2026 Honda Civic vs 2026 Nissan Sentra
The Honda Civic edges it, 94.6 to 89.2, on fuel & range, tech & comfort, space & cargo. The Nissan Sentra is ahead on price and safety.
2026 Honda Civic
The 2026 Honda Civic is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Civic 4Dr, is EPA-ra…
2026 Nissan Sentra
The 2026 Nissan Sentra is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sentra (2-mode), is EPA-rated…
2026 Honda Civic
Slight edgeThe Honda Civic edges it, 94.6 to 89.2, on fuel & range, tech & comfort, space & cargo. The Nissan Sentra is ahead on price and safety.
| Category · weight | 2026 Nissan Sentraoverall 89.2 | 2026 Honda Civicoverall 94.6 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricew 4 | 100 | 90.4 | ||||||||||||
Base MSRP of the trim (or the model's lowest trim). Lower is better. | ||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 66.4 | 100 | ||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | ||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 95.2 | 86.4 | ||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | ||||||||||||||
| Space & cargow 2 | 97.7 | 100 | ||||||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | ||||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 97.7 | 97.8 | ||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | ||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 78.3 | 100 | ||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | ||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Overall | 89.2 | 94.6 | ||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 6 of 7 categories compared
Nissan Sentra: base trim S FWD · Honda Civic: base trim LX FWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Honda Civic wins
- It costs $700 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($1,350 against $2,050).
- It is rated 49 combined against 33 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
- It lists more comfort and tech equipment (30 points against 23.5 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½).
Where the 2026 Nissan Sentra answers
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (19 against 32 filed with NHTSA).
- It starts $2,395 lower ($22,600 against $24,995 base MSRP).
What they share
- A Safety Signal of 92.
- 5 seats.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
51 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $22,600 | $24,995 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | — | naturally aspirated |
| Cylinder count | 4 | 4 |
| Engine displacement | 1,997 cc | 1,993 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.0L DOHC I4 | Atkinson In-Line 4-cylinder |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | gdi mpi |
| Valve configuration | 4 valves per cylinder, Continuous Variable Valve Timing Control System | DOHC 16-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 149 hp | 150 hp |
| Torque | 146 lb-ft | 133 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 30 mpg | 32 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | 33 mpg | 36 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | 38 mpg | 41 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 5.034 | 3.941 |
| Transmission type | cvt | Continuously Variable Transmission |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 4.7 in | — |
| Overall height | 57.1 in | 55.7 in |
| Overall length | 183 in | 185 in |
| Overall width | 71.5 in | 70.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 107 in | 108 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | 14.3 cu-ft | 14.8 cu-ft |
| Total interior volume | 110 cu-ft | 99 cu-ft |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 38.9 in | 39.3 in |
| Second-row headroom | — | 37.1 in |
| Third-row headroom | 36.7 in | — |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 44 in | 42.3 in |
| Second-row legroom | — | 37.4 in |
| Third-row legroom | 34.8 in | — |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 3,097 lbs | 2,875 lbs |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 3,097 lbs | 2,875 lbs |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,079 lbs | — |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | Independent strut with coil springs | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear suspension type | Multi-link independent | Multi-Link |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Dual pinion electric power-assisted | Variable Ratio Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 34.8 ft | 36.1 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 279 mm | — |
| Front brake type | Vented disc | ventilated disc |
| Parking brake type | Electric with auto-hold | Electric |
| Rear brake diameter | 259 mm | — |
| Rear brake type | Vented disc | solid disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 16 in | 16 in |
| Wheel material | steel | Full Covers |
| Wheel width | 6.5 in | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 205/60R16 | 215/55R16 93H |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 12.4 gal | 12.4 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | 87 | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | — | HondaLink |
| Connected services trial (standard tier) | — | 36 months |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 56.2 in | 57 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | — | 56 in |
| Third-row shoulder room | 54.6 in | — |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
135 features · differences first, then sharedSafety31 differ · 44 listed
| Feature | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow | — | std |
| Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection & Cyclist Detection | std | — |
| Rear Cross Traffic Monitor (CTM) | std | — |
| Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) | — | std |
| Rearview Camera with Dynamic Guidelines | — | std |
| Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure | — | std |
| Blind Spot Information System (BSI) | std | — |
| Blind Spot Warning | std | — |
| Child-Proof Rear Door Locks | — | std |
| Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) | — | std |
| Direct Ignition System with Immobilizer | — | std |
| Easy-Fill Tire Alert | std | — |
| Electric Parking Brake with Automatic Brake Hold | — | std |
| Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) | — | std |
| Electronic Brake force Distribution | std | — |
| Haptic steering wheel | std | — |
| Intelligent Cruise Control with steering wheel-mounted switches | std | — |
| Intelligent Driver Alertness | std | — |
| Intelligent Trace Control | std | — |
| Lane Departure Prevention | std | — |
| Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH): Lower Anchors (2nd-Row Outboard), Tether Anchors (2nd-Row All) | — | std |
| Rear Door Alert | std | — |
| Rear Seat Reminder (RSR) | — | std |
| Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM) | — | std |
| Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags with rollover sensor | std | — |
| Seat-Belt Reminder for all Seating Positions | — | std |
| Traction Control System | std | — |
| Traffic Jam Assist | — | std |
| Traffic Sign Recognition | std | — |
| Traffic Sign Recognition System (TSR) | — | std |
| Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System | std | — |
| Forward Collision Warning (FCW) | std | std |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Advanced Front Airbags (SRS) | std | std |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Front Side Airbags | std | std |
| Lane Departure Warning (LDW) | std | std |
| Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor | std | std |
| Rear Outboard Passenger's Side Airbags | std | std |
| Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) | std | std |
| Auto High-Beam Headlights | std | std |
| Brake Assist | std | std |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Knee Airbags (SRS) | std | std |
| Hill Start Assist | std | std |
| Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control | std | std |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) | std | std |
Infotainment24 differ · 24 listed
| Feature | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 rear, charge-only USB Type C port | std | — |
| 12.3-inch NissanConnect® touchscreen | std | — |
| 160-watt Audio System with 4 Speakers | — | std |
| 2 front USB Type C ports | std | — |
| 4 speakers | std | — |
| 7-Inch Color Touchscreen | — | std |
| 7-inch multi-information display | std | — |
| 7-Inch TFT Meter | — | std |
| AM/FM with RDS | std | — |
| Android Auto™ Compatibility | — | std |
| Apple CarPlay® Compatibility | — | std |
| Bluetooth® hands-free phone system with Streaming Audio via Bluetooth® | std | — |
| Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® | — | std |
| Bluetooth® Streaming Audio | — | std |
| Google Assistant™ voice recognition | std | — |
| Hands-Free Text Messaging Assistant | std | — |
| HondaLink® | — | std |
| NissanConnect® Services including Wi-Fi Hotspot (factory option) | std | — |
| Radio Data System (RDS) | — | std |
| Siri® Eyes Free | std | — |
| Speed-Sensitive Volume Compensation (SVC) | — | std |
| USB-C 3.0A Charging Port (1) Front Seats | — | std |
| USB-C 3.0A Smartphone/Audio Interface (1) - Front Seats | — | std |
| Wireless Apple CarPlay® and wireless Android Auto™ | std | — |
Convenience11 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Push Button Start | — | std |
| 12-volt DC power outlet | std | — |
| 12-Volt Power Outlet (Front) | — | std |
| Cruise Control | — | std |
| One-Touch Turn Indicators | — | std |
| Power Door Locks | — | std |
| Power door locks with auto-locking feature | std | — |
| Power Windows with Auto-Up/Down Driver's and Front Passenger's Windows | — | std |
| Power windows with driver-side one-touch auto up/down and auto reverse | std | — |
| Remote Keyless Entry system with Push Button Ignition | std | — |
| Security System with Remote Entry and Trunk Release | — | std |
Climate2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Climate Control System | — | std |
| Manual air conditioning | std | — |
Seating7 differ · 7 listed
| Feature | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Heated Front Seats | opt | — |
| 6-way manual adjustable | std | — |
| 4-way manual front passenger seat | std | — |
| 5-Person Seating Capacity | — | std |
| Cloth front seats | std | — |
| One Piece Fold-Down Rear Seatback | — | std |
| Rear seats 60/40-split fold-down | std | — |
Interior10 differ · 10 listed
| Feature | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo Area Light | — | std |
| Center Console Armrest with Storage Compartment | — | std |
| Front Beverage Holders | — | std |
| Illuminated Steering Wheel-Mounted Controls | — | std |
| Map Lights | — | std |
| Sliding Sunvisors | — | std |
| Sun visors with vanity mirrors | std | — |
| Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column | — | std |
| Manual tilt and telescoping steering wheel | std | — |
| Floor Mats | — | std |
Exterior21 differ · 22 listed
| Feature | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| LED headlights (high/low beam) | std | — |
| 16-inch steel with cover, 16 x 6.5-inch wheels | std | — |
| 205/60R16 all-season tires | std | — |
| Body-color door handles | std | — |
| Capless Fuel Filler | — | std |
| Compact Spare Tire | — | std |
| Daytime Running Lights | std | — |
| Fin-Type Roof-Mounted Antenna | — | std |
| Gloss black power outside mirrors | std | — |
| Intelligent Auto Headlights | std | — |
| LED Brake and Taillights | — | std |
| LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) | — | std |
| LED Headlights with Auto-On/Off | — | std |
| LED tail lights | std | — |
| Power Side Mirrors | — | std |
| Push-to-Release Fuel Filler Door | — | std |
| Temporary spare: Tire repair kit | std | — |
| Two-Speed Intermittent Windshield Wipers | — | std |
| V-motion front grille, gloss black with chrome finisher | std | — |
| Variable intermittent front wipers | std | — |
| Center High-Mount Stop Light | std | — |
| Rear-Window Defroster with Timer | std | std |
Powertrain8 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Atkinson In-Line 4-cylinder (Engine Type) | — | std |
| Continuously Variable Transmission | — | std |
| Direct Fuel Injection | — | std |
| Dynamic Drive Modes | — | std |
| Eco Assist™ System | — | std |
| Honda Maintenance Program 1yr / 12k miles | — | std |
| Idle Stop/Start | std | — |
| Idle-Stop | — | std |
| Front-Wheel Drive | std | std |
Chassis6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Active Ride Control | std | — |
| Electric parking brake with auto-hold | std | — |
| Intelligent Ride Control | std | — |
| MacPherson Strut Front Suspension | — | std |
| Multi-Link Rear Suspension | — | std |
| Variable Ratio Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering (EPS) | — | std |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPNissan Sentra
Top recalls
- high Seats 26V145000 · 15 vehicles
Honda Civic
Top recalls
- high Steering 24V744000 · 1,693,199 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Nissan SentraS FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $22,600 (base trim) | $24,995 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $22,600 – $27,990 4 trims | $24,995 – $32,695 4 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | Sentra (2-mode) | Civic 4Dr |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 33 | 49 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,050 | $1,350 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Nissan Sentra or the 2026 Honda Civic?
The Honda Civic edges it, 94.6 to 89.2, on fuel & range, tech & comfort, space & cargo. The Nissan Sentra is ahead on price and safety. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Honda Civic scores 94.6 and the 2026 Nissan Sentra 89.2. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which is cheaper, the 2026 Nissan Sentra or the 2026 Honda Civic?
The 2026 Nissan Sentra starts lower — $22,600 against $24,995, a gap of $2,395 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Nissan Sentra or the 2026 Honda Civic?
2026 Nissan Sentra: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 1 recall. 2026 Honda Civic: 5 NHTSA stars, grade A, 1 recall. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2026 Nissan Sentra and the 2026 Honda Civic?
Where the 2026 Honda Civic wins: it costs $700 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($1,350 against $2,050), is rated 49 combined against 33 (EPA mpg or MPGe), and lists more comfort and tech equipment (30 points against 23.5 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½). Where the 2026 Nissan Sentra answers: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (19 against 32 filed with NHTSA) and starts $2,395 lower ($22,600 against $24,995 base MSRP). What they share: a Safety Signal of 92 and 5 seats.