Compare the2023 Volkswagen JettaVS 2023 Nissan Sentra

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Jetta has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sentra doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Jetta 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available lane departure warning systems.

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

	Jetta	Sentra
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	315	495
Neck Injury Risk	41.6%	53%
Neck Stress	152 lbs.	296 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	308/63 lbs.	318/391 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 Volkswagen Jetta is safer than the Nissan Sentra:

	Jetta	Sentra
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	101	162
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	188 lbs.	196 lbs.
Hip Force	317 lbs.	422 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	627 lbs.	660 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Volkswagen Jetta is safer than the Sentra:

	Jetta	Sentra
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	226	387
Head Peak Forces	no contact	84 G’s
Neck Tension	245 lbs.	379 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Deflection Rate	12 MPH	13 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	178 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	112 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

The Jetta comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car. The Sentra’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Jetta’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Sentra’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Jetta for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sentra.

Reliability

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 Jetta’s reliability 40 points higher than the Sentra.

Engine

The Jetta’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (158 vs. 149) and 38 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 146) than the Sentra’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Jetta gets better mileage than the Sentra:

			MPG
Jetta
	Manual	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/42 hwy
	Auto	S 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	31 city/41 hwy
		SE/SEL 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/40 hwy
Sentra
	Auto	S/SV 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/39 hwy
		SR 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/37 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Jetta Automatic’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Sentra doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Jetta’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Sentra:

	Jetta	Sentra
Front Rotors	11.3 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.7 inches	9” drums
Opt Rear Rotors		10.2 inches

The Volkswagen Jetta has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Rear drums are standard on the Sentra. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Jetta’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Sentra’s (36.7 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Passenger Space

The Jetta has .5 inches more rear headroom and 2.7 inches more rear legroom than the Sentra.

Ergonomics

When different drivers share the Jetta SEL, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Sentra doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Jetta’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Sentra’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Jetta and the Sentra have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Jetta 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 Jetta’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, 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.

If the windows are left open on the Jetta SE/R-Line/SEL/SEL Premium the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows with the driver’s door power window switch. The driver of the Sentra can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Jetta’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Sentra’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Jetta SEL to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Sentra doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Jetta’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Sentra’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Jetta’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the Sentra’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Jetta SEL has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sentra doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Jetta’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Sentra SV/SR.

Both the Jetta and the Sentra offer available heated front seats. The Jetta SEL also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sentra.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Jetta SEL keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Sentra doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Jetta SEL’s standard GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Sentra’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Jetta SEL has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Sentra doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Jetta owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Jetta with a number “3” insurance rate while the Sentra is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Jetta is less expensive to operate than the Sentra because typical repairs cost less on the Jetta than the Sentra, including $6 less for front brake pads.

Recommendations

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

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its October 2021 issue and they ranked the Volkswagen Jetta SEL two places higher than the Nissan Sentra SR.