Compare the2019 Chevrolet SonicVS 2018 Nissan Sentra

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Chevrolet Sonic has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Sentra doesn’t offer Daytime Running Lights.

The Sonic LT/Premier’s optional lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. The Sentra doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Sonic has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Sentra doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Sonic and the Sentra have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available collision warning systems and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Sonic is safer than the Nissan Sentra:

	Sonic	Sentra
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	152	293
Neck Injury Risk	31%	35.6%
Neck Stress	262 lbs.	305 lbs.
Neck Compression	60 lbs.	70 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	273	353
Chest Compression	.3 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	36%	45.4%
Neck Stress	166 lbs.	218 lbs.
Neck Compression	74 lbs.	137 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	200/219 lbs.	523/219 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Sonic is safer than the Nissan Sentra:

	Sonic	Sentra
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	104	108
Abdominal Force	184 G’s	184 G’s
Hip Force	366 lbs.	569 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	57 G’s
Hip Force	761 lbs.	865 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	17 inches
HIC	197	202

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Chevrolet Sonic has a better fatality history. The Sonic was involved in fatal accidents at a rate 21.7% lower per vehicle registered than the Sentra, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Warranty

The Sonic’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Sentra’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Chevrolet pays for the first scheduled maintenance on the Sonic. Chevrolet will pay for the first oil change, lubrication and any other required maintenance in the first year. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sentra.

There are almost 3 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sonic’s warranty.

Reliability

The Chevrolet Sonic’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Sentra’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Sonic’s reliability 24 points higher than the Sentra.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 10th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 6th in reliability, above the industry average. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 10th.

Engine

The Sonic’s 1.4 turbo 4 cyl. produces 14 more horsepower (138 vs. 124) and 23 lbs.-ft. more torque (148 vs. 125) than the Sentra CVT’s standard 1.8 DOHC 4 cyl. The Sonic’s 1.4 turbo 4 cyl. produces 8 more horsepower (138 vs. 130) and 20 lbs.-ft. more torque (148 vs. 128) than the Sentra’s standard 1.8 DOHC 4 cyl.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Sonic Manual gets better fuel mileage than the Sentra Manual with its standard engine (28 city/37 hwy vs. 27 city/35 hwy).

Transmission

To help the driver achieve optimum performance and fuel economy, the Sonic has a standard up-shift light to indicate when to shift based on power needs and conditions. The Sentra doesn’t offer an up-shift light.

A standard “hill holder” feature keeps the Chevrolet Sonic with manual transmission from rolling backwards on a steep slope. The Sentra doesn’t offer a hill holder feature.

Brakes and Stopping

The Sonic stops shorter than the Sentra:

	Sonic	Sentra
70 to 0 MPH	184 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	124 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The Sonic has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Sentra’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

Chassis

The Sonic Sedan is 8.2 inches shorter than the Sentra, making the Sonic easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Sonic Sedan has .5 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom and 1.5 inches more rear hip room than the Sentra.

Cargo Capacity

The Sonic has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the Sentra (19 vs. 15.1 cubic feet).

Servicing Ease

The Sonic has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Sentra doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

An Oil Life Monitor is standard on the Sonic to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Nissan doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Sentra.

Ergonomics

The Sonic (except LS/Manual) offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The Sentra doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The power windows standard on both the Sonic and the Sentra have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Sonic is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Sentra prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Sonic LT/Premier’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its front windows also automatically close, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sentra’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Sonic LT/Premier’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Sentra’s power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate.

On extremely cold winter days, the Sonic’s optional (except LS/RS) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Sentra doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Model Availability

The Chevrolet Sonic comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Nissan Sentra isn’t available as a station wagon.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Sonic owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sonic will cost $620 to $1860 less than the Sentra over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sonic is less expensive to operate than the Sentra because it costs $162 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Sonic than the Sentra, including $20 less for a starter, $234 less for fuel injection, $104 less for a fuel pump, $9 less for front struts and $184 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Sonic will be $3024 to $4075 less than for the Nissan Sentra.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Chevrolet Sonic, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Nissan Sentra isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sonic second among small cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Sentra isn’t in the top three in its category.

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