Compact cars · B18 generation
Smart buy Well above average
It scores 81 out of 100 for reliability compared with other compact cars. Over the next 5 years we expect it to cost about $10,441 to own, including $1,479 in repairs.
Early estimate: this rating uses our own sales estimate for the Nissan Sentra.
Reliability
81/100
Well above average
Repairs, 5 years
$1,479
at 12,000 mi a year
Fuel, 5 years
$6,182
33 mpg, $3.40/gal
Price today
$10,289
$9,054 – $11,524, estimate
Recalls
3
on record
Owner complaints
133
filed with NHTSA
These are estimates, not guarantees. They come from public NHTSA complaint and recall data and EPA fuel economy, assuming 5 years of ownership and 12,000 miles a year. Change the assumptions or see how it works.
Expected over 5 years, by area of the car.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.
Check whether a specific car still has open recalls with its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
These links go to independent sites. We don't earn anything from them.
Of the years we rate, the 2023 scores best (95/100) and the 2015 worst (16/100).
| Year | Reliability |
|---|---|
| 2027 | Not rated yet |
| 2026 | Not rated yet |
| 2025 | Not rated yet |
| 2024 | 80/100 |
| 2023 | 95/100 |
| 2022 | 82/100 |
| 2021 | 81/100 |
| 2020 | 69/100 |
| 2019 | 42/100 |
| 2018 | 51/100 |
| 2017 | 34/100 |
| 2016 | 25/100 |
| 2015 | 16/100 |
No. It scores 81 out of 100, one of the more reliable compact cars of 2015–2024.
It scores 81 out of 100 against other compact cars from 2015 to 2024, which is well above average. Based on 133 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, we expect about $1,479 in repairs over the next 5 years at 12,000 miles a year.
About $10,441 over 5 years: $2,780 in lost value, $1,479 in repairs and $6,182 in fuel at $3.40 a gallon. A typical one sells for about $10,289 today.
Of the years we rate, the 2023 scores best (95/100) and the 2015 worst (16/100).
3 recalls on record with NHTSA.