We’ve had the opportunity to test drive many of the new Nissan’s over the past year, and you can see some of the photos from the drive events above, with the Altima, Sentra, Versa and Pathfinder as recent examples. Follow the links for our reviews and you’ll see we’ve been very impressed with what Nissan has been doing. Also, with the Nissan sedans, we’ve seen them completely redesigned with a distinctive new front grille.
With the New York International Auto Show coming up, Nissan has invited Bullz-Eye.com and our readers to ask some questions to Nissan’s new Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, José Muñoz. He’ll answer them at NYIAS and then we’ll post the video here on Bullz-Eye. So give us your questions here in the comments or on the Bullz-Eye Twitter account.
I traveled out to wine country near San Francisco courtesy of Nissan to test drive the all-new 2013 Nissan Sentra. I was on hand in Dallas earlier this year when Nissan unveiled the redesigned Sentra and the new design looked impressive, but now I was getting a chance to drive it as well.
Exterior
The new Sentra features an elegant design that helps it stand out in the compact car category. Some competitors in the segment have gone with edgier designs, so the more refined look of the Sentra offers a nice alternative for consumers. The new Nissan front grille fits nicely on this vehicle and the rest of the design points flow naturally. Details like LED accented headlamps and tail lamps add to the overall look of the car. As you can see from the photos I took, the Sentra looks great from all angles.
Interior
The interior of the Sentra features upgraded soft-touch materials that set it apart from other options in the compact segment. The overall feel of the interior is stylish and upscale yet understated, so it fits well the exterior. It’s also very roomy for a smaller car. The overall comfort level in all of the seats was excellent.
Like the new Altima, the 2013 Sentra offers an all-new version of the Nissan Navigation system as an option with all sorts of features. NissanConnect with Navigation includes a Hands-Free Text Messaging Assistant that reads incoming text messages and allows drivers to reply without taking their hands off of the steering wheel. In addition, it also offers Pandora, 5.8-inch touch-screen display and Google Send-to-Car functions. Other tech options include RearView Monitor and Nissan Intelligent Key with illuminated push-button ignition switch and the Tire Pressure Monitoring System with Easy Fill Tire Alert feature.
Performance
The new Sentra is 150 pounds lighter than the previous model but also has slightly larger overall dimensions and more interior room. With a lighter vehicle Sentra also has an all-new and more fuel-efficient 1.8-liter engine with a generation Xtronic CVT. Fuel economy is rated at 30 miles per gallon city, 39 miles per gallon highway and a class-leading 34 miles per gallon combined.
The Sentra features both Sport and Eco mode options, which makes the driving experience much more enjoyable. In Sport mode the Sentra accelerates nicely and zips around curves no problem. It has solid acceleration and is fun to drive. The Eco mode is a great option for slow or casual city driving. The overall driving experience was impressive for a car of this size.
Overview
Overall, the new Sentra remains an excellent option in the compact car segment. It’s very competitive on features and gas mileage, and the look of the car will definitely attract a wide variety of buyers. Pricing for the Sentra starts at $15,990 with the fully equipped SL priced at $19,760.
Nissan invited us out to wine country near San Francisco to test drive the all-new 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. Nissan has been a leader in the large SUV category for years with the Pathfinder, and the 2013 model represents the 4th generation of this vehicle. This segment has evolved through the years as the various manufacturers have moved from a body-on-frame truck design to a more carlike unibody construction. The result is a more comfortable driving experience, even for these large SUVs, and the Pathfinder is no exception.
Exterior
With the 4th generation Pathfinder comes an all-new exterior which represents a nice improvement over the previous model. The front end in particular offers a much cleaner design. The headlights are larger and the angled grille looks like it belongs on the vehicle. The lines on the front hood and near the fog lights accentuate the grille design as well. Overall, the vehicle retains enough of the rugged feel of earlier versions, yet also has a classy, upscale look as well.
Interior
The 7-passenger Pathfinder is loaded with interior features that will make drivers and passengers feel very comfortable. The new Pathfinder boasts best-in-class interior passenger volume and best-in-class front headroom and front legroom. It’s definitely roomy and you can load this vehicle up with adults and kids no problem.
You can get all of the comfort options you would expect, heated and cooled front seats, heated 2nd row seats, heated steering wheel, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, push button start, multiple user memory settings and an advanced Bose Audio System with 13 speakers. The Pathfinder also features easy 3rd row access from the 60/40-split 2nd row with innovative technology that lets you access the 3rd row even when an empty child seat is still in the second row.
Buyers can also choose a Dual Panorama Moonroof, with sliding opening front panel and fixed rear glass panel which extends over the 2nd and 3rd rows. You should definitely check out this option.
Performance
I was able to push the Pathfinder pretty hard around some winding roads through Napa and Sonoma and was very impressed with the handling on this large vehicle. The Pathfinder gripped the road nicely even at higher speeds. The acceleration was also solid for this type of vehicle. The new Pathfinder is the only vehicle in this segment with a CVT transmission which helps provide a 30 % increase in combined fuel economy over the previous model. Fuel economy is rated at 26 mpg highway, 20 mpg city and 22 mpg combined for the 2WD model and 25 mpg highway, 19 mpg city and 21 mpg combined for the 4WD model. The CVT performed nicely as Nissan continues to perfect this technology. With gas mileage at a premium these days, the V8 is no longer an option.
I drove a model with the available intuitive four-wheel drive. Drivers can choose full-time 2WD for maximum fuel economy, auto mode to automatically monitor conditions and adjust the balance of power between front and rear wheels for best traction, or 4WD Lock mode when full-time 4WD is desired. It also features standard Hill Start Assist that helps add control when starting and driving away on a steep incline (both 4WD and 2WD models).
Overview
The Pathfinder remains an excellent option in the large SUV category. It’s perfect for families and for an active lifestyle. With best-in-class standard 5,000-pound towing capacity you can use the Pathfinder tow your boat, jet skis or trailer. It’s roomy and fun to drive so it should continue to be a hit for Nissan.
I traveled to Dallas last weekend as a guest of Nissan as they introduced the new 2013 Sentra in connection with everyone hoped would be an epic match-up between two iconic college football programs. As you can see from the photos, the new Sentra looks great, but the game didn’t live up to the hype as Alabama made a statement by whipping Michigan in majestic Cowboys stadium. You can see the view from our seats in some of the photos above that capture the incredible big screens in the stadium.
All wasn’t lost, however, as we were treated to a great tailgate on the day of the game featuring some incredible BBQ from Big Bob Gibson along with the chance to meet Heisman Trophy winners Mark Ingram from Alabama and Desmond Howard from Michigan.
Nissan has been heavily involved with college football and the Heisman Trophy in particular. On Friday night they had the Heisman Trophy on display as they revealed the new Sentra, and Desmond Howard shared some stories like what was going through his head before he struck his classic Heisman pose against Ohio State. Nissan then showed some of the new and hilarious Nissan Heisman House commercials like this one below featuring RGIII.
On Saturday before the game, Nissan set up a virtual Heisman House for fans of both teams to enjoy. Outside they had two new Sentras decked out in Alabama and Michigan colors as you can see in the slideshow above. Fans loved it.
We won’t have a chance to test drive the new Sentra until next month, but Nissan had plenty of vehicles available for us to drive on Saturday morning, so I made sure to take out the blue 370Z pictured above for a spin around Dallas.
As for the new Sentra, I’m definitely looking forward to driving it. I loved the new Altima so I have high expectations for the Sentra as well. As you can see from the photos, the styling has evolved with Nissan’s new front grille standing out in the new design. Sitting in the vehicles I was also impressed with the interior as well. Check back for our driving impressions once we get a chance to take this out on the road.
Nissan is asking, “Wouldn’t it be cool if someone took mid-sized sedans and broke the mold?” It appears Nissan did just that with the all new 2013 Altima. We recently participated in a media preview of the new Altima and we left very impressed! Nissan now wants everyone to know that they took their best-selling Altima back to its essence and re-imagined it completely. The 2013 Altima offers great horsepower, best in class 38 MPG, and is equipped with a lighter and stronger body. It has improved headlight technology for better visibility and NASA-inspired zero gravity seats that reduce fatigue. It’s their most innovative Altima ever! The 2013 Nissan Altima, one of five all-new models Nissan will introduce this year, is now at dealers across the country. The 2013 Nissan Altima will be produced in Canton, MS and Smyrna, TN.
Check out these cool videos telling the Altima story that will make you smile as well.
