2021 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Nissan Sentra

The 2021 MINI Cooper stood out with its iconic styling, featuring a rounded shape, compact dimensions, and a wide variety of color choices. Customization options were plentiful, including exterior and top graphics like the Union Jack flag. The interior continued the unique design language with circular shapes, a funky infotainment touchscreen, and high-quality materials. However, the back seats were cramped, making them more suitable for cargo than passengers.

In contrast, the 2022 Nissan Sentra carried over its 2020 redesign, presenting a modern, low-slung, coupe-like exterior that resembled a downsized Altima. The Sentra offered bold color options and a contrasting black roof. Inside, the Sentra excelled with a modern yet simple layout, easy-to-use controls, and an upscale look. The front cabin featured a touchscreen as the visual centerpiece, and the trims offered various upgrades, including alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, and premium upholstery.

The 2021 MINI Cooper offered four powertrain options. The base model had a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with 134 horsepower. The Cooper S featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 189 hp, the John Cooper Works (JCW) had a 228-hp turbo-four, and the John Cooper Works GP boasted a 301-hp turbo-four. All models were front-wheel drive, with a six-speed manual standard for the Cooper and Cooper S, and an eight-speed automatic for the JCW GP. The MINI felt spritely and energetic, especially with the turbocharged four-cylinder engines, though the ride was stiff and could be tiresome on long drives. Fuel economy varied, with the most efficient model being the Convertible at 28/37/31 mpg city/highway/combined.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive. The engine provided solid low-end acceleration and satisfactory highway performance. The Sentra's steering was well-weighted, and cornering was sharp for a non-performance car. The suspension handled most road bumps well, making it suitable for commuting and road trips.

The 2021 MINI Cooper's interior was more suited for cargo than passengers, with the rear seat being more useful for storage. The front seats were comfortable with decent head and legroom, though taller drivers might struggle with knee placement. Interior storage was tight, with limited space in the center console and door pockets. Hatchback models offered decent cargo space with foldable back seats, while Convertible models had minimal usable space.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra provided 14.3 cubic feet of trunk space, expandable with a 60/40 split-fold rear bench. The trunk could be remotely opened via the key fob or a dash button. The Sentra's front seats offered plenty of headroom and legroom, while the rear seats provided solid legroom and decent headroom. The front row featured large in-door cargo trays and bottle holders, with ample cupholders and trays in the center console.

The 2021 MINI Cooper's base screen was a 6.5-inch unit, with an optional 8.8-inch unit offering SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay, and more. Optional features included a Harman Kardon sound system, automatic climate controls, and LED headlights. MINI included more physical controls, improving usability, but did not offer Android Auto, relying on Bluetooth for connectivity. The infotainment system used BMW's iDrive software, with a physical controller that was difficult to reach.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a USB port, and Bluetooth connectivity. The SV and SR trims featured a larger 8-inch touchscreen. The system had easy-to-follow menu navigation, conventional hard buttons, and volume and tuning dials. However, the graphics needed updating, and it lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which were becoming more common.

The 2021 MINI Cooper missed out on a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, scoring "Good" in crash tests but "Acceptable" or "Poor" for headlights. The standard front crash prevention systems earned "Advanced" scores, and the LATCH system was rated "Marginal." The NHTSA had not rated the 2021 model. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and rear parking sensors, with optional features like front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra came with a solid 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. Additional features included a surround-view parking monitor and adaptive cruise control. The Sentra earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a "Good" rating from the IIHS, along with a "Superior" rating for driver-assistance features, earning it a "Top Safety Pick" award.