Honda Civic Vs Nissan Sentra: Which Compact is Right for You?

It’s tough to compete in the compact segment. The balance between quality and affordability must be struck with absolute precision to create something that will draw in the widest audience.

That’s exactly what Honda has been doing with the Civic for years now, and the reason why anyone else challenging that status quo has their work cut out for them.

The Nissan Sentra has the good looks inside and out to get the attention of would-be buyers. It’s also priced well under Honda’s range, another good sign. How do the two really stack up in a head-to-head comparison? We put the Honda Civic vs Nissan Sentra in a comparison of features and capabilities to find out.

Nissan Sentra: Front seat passengers get 38.9 (998 mm) inches of headroom, with 44.0 inches (1,166 mm) of legroom and 53.5 inches (1,359 mm) of hip room. With a moonroof equipped, front headroom drops to 37.5 inches (952 mm). For those in the back, there is 36.7 inches (952 mm) of headroom, 34.7 inches (883 mm) of legroom, and 53.5 inches (1,353 mm) of hip room.

Bottom Line: There’s more headroom and legroom in the back of the Civic, but you get more hip room in the back of the Sentra and more front row legroom. Between the two compacts, you gain a little here and lose a little there, regardless of which one you pick.

Honda Civic: A Civic can be made in one of several ways, starting from a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that’s found on LX and Sport models. It’s good for 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque, mated to a CVT. EX/EX-L and Touring/Sport Touring models get a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbo that puts out 180 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. While the entire sedan range runs on the CVT, hatchbacks in either Sport or Sport Touring can be had with a 6-speed manual.

The Civic Si gets a slightly uprated 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbo engine that’s tuned for 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque, with a 6-speed manual and rev-matching.

Honda Civic: For the best mileage, you’ll want the EX/EX-L trim with the 1.5-liter engine and accompanying LL-CVT. In sedan form, it’s good for 33/42/36 MPG (7.1/5.6/6.5 L/100km), while the hatchback gets 31/39/35 MPG (7.6/6.0/6.7 L/100km). The lower trim 2.0-liter engine gets worse fuel economy numbers.

The 200 hp Civic Si is rated for 27 MPG (8.7 L/100km) in the city, 37 MPG (6.4 L/100km) on the highway, for 31 MPG (7.6 L/100km) combined.

Honda Civic: Every Civic is blessed with the Honda Sensing Safety suite, which includes Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure, and Traffic Sign Recognition. Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and Traffic Jam Assist is available with some configurations. EX, EX-L, Touring, and Sport Touring models also provide the Blind Spot Information System, with Cross Traffic Monitor offered with all Si and Touring/Sport Touring Civics.

Nissan Sentra: Safety features are abundant as Nissan has packed even the most basic Sentra with assistive technologies. Included in the mix are Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Automatic Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Warning, and Rear Sonar. Intelligent Cruise Control is included on SV and SR trims, while the SR gets an option to add an Intelligent Around View Monitor.

Bottom Line: For the price, Nissan has the Honda beat by including more safety tech with the Sentra. Blind spot alerts and cross traffic information is available on higher trims of the Civic, but included with even the most basic Sentra.

Honda Civic: A stripped down Civic LX of either sedan or hatchback varieties come standard with a 160-watt sound system, 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and automatic climate control. Civic EX (sedan) or EX-L (hatchback) includes dual-zone climate control, seat heating for the front row, and an upgraded 8-speaker sound system that’s also standard on the Sport trim. Touring and Sport Touring models grant you power-adjustable seats in the front, leather seating, wireless phone charging, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, a larger infotainment screen, and a Bose premium 12-speaker sound system.

The Civic Si gets wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, a moonroof, sport seats, and the Bose audio system as standard.

Nissan Sentra: Nissan made it simple and inexpensive to own a Sentra by distilling each trim level down to the most essential features. The entry S model features a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With the SV trim, you get a larger 8-inch infotainment screen, but with the option to add on more features through two packages. The All Weather Package adds dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The Premium Package on the SV unlocks a power-adjustment driver’s seat, leather seating surfaces, and a moonroof. The SR gets larger 18-inch wheels as standard, along with LED headlights. You can also add the moonroof, power driver’s seat, front seat heating, heated steering wheel, and a Bose 8-speaker system to the SR as part of the Premium Package.

Bottom Line: A nicely equipped Sentra comes in at quite a bit less than the competing Civic. You miss out on a few things like wireless CarPlay and wireless phone charging, but it’s hard to justify the big difference in price.

Honda Civic: For 2022, the Civic receives a new appearance that’s more reserved than the outgoing model. The sharp, multifarious angles on the outgoing model have been exchanged for a decidedly more conventional shape. Gone are the boomerang tail lights, replaced by familiar horizontal units somewhat reminiscent of the ones found on the current Volkswagen Jetta. The black grille that once stretched across and on top of the headlights is now integrated into the front bumper, creating a slightly Neanderthal ‘forehead’ to the front view.

Nissan Sentra: The 2020 redesign of the Sentra created a handsome, modern vehicle that helped to set it apart from the rest of the pack. For 2022, the Midnight Edition package can now be had on the SR trim, which blacks out bits and pieces of trim found on the exterior. Without the Midnight Edition package, the strong Nissan ‘V’ grille creates a distinctive presence on the road.

Bottom Line:.With the Civic receiving a less controversial design, some may now find it a bit bland compared to its predecessor, and indeed when compared to the Sentra’s edgier look.

Honda Civic: Honda prices the Civic from $23,645 (includes $1,095 destination charge) for the LX sedan. Sport, EX, and Touring versions in sedan form are $25,045, $26,645, and $30,245 respectively. If you want the functionality of the Civic Hatchback, you’ll be looking at spending $24,645, $25,845, $28,345, $31,145 for the LX, Sport, EX-L, and Sport Touring trim levels.

The Civic Si starts from $28,595, with an $200 option to add performance-oriented summer tires in lieu of all-seasons.

Nissan Sentra: An entry level Sentra S starts at a very reasonable $20,835 (including $1,025 destination charge). The SV trim starts at $21,895, with the option to add a Premium Package for $1,860 or an All-Weather Package for $590. The Sentra SR starts at $23,425 with an optional $2,470 Premium Package available.

Bottom Line: The Sentra starts well below the cheapest from the Civic family, but is fairly basic and sparsely equipped. That said, going for the most expensive Sentra with the options dialed in gets you a lot of car for significantly less than the equivalent Civic.

Honda has made the Civic family the last word in affordable compact cars. The do-it-all class of vehicles is meant to cover a broad range of buyers and needs, and the Civic does it all extremely well. Much like going to a new frozen dessert shop and faced with a myriad of toppings, the number of ways to configure a Civic is ample, but there’s one perfect combination for everyone.

The Nissan Sentra may not have the gusto or panache of the Civic, but it’s a handsome package that’s priced very attractively. For the average driver, the Sentra represents a nicely bell-curved offering that has everything you need to get from place to place in comfort and safety.

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