model's impressive weight reduction. It also helps Sentra provide one of the largest interior volumes in class, along with ample rear seat legroom and enhanced trunk capacity.

Compared with the previous generation Sentra, the 2013 model offers a 0.6-inch longer wheelbase and a 2.3-inch longer overall length. It is slightly lower in height (-0.6 inches) and narrower in width (-1.2 inches) for enhanced aerodynamics, yet offers improved total interior volume. The coefficient of drag has been significantly reduced to 0.29 from the previous 0.34.

Inside the passenger cabin, Sentra's sophisticated new look continues with a high-quality interior design with materials not usually found in compact vehicles, including soft-touch instrument panel and door armrests, available leather-appointed seating and available Maple wood-tone trim. Along with offering mid-size roominess in a compact-size exterior, the intuitive interior layout emphasizes driver control and outstanding seat comfort for all occupants. The instrument panel curves out towards the doors and features Fine Vision electroluminescent gauges that are backlit even in daylight, providing a high-quality look that is also easy to read.

Rear seat legroom of 37.4 inches is among the largest in class and immediately apparent to occupants, even with the front seats in the rear-most position. The rear seat is a standard 60/40 split fold-down design, offering versatile access to the large amount of trunk space.

Standard interior features include a 6-way manual driver's seat, 4-way manual front passenger's seat, front and rear door pockets, front center console with padded armrest and cupholders, rear seat armrest with cupholders, air conditioning with in-cabin microfilter, tilt and telescopic steering column, power windows with driver's one-touch auto up/down with auto reverse, power door locks with auto-locking feature, remote keyless entry and remote trunk and fuel-filler door releases.

A new Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) system is offered for the first time with Sentra, allowing the driver and front passenger to select their own individual temperature settings.

The standard audio system is an AM/FM/CD system with four speakers. Other available systems include a 6-speaker AM/FM/CD system with 4.3-inch color display, USB connection for iPod® and other compatible devices; and a Bose® Premium audio system with eight speakers and an amplifier that has been specially tuned to either the cloth or leather interior for best performance.

Dimensions & specifications

Wheelbase: 106.3; overall length: 182.1; width: 69.3; height: 58.9

Sentra SR

Wheelbase: 106.3: overall length: 182.5; width: 69.3 height: 58.9

All vehicle measurements are in inches

Engine: 1.8L four-cylinder – 130 hp at 6,000 rpm and 128 lbs-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm

Transmission: six-speed manual, CVT (continuous variable transmission) automatic

EPA Fuel Economy: 27 city/36 hwy. (manual); 30 city/39 hwy. (CVT); 30 city/40 hwy (FE+)

Cargo capacity: 15.1 cubic feet

Safety features

Dual front airbags, front seat mounted side-impact airbags, dual head curtain side-impact airbags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, brake assist, electronic brake force distribution, traction control, vehicle dynamic control, tire pressure monitoring system, engine immobilizer, automatic power door locks, and remote keyless entry. SL adds Bluetooth hands-free phone system, front fog lights, tire pressure monitoring system with easy-fill tire alert, and Nissan Intelligent Key keyless entry with push button ignition.

Optional safety features include: four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock, rearview monitor, smart automatic headlamps, Nissan Connect communications system, and navigation system.

Warranty

Basic: 3-year/36,000 mile

Powertrain: 5-year/60,000 mile

Corrosion: 5-year/unlimited

Pricing

The base Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2013 Nissan Sentra sedan starts from $15,990 for the Sentra S upto $19,760 for the Sentra SL. Destination charges add $780.