2021 Nissan Sentra vs 2022 Honda Civic

2021 Nissan Sentra
2021 Nissan Sentra
$19,510MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Honda Civic
2022 Honda Civic
$22,550MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Nissan Sentra
$19,510MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Honda Civic
$22,550MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

CarGurus highlights

Winning Vehicle Image

According to CarGurus experts, the overall rating for the 2021 Nissan Sentra is 7.2 out of 10, while the 2022 Honda Civic scores 7.7 out of 10. Based on these ratings, the 2022 Honda Civic is the recommended choice, offering a more powerful engine, advanced technology, and a refined interior.

Overview

MSRP

$19,510

MSRP

$22,550

Average price

$17,869

Average price

$23,819

Listings

2043

Listings

2382
Ratings & Reviews
User Reviews
User Reviews

Expert reviews

7.2 out of 10

Expert reviews

7.7 out of 10
Pros
  • Stylish design
  • Quiet cabin
  • Excellent value for money
Cons
  • All-wheel drive not available
  • Stereo is lacking
  • Manual transmission not available
Pros
  • Great handling
  • Plenty of cargo space
  • Impressive technology
Cons
  • Base stereo is lacking
  • Poor value for money

2021 Nissan Sentra Reviews Summary

Following a makeover for the 2020 model year, the Nissan Sentra has ripened into a prime specimen of the compact sedan genre. With competitive safety, technology, and fuel economy now supplemented by an attractive exterior and interior design, the Sentra no longer feels like a compromise—it feels like a smart choice.

2022 Honda Civic Reviews Summary

According to Honda, 75 percent of Civic owners return in the future to buy another one of the company’s vehicles. That represents a significant opportunity, and it makes the redesigned 2022 Honda Civic sedan crucial to the automaker’s long-term health. With so much riding on this car’s success, we’re happy to report that Honda nailed the redesign, engineering, and technology with few exceptions. And that makes the 2022 Civic sedan one of the best compact cars you can buy.
No video found
Popular Features & Specs

Engine

2.0L 149 hp I4

Engine

2.0L 158 hp I4

Drive Train

FWD

Drive Train

FWD

Seating Capacity

5

Seating Capacity

5

Horsepower

149 hp @ 6400 rpm

Horsepower

158 hp @ 6500 rpm

MPG City

29

MPG City

31

MPG Highway

39

MPG Highway

40
2021 Nissan Sentra
2021 Nissan Sentra
$19,510MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Honda Civic
2022 Honda Civic
$22,550MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Nissan Sentra
$19,510MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Honda Civic
$22,550MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

CarGurus highlights

Winning Vehicle Image

According to CarGurus experts, the overall rating for the 2021 Nissan Sentra is 7.2 out of 10, while the 2022 Honda Civic scores 7.7 out of 10. Based on these ratings, the 2022 Honda Civic is the recommended choice, offering a more powerful engine, advanced technology, and a refined interior.

Overview
MSRP
$19,510
$22,550
Average price
$17,869
$23,819
Listings
Ratings & Reviews
User reviews
4.5
4.9
Expert reviews

7.2 out of 10

Read full review

7.7 out of 10

Read full review
Pros & cons
Pros
  • Stylish design
  • Quiet cabin
  • Excellent value for money
Cons
  • All-wheel drive not available
  • Stereo is lacking
  • Manual transmission not available
Pros
  • Great handling
  • Plenty of cargo space
  • Impressive technology
Cons
  • Base stereo is lacking
  • Poor value for money
Summary
Following a makeover for the 2020 model year, the Nissan Sentra has ripened into a prime specimen of the compact sedan genre. With competitive safety, technology, and fuel economy now supplemented by an attractive exterior and interior design, the Sentra no longer feels like a compromise—it feels like a smart choice.
According to Honda, 75 percent of Civic owners return in the future to buy another one of the company’s vehicles. That represents a significant opportunity, and it makes the redesigned 2022 Honda Civic sedan crucial to the automaker’s long-term health. With so much riding on this car’s success, we’re happy to report that Honda nailed the redesign, engineering, and technology with few exceptions. And that makes the 2022 Civic sedan one of the best compact cars you can buy.
Video
No video found
Popular Features & Specs
Engine
2.0L 149 hp I4
2.0L 158 hp I4
Drive Train
FWD
FWD
Seating Capacity
5
5
Horsepower
149 hp @ 6400 rpm
158 hp @ 6500 rpm
MPG City
29
31
MPG Highway
39
40
Look and feel
2021 Nissan Sentra
7/10
2022 Honda Civic
9/10

The 2021 Nissan Sentra, having entered its eighth generation, showcased a significant evolution from its origins as a sub-compact sedan in 1982. Over the years, it transformed through various body styles before settling into a compact four-door sedan form in 2000. The Sentra's exterior was marked by an athletic design with crisp lines and a bold V-Motion grille, complemented by expressive headlights. It offered eight exterior paint colors, including vibrant options like Monarch Orange Metallic and Electric Blue Metallic. The SR trim featured two-tone paint schemes, enhancing its sporty appearance. Inside, the Sentra boasted a layered dash with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, textured plastic surfaces, and a flat-bottomed multi-function steering wheel. The second row provided ample space for two passengers, and the trunk offered 14.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat.

The 2022 Honda Civic, available in LX, Sport, EX, and Touring trims, started at $21,700 and went up to $28,300, excluding destination charges. The redesigned Civic resembled the larger Accord sedan and adopted a more conservative and mature look compared to its predecessor. The interior embraced a minimalistic approach with a span of metal honeycomb mesh across the dashboard, hiding the air vents. The materials, especially in the Touring trim, reflected a newfound maturity. The Civic's interior redesign included a new center console with less storage space but more accessible cupholders. The trunk volume remained generous at 14.8 cubic feet, or 14.4 cubes with the Touring trim, which had a smaller trunk due to premium sound system components.

Performance
2021 Nissan Sentra
6/10
2022 Honda Civic
9/10

The 2021 Nissan Sentra featured a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. It was paired with a front-wheel-drive system and an Xtronic CVT, providing adequate performance for commuting and city driving. The Sentra's fuel economy was rated at 29 mpg city/39 mpg highway/33 mpg combined for S and SV models, and 28 mpg city/37 mpg highway/32 mpg combined for SR models. The suspension setup included MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link rear, contributing to tidy road manners and almost fun cornering. The Sentra's 149 horsepower struck a balance between fuel economy and performance.

The 2022 Honda Civic offered two engine options: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque for the LX and Sport trims, and a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque for the EX and Touring trims. Both engines were paired with CVTs, featuring Step Shift programming for a more traditional automatic feel. The Civic's Sport and Touring trims included a Sport transmission mode, enhancing responsiveness. The Civic's improved structural rigidity, revised suspension tuning, and better steering feel made it enjoyable to drive. However, the Civic Touring's fuel economy fell short of the EPA estimate, returning 30.4 mpg on a 95-mile loop.

Form and function
2021 Nissan Sentra
7/10
2022 Honda Civic
8/10

The 2021 Nissan Sentra's interior featured well-placed controls, a traditional gear selector lever, open cupholders, a large glove compartment, and roomy covered storage beneath the center armrest. It included two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and a 12-volt port. The Zero Gravity front bucket seats provided comfort on long rides, and the $2,270 Premium Package on SV and SR models added a six-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, leather or Prima-Tex seating, and a power-sliding glass moonroof.

The 2022 Honda Civic's redesigned front seats offered better support, especially in the leather-lined Touring trim with a power-adjustable driver's seat. The back seat had more legroom than most in the segment, though the backrest angle might feel too reclined for some. The Civic lacked rear air conditioning vents, and the Touring trim lost heated rear cushions. The new center console had less storage space but more accessible cupholders. The trunk volume was 14.8 cubic feet, or 14.4 cubes with the Touring trim, and the split-folding backseat added utility.

Technology
2021 Nissan Sentra
7/10
2022 Honda Civic
8/10

The 2021 Nissan Sentra came with a standard audio system featuring AM/FM/USB with four speakers in the S trim, upgraded to six speakers and SiriusXM capability in SV and SR trims. The SR trim offered an optional premium Bose system with eight speakers. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, Bluetooth audio, and hands-free text-messaging assistant were standard. The S trim had a 7-inch touchscreen, while SV and SR trims had an 8-inch touchscreen. NissanConnect services, available on SR models, included a WiFi hotspot, remote access to vehicle functions, and voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured digital instrumentation, with the Touring trim offering a 10-inch display panel. The Vehicle Activity display showed when the LED headlights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals were on. The standard infotainment setup included a 7-inch touchscreen with volume and tuning knobs, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Sport and EX trims had eight speakers, while the Touring trim offered a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint 2 premium surround-sound audio system. The Touring trim also had a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, HD radio, satellite radio, and a navigation system.

Safety
2021 Nissan Sentra
8/10
2022 Honda Civic
7/10

The 2021 Nissan Sentra came with a comprehensive array of standard safety features, including dual-stage front airbags, side-impact airbags, knee airbags, curtain side-impact airbags, and a tire pressure monitoring system with Easy-Fill Tire Alert. The Sentra also included Nissan Safety Shield 360, which featured intelligent forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, rear automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a rear-view camera, and intelligent driver alertness. The Sentra received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Honda Civic's upgraded Honda Sensing collection included Traffic Jam Assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and Lane Keeping Assist. The Civic also featured a wide-view front camera and eight ultrasonic sonar sensors. The Civic EX and Touring trims had a proper blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Civic's new vehicle architecture provided better protection in collisions, and it included new front airbag designs and rear side-impact airbags. A standard rear-seat reminder system was also included.

Cost Effectiveness
2021 Nissan Sentra
8/10
2022 Honda Civic
5/10
CarGurus logo

By: CarGurus + AI

At CarGurus, our team of experienced automotive writers remain at the heart of our content operation, conducting hands-on car tests and writing insightful guides that are backed by years of industry experience. To complement this, we are harnessing AI to make our content offering more diverse and more helpful to shoppers than ever. To achieve this, our AI systems are based exclusively on CarGurus content, ratings and data, so that what we produce is both unique to CarGurus, and uniquely helpful to car shoppers.