2021 Nissan Sentra vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

The 2021 Nissan Sentra made its debut as part of Nissan's eighth generation of production. Initially introduced in 1982 as a sub-compact sedan, the Sentra moved through various body styles before finally settling into a compact four-door sedan in its fifth generation. The Sentra boasted an athletic exterior with crisp bends and lines, including a V-Motion grille and horizontally arrayed headlights, which gave it a serious, squinty look. Buyers could choose from eight vibrant exterior paint colors, with SR trim levels offering three two-tone schemes to highlight its design. The interior featured a layered dash and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. The cabin offered textured plastic on the console and doors, which was an improvement over past imitators. With roomy second-row seating and up to 14.3 cubic feet of cargo space, the Sentra was practical yet stylish.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class took on a different approach with a timeless design incorporating elements from other Mercedes models. Its front end featured a massive three-pointed star logo, while its cab-rearward proportions and long hood emphasized its rear-wheel-drive platform. Standard LED headlights and taillights could be upgraded to the Digital Light system, which allowed the lights to adjust to curves and project warning icons. The interior mimicked its flagship S-Class with a freestanding touchscreen and instrument cluster, prominent air vents, and intricate speaker grilles. The ambient lighting offered 64 color options, making the cabin feel luxurious. However, it disappointed with standard MBTex synthetic leather upholstery, though available Nappa leather seats improved the experience.

Under the hood, the 2021 Nissan Sentra featured a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that offered 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive with an Xtronic CVT powered the car, making it relatively light at 3,036 to 3,084 pounds. While it wasn't built for speed, the Sentra delivered adequate performance for commuting and city driving. Fuel economy topped out at 33 mpg combined for S and SV models and 32 mpg combined for SR models. The four-wheel independent suspension with stabilizer bars and dual-pinion electric steering offered commendable road manners and handling, making the Sentra almost fun to drive.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class offered more horsepower and torque with its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The powertrain included a nine-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The C300 achieved a zero to 60 mph time of 5.9 seconds. However, there were some performance quirks like turbo lag and rough shifts. The more powerful C43 version boasted a 402 hp engine with a zero to 60 mph time of 4.6 seconds. Handling was precise, although it required a more deliberate approach due to its weight and stature. Still, the ride quality stood up to luxury standards, even without sophisticated air-suspension systems.

The 2021 Nissan Sentra impressed with its practical interior layout. The center stack featured well-placed controls and knobs, and traditional elements like gear selector levers and open cupholders with gripping "fingers" offered convenience and familiarity. The two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and a 12-volt port minimized clutter while providing plenty of connectivity options. The Zero Gravity front bucket seats lived up to their reputation for comfort, making long rides tolerable. The Sentra's cargo capacity reached up to 14.3 cubic feet, with a 60/40 split rear seat for carrying larger items.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, being longer and wider than its predecessor, offered marginal increases in headroom and rear legroom. It became a leader in front-seat headroom and rear-seat legroom among its competitors. The sedan boasted a trunk capacity of 17.9 cubic feet, making it more spacious than many rivals. However, front legroom was less impressive. The seats provided ample comfort with enough bolstering for spirited drives, although rear-seat visibility was hindered by thick pillars. Some interior features could create issues, such as dashboard glare and a wireless charging pad poorly placed for concurrent use of cupholders.

The 2021 Nissan Sentra came equipped with a standard AM/FM/USB audio system with four speakers, upgrading to six with SiriusXM capability in the SV and SR trims. A premium Bose system with eight speakers was available in the SR. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration came standard, and the SV and SR models also had an 8-inch touchscreen. NissanConnect services offered remote car access, a WiFi hotspot, and compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Navigation, however, was only available by subscription on SR models.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class mirrored the advanced infotainment setup found in the S-Class. Even the base C300 Premium featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an 11.9-inch touchscreen angled toward the driver. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, as was the upgraded Burmester 3D surround-sound system in the mid-tier and the advanced head-up display and augmented-reality navigation system in the top C300 Pinnacle. The MBUX infotainment system with the "Zero Layer" setup enabled easy access to multiple functions simultaneously, including a highly effective voice recognition system.

The 2021 Nissan Sentra included a comprehensive set of standard safety features like dual-stage airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags, knee airbags, and curtain side-impact airbags. The vehicle had zone body construction, steel side-door guard beams, and an energy-absorbing steering column. The tire pressure monitoring system with Easy-Fill Tire Alert was particularly user-friendly. Nissan's Safety Shield 360 added intelligent forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and more. The Sentra received a five-star rating from NHTSA and was designated as a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS.

While those ratings for the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class were not available, the 2021 model had been an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. The new C-Class featured extensive safety equipment, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with safe exit assist, and Pre-Safe systems that prepared the car for collisions. Optional features included lane-keep assist, evasive steering assist, and various levels of adaptive cruise control. The C-Class also introduced Car-to-X communication, which allowed real-time sharing of information like road conditions between networked vehicles.