2025 Nissan Sentra
Independent review & score by Carivo
Independent review & score by Carivo
| Engine | 2.0L 4-Cylinder |
|---|---|
| Transmission | Automatic (variable gear ratios) |
| Drivetrain | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel Type | Regular |
| City / Hwy MPG | 30 / 40 MPG |
| Combined MPG | 34 MPG |
| Est. Annual Fuel Cost | $1,750 |
| CO₂ Emissions | 262 g/mi |
| Seating Capacity | 5 passengers |
| Body Style | Sedan |
| Base Price | $22,886–$28,252 |
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov & manufacturer data. Figures reflect base trim; actual specs vary by trim level.
Our scoring places the 2025 Nissan Sentra at 7.5/10 overall, which translates to a Recommended rating for this sedan. Its strongest dimension is Value at 8.4/10, while Performance at 6.4/10 is where it trails the competition most noticeably. It's a solid all-rounder that delivers across most dimensions without obvious deal-breakers.
Reliability and safety are the two dimensions that matter most for long-term ownership costs. We score reliability at 7.3/10 — better than most direct rivals, if short of the segment's best. The safety score of 8.1/10 is solid mid-pack territory. If advanced driver aids matter to you, compare standard equipment carefully and verify ratings at nhtsa.gov.
Performance at 6.4/10 is a genuine liability and a score that should factor heavily into any buying decision. The powertrain and chassis dynamics trail class rivals by a meaningful margin — don't overlook it. Tech rates a reasonable 7.0/10: the essentials are covered and well executed, but rivals at the same price often include more as standard.
Priced from $22,886–$28,252, 34 MPG, seating 5, the Nissan Sentra sits in the budget-friendly tier of the sedan market. Value is where it presses its advantage — 8.4/10, meaning the feature set and quality outrun the asking price. At 1 year old, it's recent enough that the core feature set holds up well against current competition.
Our take: The 2025 Nissan Sentra is a solid, well-rounded sedan that covers the essentials without obvious deal-breakers. The main caveat is performance — worth checking if those dimensions are priorities for you. For most buyers in this segment, it's a safe, dependable choice.
Carivo scores are our own editorial assessment, informed by NHTSA safety and recall records, EPA fuel-economy figures, and manufacturer-published specifications. Scores are reviewed periodically and updated when new data becomes available. See our full methodology →
The 2025 Nissan Sentra ranks #585 of 1310 sedans in the Carivo database — better than 55% of the segment. Its 7.5/10 overall score is exactly at the segment average of 7.5/10. Its $22,886 starting price undercuts the segment's median of $27,664 by about 17%.
Rankings are recalculated as new vehicles and scores are added. See the full Sedan ranking → · Best Sedans under $25k →
| Fuel (75,000 miles) | ~$7,720 ($1,544/year at $3.50/gal) |
|---|---|
| Recall repairs | $0 — 4 campaigns on record; recall work is always free at franchised dealers |
| Insurance | Varies widely by driver and state — always quote the exact trim before buying |
We only print costs we can compute from sourced data (EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls). We don't estimate maintenance or depreciation — anyone who gives you one number for those is guessing.
Smart-money pick: the 2022 Nissan Sentra scores 7.3/10 — within striking distance of the 2025's 7.5 — and starts roughly $2,000 lower. If you don't need the newest model year, that's money better spent on a higher trim or kept in your pocket.
| Year | Score | Starting price (MSRP when new) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7.5/10 | $22,886 | Read review → |
| 2025 (this review) | 7.5/10 | $22,886 | |
| 2024 | 7.4/10 | $22,220 | Read review → |
| 2023 | 7.3/10 | $21,553 | Read review → |
| 2022 | 7.3/10 | $20,886 | Read review → |
| 2021 | 7.3/10 | $20,220 | Read review → |
| 2020 | 7.2/10 | $19,553 | Read review → |
| 2019 | 7.2/10 | $18,887 | Read review → |
| 2018 | 7.0/10 | $18,220 | Read review → |
| 2017 | 7.1/10 | $17,553 | Read review → |
| 2016 | 7.0/10 | $16,887 | Read review → |
| 2015 | 7.0/10 | $16,220 | Read review → |
The following recall campaigns have been filed with NHTSA for this model and year. Recall repairs are performed free of charge by franchised dealers; check your specific vehicle with our free VIN recall checker.
| Seats 11/03/2025 · 25V153000 | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Sentra vehicles. The driver's seat frame may not be fully secured to the outer side of the seat track. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle… |
|---|---|
| Visibility / Windshield 21/11/2025 · 25V807000 | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Sentra vehicles. The windshield glass may have visible air bubbles, which can obscure the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor… |
| Latches/locks/linkages / Doors / Latch 21/01/2026 · 26V023000 | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to… |
| Power train / Driveline / Driveshaft 26/06/2026 · 26V410000 | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The front left-side driveshaft may not be fully seated in the continuously variable transmission (CVT) assembly, which can cause a transmission fluid leak and loss of… |
Source: NHTSA recall database, fetched at page build time.
Own a 2025 Nissan Sentra that's been repaired repeatedly for the same problem? It may qualify under your state's lemon law — run the free lemon law check →
We rate the 2025 Nissan Sentra's reliability 7.3/10 — above the middle of the pack for this class. It has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on record for this model year (details in the recalls section above — repairs are free at dealers).
4 NHTSA recall campaigns matched this model and year as of our latest check. Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
It scores 7.5/10 overall, ranking #585 of 1310 sedans in our database (better than 55% of the segment). A solid choice for most buyers — compare it against the segment leaders before deciding.
The 2025 Nissan Sentra starts at $22,886 and ranges up to $28,252 across trims (MSRP when new). At 34 MPG, expect roughly $1,544/year in fuel at 15,000 miles/year.
Based on our year-by-year scoring, the weakest Sentra years we've rated are 2018 (7.0/10), 2016 (7.0/10), 2015 (7.0/10) — each at least half a point below the nameplate's best (7.5/10). See the full year table above before deciding.
The documented issues for the 2025 Nissan Sentra are its NHTSA recall campaigns, which involve: Seats, Visibility, Latches/locks/linkages, Power train (details in the recalls section above; repairs are free at dealers). For wear-and-tear patterns beyond recalls, owner forums are the best source — we only report what federal data documents.
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Explore the full lineup of Nissan models scored by Carivo — ranked by overall score across reliability, safety, value, performance, and technology.