Used 2013 Nissan Altima Consumer Reviews
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Problem with CVT
Jim DiRosa, 04/17/2015
2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
18 of 20 people found this review helpful
I purchased the car in march of 2013. It is 2 years old, it has 66,000 miles & the dealer tells me it needs a new transmission. Nissan has refused to offer any financial assistance, because the car is 6000 miles out of warranty. I will never recommend Nissan to anybody. I definitely never purchase another Nissan!
After considerable research
davidsonhh, 09/22/2012
2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT)
23 of 26 people found this review helpful
After driving a Lexus GS 300 for 268k miles with very few problems, it was difficult not to be loyal to Toyota. However, the new 2013 Altima is special. The dealership gave me the 2.5 to drive for a day and a half. Unfortunately it had neither the quickness or engine smoothness I had been living with ijn the Lexus V6 for so long. At stop lights it rumbles, and at highway speed is noisy. The CVT is smooth, but felt like it was working hard. The 3.5 is very different. The power engine 270HP, is refined, and operates seamlessly with the CVT. Watch out Camry, Accord, Passat, Outback, Fusion, and Lexus ES350. This Altima has game.
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Amazing value in a mid-level sedan
Louis P., 05/11/2016
updated 05/24/2021
2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
28 of 32 people found this review helpful
*Updated May 2021: I purchased a used 2013 from a Nissan dealer with 14K miles on it in October 2014 (my sister owns it now and has 80k + miles on it). I rarely buy new cars and research extensively before buying a used one. To explain my reasons for purchase, here's a little background. I'm 60 and retired with a spouse, no kids and no mortgage. I own a 11 year old Toyota Tundra (probably the best vehicle I've ever owned). When the Tundra turned 100k miles, I decided I had to let my mid-life crisis Alfa Romero go for something more reliable for road trips and save some miles on the truck (and gas $). I set my limit at $20k for a late model used car with low miles, and started looking. Since this was going to be my road-trip car, I wanted great MPG, no turbo, and used regular gas. I quickly found out the premium models (Lexus, Acura, etc.) didn't meet my criteria. I test drove Sonatas, Accords & Civics (2 & 4 door), an Optima, Mazda 3 & 6, Ford Fusion, Volkswagen CC, and several Altimas. After our last buying experience at my local Honda dealer, I swore I would never buy another Honda or go back in there. But after driving a 2014 Accord coupe at another dealer, I was kicking myself- it was definitely my favorite but a little out of my set price range by $4k. The money really wasn't the issue, it's just that it's not worth the extra money I would end up spending, which would end up being a difference of $7k. The same was true of the Altima coupes but not as great a difference in price, but still more than the sedan- and the selection wasn't as good. The Optima was nice, but after a weekend test drive, the MPG was not what I expected. As luck would have it, I sold my Alfa the day I listed it and found a great deal on an internet ad in Charleston for a 2013 Altima the same day. I drove up the next day, test drove it, paid for it, and they delivered it the next day. The review: I was apprehensive before my purchase. Consumer Reports had the 2013 Altima on their used car 'Do Not Purchase' list and a lot of reviews had me leery of the CVT. While reviews are helpful, negative feedback tends to surface faster and more frequently, and I understand why- there is not a manufacturer that hasn't produced lemons. I look for constructive consumer reviewers that are not pi$$ed when they write them. The professional reviews are not much better, they tend to favor instant gratification like performance and excitement over longevity or real-life, day-to-day ownership, but that's their job. Yet I doubt they ever had to stick out their thumb and bum a ride when that Jaguar broke down on the test track! I hate to inform them, but the ho-hum cars they knock around define the bell curve of all purchases. But even Edmund's rates this car a C, what was I thinking? Fast forward: I can't say enough good things about this car. I have the SL package and it has more options than cars costing $5k more. The MPG is excellent, although the computer variation can be up to 2 mpg off my calculations when I fill up. Regardless, I average 33-35 mpg around town (where I average about 25-35 mph). I have exceeded 40 mpg on the highway but over 70 mph it's around 38 mpg. The car is quiet, the ride very smooth, and I don't have a problem with the CVT or the way it doesn't shift! It may bog down and whine for others, but apparently this baby was built for my snail-like reflexes and acceleration. Which may explain my mpg this last 14k miles. The entertainment system works flawlessly, normally the first thing I do is yank out the factory radio and replace it along with the speakers. It lacks a bit on the bass but sounds good enough where I didn't feel the need to replace it. And it sounds even better using a thumb-drive plugged into the USB port. The Bluetooth links quickly, works great on calls and streaming, and I love the text access via voice command. I only have one complaint here, it would be nice if you could send a voice-to-text message instead of just the pre-programmed text messages. The info screen between the gauges is handy but can distracting. At least Nissan got it right by putting the actual psi for each tire on the display, and it's accurate. I wish Honda would take note of this (my 2016 Accord Coupe is already giving me problems after 18 months). The headlights are spectacular, much brighter than the Silverstar Ultras in my Tundra. The interior is comfortable, plenty of back-seat space. The driver's seat is comfortable enough around town but fatigues you on long drives. My only real gripe is the piano-gloss finish on dash/console. It scratches easily and shows smudges. The trunk is huge but I needed to add a LED panel in place of the bulb. And the plastic bag hangers that flip out are useless, too low. Overall I'm highly satisfied and haven't had one problem. Since my sister's owned this she's only replaced the tires, so it has been reliable requiring no repairs.
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- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
CVT Sucks!
alan106, 04/03/2013
2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
I've been driving my 2013 Altima SV for 6 months. I regret having purchased this car. I should have bought a Camry. The CVT transmission is defective by design. While cruising at highway speeds and attepting to maintain a specific speed, the transmission at about 1800-2000 rpm, will begin to vibrate at a low rumble....which is not only audible but felt. At any speed, engine noise is NOT what you expect in a family sedan. Wind noise, with closed windows, is inexusable. The whine from the power steering is only a problem when you start the car. Once running it's inaudible. On the positive side: the car has great acceleration, breaks,exterior design. The car feels solid and has good gas milage
Problems from the begining
abdulmoid, 11/01/2012
2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL 4dr Sedan w/Prod. End 11/12 (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
Bought the car, drove off from the dealership in Toronto and hear the rattling sound from the rear section behind the drivers seat. Took out everything from the car, drove again for about 100 kms & the rattling is there, took it to the dealership, they said its the headliner, tried to fix it broke the headliner, then they order a new headliner & replaced it, called me to pick it up after 3 weeks, I went to pick it up, inspect the car & there are big wet stains inside the sunroof shade, showed it to them left it for one more day, now its been a week they were unable to clean the stains and are replacing the sunshade. I've been without my car for 4 weeks now. Extremely disappointed I am