2024 Nissan Sentra vs 2024 Honda Civic

The 2024 Nissan Sentra featured a bold evolution in its styling from the generation that debuted in 2020. Its grille became wider, merging seamlessly with the updated headlights that boasted black interior bezel elements and were framed by chrome accents. These enhancements gave the Sentra an aggressive, yet elegant front fascia. Vertical faux air vents positioned on the outer edges of the front enhanced the car’s stance, adhering to the "longer, lower, wider" automotive adage. The outcome was a small sedan exuding a balanced design, steering clear of the quirky aesthetics seen in the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla while offering more flair than the Honda Civic or Volkswagen Jetta.

The Sentra lineup carried forward its 2023 trim levels: S, SV, and SR, with a Premium Package available for SV and SR grades. The Sentra S rolled on 16-inch steel wheels, the SV on newly designed 16-inch alloys, and the SR showcased 18-inch wheels and distinct styling cues, such as darkened chrome trim and a reworked lower rear fascia. Available black roof and vibrant colors like Monarch Orange Metallic and Electric Blue Metallic added a sporty touch.

Inside, the Sentra's interior took inspiration from the Z sports car, with large round air vents and a flat-bottom steering wheel that contributed to a sportier feel. The Sentra SR featured red-orange accent stitching on the cloth seats, whereas the leather upholstery was accessible on the SV along with a moonroof. Although the materials were standard for an entry-level car, these design elements provided unique character to the cabin.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si, nearing its 40th anniversary, continued Honda's tradition of combining subtlety with sportiness. Externally, it sported LED headlights, a distinct upper grille insert, a gloss-black lip spoiler, and dual exhaust outlets with 18-inch matte-black wheels. The Civic Si stayed true to its stealth-mode styling, ensuring those not in the know might not immediately recognize its performance pedigree. Half the paint choices were vibrant; the other half, subdued to blend in.

Internally, the Civic Si stood out with red seat and door panel inserts, matched with accents and stitching, and a metal mesh headlining the dashboard air vents. Gloss black surfaces and polished metal carried the trim, rounded out by a simplistic but functional digital instrumentation and touchscreen infotainment system. Metal pedal covers and an aluminum shift knob added a touch of refinement.

The 2024 Nissan Sentra, since its inception in 1982, saw a varied lineage of performance versions like SE-R, SR Turbo, and NISMO. However, the 2024 Sentra settled for a single powertrain option—a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque, paired with front-wheel drive (FWD). The exclusively available continuously variable transmission (CVT) was tweaked for better fuel efficiency and smoother handling for 2024, including an engine start-stop system.

Despite its efficiency-oriented design, driving the Sentra was relatively enjoyable. The steering provided notable feedback and precision, making small corrections a breeze without feeling overly rapid. Its suspension wasn’t suited for hard cornering but assured a comfortable ride without causing discomfort to rear passengers. However, the CVT exhibited a peculiar behavior, delivering a surge of power beyond 45 mph, although this could be attributed to the pre-production test vehicle.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Civic Si came equipped with a more spirited 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque, integrated with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission featuring downshift rev-matching. Honda provided an option to disable the rev-matching feature for purists who preferred heel-and-toe shifting.

The Civic Si's drivetrain boasted a single-mass lightweight flywheel, propelling power to the front wheels through a helical limited-slip differential. It also included larger brakes, thicker suspension stabilizer bars, and a dual-pinion variable-ratio steering system, complemented by 18-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 summer tires. Active Sound Control enhanced the engine note, while driving modes (Normal, Sport, Individual) tweaked throttle and steering responses.

Driving the Civic Si was thrilling. In urban settings, it stayed composed and comfortable, with a responsive turbo engine ready to deliver a burst of power when needed. On highways, it provided confident passing power despite some interior noise. However, the real fun began on winding roads like Southern California’s Mulholland Highway. The Si's clear sightlines, excellent steering, and grippy tires made cornering a joy. Although shifting was frequent, the gearbox and clutch were precise and easy to use. We did encounter brake overheating during high-performance runs, revealing a need for Honda to revisit its cooling solutions.

Inside the 2024 Nissan Sentra, space was adequate upfront but tighter in the rear. Front-row headroom was competitive with the Kia Forte and Mazda 3, though slightly behind the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra. The Sentra led in front-seat legroom but lagged in rear-seat space. The front seats featured Nissan’s acclaimed Zero Gravity seats, offering superb comfort. The cabin design provided excellent visibility upfront, although thick rear pillars slightly compromised rearward visibility.

Storage within the Sentra was practical, with dual cupholders, a handy phone slot, and a small change compartment between the front seats. The available All-Weather Package (SV and SR) offered features like heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone climate control. The car’s trunk space totaled 14.3 cubic feet, surpassing the Mazda 3 and nearly matching the Hyundai Elantra, yet falling short of the Kia Forte and Honda Civic.

By contrast, the 2024 Honda Civic Si combined sporty design with practicality. The front sport-bolstered seats were cloth-wrapped and secure, although lower seat positioning made entry and exit more challenging. The rear seat was surprisingly spacious, with ample legroom, allowing adults to sit comfortably. While the car lacked rear USB ports and air vents, its trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of cargo space, enough to store full-size suitcases on their sides—an unusual perk for a compact sedan. Like the Sentra, a 60/40-split folding backseat provided additional cargo flexibility.

Tech in the 2024 Nissan Sentra fell slightly behind its peers. The base Sentra S offered a 7-inch touchscreen and basic 4.2-inch instrument cluster display with analog gauges. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, a USB port, and a four-speaker audio system. SV and SR trims upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen and a 7-inch instrument cluster display, retaining analog gauges, a six-speaker audio system, and additional USB ports. An eight-speaker Bose audio system and Wi-Fi connectivity were available with the Premium Package on SV and SR. While functional, the Sentra’s tech felt dated compared to rivals.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system without native navigation but included wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and other modern conveniences. Pairing devices was seamless, and the system included intuitive controls with physical buttons for essential functions. A 12-speaker Bose premium audio system was standard, ensuring remarkable sound quality due to its integration into the Civic's interior design from the ground up. Overall, the Civic Si’s tech was straightforward and satisfying.

Safety ratings for the 2024 Nissan Sentra were mixed. While it secured a “Good” rating in the IIHS original side-impact test, it received only an “Acceptable” rating in the updated test. Furthermore, it scored “Advanced” in vehicle-to-pedestrian daytime testing but “Basic” at night and was rated “Poor” for headlights. The NHTSA lacked complete ratings, but the Sentra earned five stars in rollover and side crash tests.

Standard safety features included Nissan Safety Shield 360: forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking (front and rear), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams. SV and SR models added adaptive cruise control, with a 360-degree camera available in the Premium Package.

In comparison, the 2024 Honda Civic Si came with Honda Sensing, equipping the car with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beams. Additional features included driver monitoring, traffic sign recognition, and a rear seat reminder system. However, certain features, especially lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control, proved bothersome due to their overly sensitive or unresponsive nature during testing.

Safety ratings for the Civic Si were positive, with the 2023 Honda Civic receiving a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, including high marks in crashworthiness except for the frontal-impact collision.