Compare the2024 Hyundai ElantraVS 2024 Nissan Sentra

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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With its standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, the Hyundai Elantra is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Nissan Sentra, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Elantra	Sentra
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	-20 MPH	-8 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-8 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	-20 MPH	-1 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-24 MPH
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-22 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.1 sec	1.9 sec
37 MPH Low beams	-27 MPH	-4 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.3 sec	.6 sec

Both the Elantra and Sentra have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Elantra has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Sentra’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Elantra and the Sentra have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available 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 Hyundai Elantra is safer than the Nissan Sentra:

	Elantra	Sentra
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	142	292
Neck Injury Risk	21%	29%
Neck Stress	268 lbs.	351 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	87 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	66/48 lbs.	330/261 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	314	495
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	42%	53%
Neck Stress	177 lbs.	296 lbs.
Neck Compression	6 lbs.	93 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	135/61 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 Hyundai Elantra is safer than the Nissan Sentra:

	Elantra	Sentra
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	162
Hip Force	327 lbs.	422 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	355 lbs.	444 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	12 inches

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 Hyundai Elantra is safer than the Sentra:

	Elantra	Sentra
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	189	387
Head Peak Forces	no contact	84 G’s
Neck Tension	312 lbs.	379 lbs.
Neck Compression	-134 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.65 in
Torso Deflection Rate	10 MPH	13 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head Injury Criterion	167	182
Neck Tension	112 lbs.	178 lbs.
Neck Compression	-156 lbs.	112 lbs.
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	290 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	558 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Hyundai Elantra achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Sentra is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

The Elantra comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Sentra’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Sentra. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Sentra ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, 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 Elantra’s reliability 19 points higher than the Sentra.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 57 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 20th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 6 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Elantra is faster than the Nissan Sentra:

	Elantra	Sentra
Zero to 60 MPH	8.1 sec	9.2 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	22.1 sec	26.3 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	8.5 sec	9.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.3 sec	17 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88 MPH	83 MPH
Top Speed	124 MPH	120 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

		MPG
Elantra
	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/41 hwy
	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/40 hwy
Sentra
	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/40 hwy
	SR 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The Hyundai Elantra 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.

The Elantra stops shorter than the Sentra:

	Elantra	Sentra
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Elantra’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sentra (225/45R17 vs. 215/45R18).

Suspension and Handling

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

The Elantra Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sentra SR (27 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Elantra’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Sentra’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Chassis

The Hyundai Elantra may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 300 pounds less than the Nissan Sentra.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Elantra Limited is quieter than the Sentra SR (35 vs. 38 dB).

Passenger Space

The Elantra has 3.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sentra (99.4 vs. 96.1).

The Elantra has 1.7 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 3.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sentra.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Elantra SEL/Limited’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Sentra doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Elantra and the Sentra have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Elantra 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 Elantra’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 Elantra’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the Sentra’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Elantra’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Sentra’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

The Elantra SEL/Limited’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 Hyundai Elantra (except SE) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Sentra doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Elantra and the Nissan Sentra, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its October 2021 issue and they ranked the Hyundai Elantra Limited higher than the Nissan Sentra SR.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Elantra third among compact 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.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Elantra as the 2021 North American Car of the Year. The Sentra has never been chosen.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Nissan Sentra by 23% during 2023.

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