First launched by Nissan in 1982, the Nissan Sentra is the company’s compact car. Selling approximately 109,195 models in 2023, a 41.6% increase over the previous year, Nissan still relies heavily on Sentra sales to continue a dominant position in the vehicle market. Competing against the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Hyundai Elantra is no tall order, so Nissan has continued to evolve the Sentra over the years. 

Over time, the Sentra has grown in reliability and safety and has become more aggressive with its styling. However, these recent positives don’t mean that every sales year of the Sentra has been free from headaches. With this in mind, we will look at the best and worst Nissan Sentra model years using data from Consumer Reports, Car Complaints, and Car Smite. 

Avoid: 2005

Arguably one of the worst model years since the Nissan Sentra was first released, 2005 is a year to avoid. Right away, you know there is something to worry about as Car Complaints labels the 2005 with its “Beware of the Clunker” stamp. There are immediate worries with 257 NHTSA (National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration) complaints. First and foremost is safety, which did not perform well for the Senta. 

According to IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), the 2005 Sentra scored “Poor” for both side and rear crash protection and “Acceptable” for front protection. Ultimately, these scores do not inspire confidence that you would walk away from a crash without injury. Along with safety, engine concerns were a definite problem, including blown head gaskets and stalled vehicles without warning. 

Avoid: 2013

With the “Avoid like the Plague” stamp from Car Complaints attached to the 2013 Nissan Sentra, you should stay away. Arguably, it was one of the worst years for the Sentra, as 846 NHTSA complaints were filed. At the top of this list, over 300 complaints were related to the Sentra’s drivetrain. Between unusual vehicle shaking, stalling while at high speeds, or total vehicle failure, buying a 2013 Nissan Sentra was a little bit like a roll of the dice. 

Braking was another problem that plagued the 2013 Sentra, with 111 separate NHTSA complaints. This was a significant concern, whether general brake failures or more dangerous ones like brakes taking too long to stop the vehicle. Lastly, engine concerns were also present, as Sentra owners reported the vehicle engine would just randomly die while driving, leading to dangerous conditions. 

Avoid: 2014

Another year, for the Nissan Sentra, there was another “Avoid it like the Plague” label from Car Complaints. While 2014 had fewer NHTSA complaints than 2013, it’s believed 2014 was a slightly worse year due to higher repair costs. Still, 468 NHTSA complaints are nothing to ignore, with drivetrain problems again rising to the surface as the Sentra’s biggest issue. 161 complaints focused solely on transmission concerns, as the Sentra would not properly switch between gears. This could lead to loud vehicle jerking or shaking, which no doubt alarmed drivers. 

Engine problems also reappeared, indicating that the 2014 Nissan Sentra had not improved from the previous year. Most of the complaints in this area focused on the engine stalling while driving, yet another significant safety concern. Engine issues aside, Consumer Reports was not impressed with the 2014 model, calling it “noisy and underpowered” and indicating that the vehicle looks better on paper than in real life. 

Avoid: 2015

While Nissan undoubtedly hoped to see improved results from the 2015 model year, Consumer Reports did not improve its test scores. Still calling the vehicle “noisy and underpowered,” the organization’s road test did little more than praise the roominess of the rear seats. Alongside disappointing reports from Consumer Reports, Car Complaints offers little praise for the 2015 Nissan Sentra, which was again given a stamp labeled “Avoid it like the Plague.” This is the worst label the website can provide to a vehicle, so it’s worth noting. 

With 396 NHTSA complaints in 2015, the Nissan Sentra continued to show that Nissan had to resolve any drivetrain issues. While no vehicle is perfect, the 2015 drivetrain problems continued a three-year streak of being among the highest causes of NHTSA complaints. Sentra owners reported that their cars would suffer various transmission problems, including problems accelerating and jerkiness when switching gears up to needing total transmission replacements. 

Avoid: 2016

2016 was again a Nissan Sentra model year with the “Avoid it like the Plague” stamp of disappointment from Car Complaints. Unfortunately, Nissan was on a bit of a run between 2013 and 2016, and they had multiple issues with the engine, drivetrain, and brakes. With 307 NHTSA complaints in total, there were definite concerns with the drivetrain, first and foremost, which led the way with 77 complaints. Once again, you have complaints from Sentra owners about unusual vibration and problems accelerating. 

Unfortunately, Consumer Reports wasn’t any kinder to the 2016 Nissa Sentra than in previous years. Labeling the vehicle with a “feels cheap and underdeveloped” review was not the news that Nissan hoped to receive this year. While the Sentra does have good fuel economy and a low price tag, that’s about as much positivity as Consumer Reports could muster in 2016. 

Own: 2009

In 2009, the Nissan Sentra reminded buyers of its strong value. With only 78 NHTSA complaints filed, there were definite signs that the Sentra was on the up and up. Using a more efficient engine was one of the best reasons to look at the 2009 Sentra. Not only did the car have a strong range at 375 miles on a single tank, but Consumer Reports also praised its overall ride, the level of interior storage, and how much of a pleasure it was to drive every day. Along with Consumer Reports, you had JD Power, which also had positive ratings for the Sentra regarding reliability and resale value.  

Best of all, the Sentra was riding high and had good safety scores. Everything but rollover protection was rated very high with IIHS, and you had four and five-star ratings for NHTSA safety. On top of this, you only had one recall issued for the 2009 Nissan Sentra, which is something other vehicle manufacturers would love to claim. 

Own: 2010

Carrying over much of what impressed me with 2009, the 2010 Nissan Sentra was another standout model year for the vehicle. With just over 202 NHTSA complaints, the 2010 Sentra model year wasn’t perfect, but it was still far better than other, more concerning years. On the positive side, you had an optional navigation system added to the infotainment experience and upgraded headlights and tail lights to make for a safer drive. 

Once again, Consumer Reports also had kind things to say about the 2010 year, including praise for the Sentra’s “comfortable ride and quiet cabin.” There was even an improvement range of up to 385 miles on a single tank over 2009, a nice-to-have update for road trips with the Sentra. Lastly, JD Power also saw driving experience, quality and reliability, and resale value ranked highly for the 2010 model year. 

Own: 2011

Continuing a strong three-year run for the Nissan Sentra, 2011 was another positive model year to own. Once again, the Sentra was considered reliable, thanks to only two recalls issued this year. While crash tests for side and rear protection dropped from Good to Acceptable according to IIHS, the Sentra still rated higher safety-wise than some of its direct competition. 

While 2011 wasn’t a perfect model year by any stretch, engine stalling was still an issue, and it would become a far more prominent issue over the next few model years. JD Power again favored the 2011 Nissan Sentra with three positive scores in its typical driving experience, resale, and quality and reliability categories. Better yet, the Sentra continued to have a limited number of recalls issued in 2011, which was a testament to Nissan’s quality, at least at the time. 

Own: 2020

When you skip to 2020 with the Nissan Sentra, you pass by some of the car’s most difficult years. Thankfully, in 2020, things picked up the right way. With JD Power, you have two “Great” scores and one “Best” score to help rank the 2020 model year. This is great news for the Nissan Sentra after years of just being average, so it’s something Nissan should have been celebrating. 

Best of all, the Nissan Sentra, for the first time, really adopted a vehicle style that felt truly aggressive. The car is sporty and ready to compete and lead in the compact category. Consumer Reports praised everything from the ride, handling, and rear seating to fuel economy and solidly called it the “best Sentra we’ve ever tested.” 

Own: 2021

Building on the positives of 2021 for the Nissan Sentra was easy. Using the same style, the vehicle report for 2021 is almost the same as 2020, which makes both model years easy to recommend. Neither model year is perfect, but it’s safe to say that 2021 was the best the Nissan Sentra had ever performed. Safety improved, allowing the 2021 Sentra to receive a “Top Safety Pick” award from IIHS. 

Similarly, JD Power upped its scores for the Nissan Sentra in 2021 with four “Great” scores across all of its rating categories in the compact car space. Taking it one step further, JD Power even positioned the 2021 Nissan Sentra as its favorite compact car, ahead of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, the two most dominant vehicle models in the compact segment. 

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