The Sentra SV/SR offers an optional Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Civic only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Sentra has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning is not offered on the CivicLX.
The Sentra SV/SR offers optional NissanConnect Services, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Civic 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 Sentra and the Civic have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available daytime running lights.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Sentra is safer than the Honda Civic:
|
Sentra |
Civic |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
292 |
325 |
Neck Injury Risk |
29% |
30% |
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 Nissan Sentra is safer than the Honda Civic:
|
Sentra |
Civic |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
162 |
195 |
Abdominal Force |
196 lbs. |
286 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
160 |
268 |
Spine Acceleration |
45 G’s |
79 G’s |
Hip Force |
444 lbs. |
516 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
160 |
260 |
Spine Acceleration |
36 G’s |
51 G’s |
Hip Force |
660 lbs. |
805 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.