Compare the2025 Nissan SentraVS 2025 Hyundai Elantra N Line

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Sentra have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Hyundai Elantra N Line doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Nissan Sentra has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sentra has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

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 Elantra N Line only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Sentra and the Elantra N Line have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 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 Hyundai Elantra N Line:

	Sentra	Elantra N Line
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars

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 Hyundai Elantra N Line:

	Sentra	Elantra N Line
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	1.1 inches	1.2 inches
Abdominal Force	196 lbs.	239 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	160	345
Spine Acceleration	45 G’s	68 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	160	184
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	660 lbs.	954 lbs.

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

Warranty

There are over 28 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Sentra’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sentra second among compact cars in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Elantra N Line isn’t in the top three in its category.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

		MPG
Sentra
	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/40 hwy
	SR 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
Elantra N Line
	1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	28 city/35 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Sentra’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 Elantra N Line doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Nissan Sentra higher (7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Elantra N Line (4). This means the Sentra produces up to 13.2 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Elantra N Line every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Sentra has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer a CVT.

Tires and Wheels

The Sentra has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Sentra has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Elantra N Line; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Chassis

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Sentra has an electronically controlled liquid-filled front engine mount. A computer-controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The Elantra N Line uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The design of the Nissan Sentra amounts to more than styling. The Sentra has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is lower than the Elantra N Line (.31) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Sentra get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the Sentra uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Sentra has 1.5 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front hip room and 2.8 inches more rear hip room than the Elantra N Line.

Ergonomics

The Sentra’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Elantra N Line’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

On extremely cold winter days, the Sentra SV/SR’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Sentra SV/SR has a standard Intelligent Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

Recommendations

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