2023 Nissan Sentra

Nissan’s varied lineup of SUVs, pickup trucks, and EVs usually perform well in our road tests, but their Overall Scores suffer because of up-and-down reliability and average to below-average owner satisfaction. Inconsistent quality across the brand means some Nissans are a better choice than others. Many of its gasoline vehicles use small turbocharged engines and continuously variable transmissions to give owners both competitive fuel economy and sporty performance. Most new Nissans come standard with a full suite of active safety and driver assist systems. It’s also one of the few remaining brands that sells a sub-compact sedan, the Versa. The compact Sentra, a mainstay within Nissan’s lineup, earned a high score in our road test and is recommended. Nissan was an early EV trailblazer with the Leaf hatchback, and now sells larger five-passenger EV SUVs. Used Nissans have average reliability according to our surveys.

The redesigned 2020 Sentra is a complete transformation. It shed its dowdy look and overall driving mediocrity to become one of the best sedans in its class. The engine and transmission are a pleasant combination that provide unobtrusive acceleration. The more advanced rear suspension facilitates a comfortable ride and nimble handling. The interior looks upscale, especially in the SR and SV trims; buyers can even get a power seat, leather upholstery, and heated seats. The rear seat is relatively roomy, and the infotainment system is easy to use. All trims except the base version have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capabilities. Nissan's Safety Shield 360 is standard and includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and blind spot warning, but lane keeping assistance is not offered. Updates for 2021 include standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for all trims. The 2022 model added a new Midnight Edition Package on the Sentra SR and a new All-Weather Package for the SV. A 2024 refresh included a new CVT and auto start/stop system that improved fuel economy slightly. There were no significant changes for the 2025 model year.