2025 Nissan Sentra Specs and Review Four-Door Compact Sedan

The Nissan Sentra is an affordable car that doesn’t look cheap. It has a handsome exterior and a classier interior than you might expect. Plus, its front seats are uncommonly comfortable for its class, and the spacious trunk is usefully sized. The Sentra also boasts impressive highway fuel economy. On paper it’s a great little car, but it suffers from bland driving-itis, an affliction for which there is no cure with its current setup, a 149-hp four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission. Rivals such the Mazda 3 or Honda Civic eclipse the Sentra in fun-to-drive quotient, and the hybrid Toyota Prius is far more fuel efficient. But if price is your number one concern, the Nissan is still a solid choice.

What's New for 2025?
The Sentra is identical to the previous model year except for two upgrades. The SV trim now includes NissanConnect, which includes access to Nissan’s app integration and a Wi-fi hotspot.
To match some rivals, Nissan is also now including up to three free oil changes for two years or the first 24,000 miles.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Every Sentra is powered by a 149-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that pairs with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive. While the gearless automatic simulates traditional gear changes, the Sentra we tested was noisy and slow, especially when trying to pass at highway speeds. There's not a lot of entertainment behind the wheel, either. Steering effort is weighty and predictable, but it's nowhere near as communicative as in rivals such as the Honda Civic and Mazda 3. The Nissan features an independent rear suspension and wheel sizes that range from 16 to 18 inches. The version we drove rolled on the largest set, which contributed to a firm ride quality and excessive road noise. Still, the Sentra is comfortable and compliant for daily commutes and weekend trips. We were especially impressed with its braking system. It delivered a reassuring pedal feel and solid stopping power from 70 mph, coming to a halt in a class-competitive 170 feet.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates the 2025 Sentra's fuel economy at 30 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway for the S and SV trims. The SR trim drops the highway rating to 38 mpg. Those are competitive numbers in the compact segment, but the Toyota Corolla tops the list with 32 mpg city and 41 highway. The Sentra SR that we ran on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route—part of our extensive testing regimen—achieved 37 mpg. However, the Corolla XSE sedan we tested returned an even more frugal 41 mpg. For more information about the Sentra's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Inside, the Sentra has one of the prettier designs in this segment. The center of the dashboard hosts a trio of circular air vents above the easy-to-use climate controls. The interior materials are a mix of soft and hard plastics, but the former cover the surfaces that count and help mask the rest. Models with the quilted leather upholstery look especially upscale. Nissan also coddles passengers in the front with its extra-comfy Zero Gravity seats, which are spacious, pliant, and supportive. Opting for the available sunroof cuts into the cabin's headroom but otherwise, adults have ample space in the front and back. We also managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases in the Sentra's 14-cubic-foot trunk; that's one more than the Corolla sedan held.

Infotainment and Connectivity
A touchscreen sprouts from the middle of every Sentra's dashboard, and it's supplemented by physical volume and tuning knobs. While the base model features a smaller 7.0-inch display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, there's also an available 8.0-inch screen on SV and SR trims and USB access in the front and back seats. The larger display is also compatible with better options including SiriusXM satellite radio, an eight-speaker Bose stereo, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Nissan packs its compact sedan with a load of standard driver-assistance technology. Shoppers can also get adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system on all but the base model. For more information about the Sentra's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
Standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
Standard rear automated emergency braking
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Nissan offers a competitive, albeit unremarkable, limited and powertrain warranty. However, compact rivals from Kia and Hyundai have much better coverage. For 2025, the Sentra includes a maintenance care program that includes up to three oil changes for two years or 24,000 miles.