2021 Honda Civic vs 2022 Nissan Sentra

The 2021 Honda Civic continued the tradition of segment-defining models that Honda released every decade or so. With its 10th-generation design, the Civic sedan offered a mix of love-it-or-hate-it styling that had become familiar on American roads. The Touring trim, with its Cosmic Blue Metallic paint and 18-inch wheels, presented a striking appearance, though opinions varied depending on the angle and lighting. Inside, the Civic's cabin, while not as dramatic as when first introduced, still featured quality materials and thoughtful detailing. However, the infotainment system's maximum screen size of 7 inches showed its age, despite the car's role as a trendsetter.

In contrast, the 2022 Nissan Sentra carried over its 2020 redesign, presenting a modern, low-slung, coupe-like exterior reminiscent of a downsized Altima. The Sentra's design was a significant improvement over its predecessors, offering a well-executed representation of Nissan's current design language. The interior of the Sentra stood out with its modern yet simple layout, combining form and function effectively. The front cabin featured a touchscreen rising from the dash as a visual centerpiece, complemented by easy-to-use controls and an upscale look. The Sentra's exterior color options, including bold hues like Scarlet Ember, added to its appeal.

The 2021 Honda Civic offered two engine options. The base LX and Sport trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. While adequate, the real excitement lay in the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine available in the EX, EX-L, and Touring trims. This engine delivered 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, providing the Civic with ample power. The sophisticated four-wheel independent suspension and precise steering made the Civic a joy to drive, especially with the Touring trim's 18-inch wheels. However, the CVT was a drawback, with its droning nature and unsatisfactory paddle shifters. Despite this, the Civic's fuel economy was impressive, averaging 34.8 mpg on a 140-mile loop, surpassing the EPA estimate.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine across all trims, generating 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. Like the Civic, it came with a CVT and front-wheel drive. While not outstanding, the Sentra's powertrain provided solid low-end acceleration and satisfactory highway performance. The Sentra's steering was well-weighted, and its cornering capabilities were commendable for a non-performance-focused car. The suspension handled most road imperfections well, though it struggled with harsher conditions. Overall, the Sentra was a reliable choice for commuting and occasional road trips, offering consistent performance across different driving scenarios.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan sat low to the ground, making entry and exit a bit of a workout. Once inside, the Civic offered a comfortable experience, with the driver's seat providing eight-way power adjustment. However, the front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster. The rear seats were spacious, offering excellent thigh support and a comfortable backrest angle, though rear air conditioning vents were absent. The Civic's center console was highly practical, with ample storage options, and the trunk provided 15.1 cubic feet of space, slightly reduced to 14.7 cubic feet in the Touring trim due to the premium sound system.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra offered 14.3 cubic feet of trunk space, expandable with a 60/40 split-fold rear bench. However, the rear bench created a ledge, making it challenging to slide larger items through. The Sentra's trunk could be remotely opened via the key fob or a dash button. Inside, the Sentra provided spacious seating in both rows, with ample headroom and legroom in the front. The rear seats offered decent legroom and headroom, though not as much as the front. The Sentra's front row featured large in-door cargo trays and bottle holders, along with a well-designed center console with plenty of cupholders and trays.

The 2021 Honda Civic's technology offerings showed their age, with the base LX trim featuring a 5-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth, and a 1.0-amp USB port. The Sport trim upgraded to a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen, an eight-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a more powerful USB port. The EX trim added HD Radio and SiriusXM satellite radio, while the Touring trim included navigation, digital traffic, and a 10-speaker premium audio system. However, the Touring's voice recognition system was unsophisticated, requiring specific prompts for successful operation.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a USB port and Bluetooth connectivity. The SV and SR trims upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen, maintaining the same connectivity features. The Sentra's infotainment system was user-friendly, with easy menu navigation and conventional hard buttons along the screen's bottom. However, the graphics could use updating, and the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a drawback compared to the Civic's offerings.

The 2021 Honda Civic came equipped with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) that included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The Civic also featured automatic high-beam headlights and a multi-angle reversing camera. LaneWatch, available from the EX trim, used a camera to monitor the right lane, but it had limitations, such as susceptibility to damage and lack of coverage for the left side. Despite these issues, the Civic earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra offered a comprehensive list of standard driver-assistance features, including forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, forward collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, driver drowsiness monitoring, lane-departure warning, and blind spot monitoring. Our test model included additional features like a surround-view parking monitor and adaptive cruise control. The Sentra received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Good" rating from the IIHS in crash testing. It also earned a "Superior" rating for its driver-assistance features, though its headlight ratings were lower. Nevertheless, the Sentra received a "Top Safety Pick" award.