2021 Nissan Altima vs 2020 Nissan Sentra

The 2020 Nissan Sentra had a significant design overhaul, shedding its previous dowdy image for a more stylish and upscale look. The Electric Blue paint on the mid-level SV model, with its 16-inch alloy wheels and halogen headlights, made it stand out. The Sentra's design was a scaled-down version of the Altima, giving it a poised and elegant appearance. The lowered and widened body, detailed sheet metal creases, and V-shaped grille added to its mature and recognizable look. The interior featured a flat-bottom leather steering wheel, white-stitched leatherette dash, and knurled climate knobs, giving it a feel of a higher-end vehicle. The SV Premium Package offered quilted tan leather seats and Infiniti-grade materials, making the Sentra's interior close to the classiest non-luxury compact interiors.

The 2021 Nissan Altima, with its bold V-Motion grille and sleek, aerodynamic profile, had a modern and attractive design. The sloping roofline and taut body folds gave it a contemporary look, though the short dash-to-axle distance made it appear slightly old-fashioned. The Altima's fit and finish were exceptional, with deep lustrous paint and rich chrome details. It offered nine exterior colors, some with premium pricing. Inside, the Altima featured an uncluttered dashboard with an 8-inch touchscreen display, intelligently laid out controls, and improved materials as you moved up the trim levels. The higher trims added stitching to the dash and seats, enhancing the overall hand feel and comfort.

The 2020 Nissan Sentra came with a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine producing 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Sentra's acceleration tapered off after 30 mph, partly due to an overly sensitive throttle pedal. The Eco button helped subdue this behavior, while the Sport mode held the revs longer. The CVT mimicked gear changes smoothly and responsively. The Sentra's independent rear suspension improved handling and ride quality, making it feel controlled and agreeable. Fuel economy was impressive, with EPA ratings of 29 mpg city, 39 highway, and 33 combined. The Sentra averaged about 30 mpg during mixed driving over 300 miles.

The 2021 Nissan Altima offered two powertrain options. Most configurations featured a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on most trims. Fuel economy for the 2.5-liter engine was 28 mpg city, 39 highway, and 32 combined with FWD, and 25 mpg city, 35 highway, and 29 combined with AWD. The Altima SR VC-Turbo trim level featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, offering a more engaging driving experience. The VC-Turbo engine's fuel economy was 25 mpg city, 34 highway, and 29 combined. All Altima models had four-wheel independent suspension, with the VC-Turbo's suspension being sport-tuned for a livelier performance.

The 2020 Nissan Sentra's backseat was surprisingly spacious, accommodating a 5-foot-11 passenger comfortably without knee or headroom issues. The front seats featured Nissan’s Zero Gravity cushioning, reducing fatigue on long drives. The lowered body profile improved side visibility, though the rear window's rake limited the rear view. The trunk offered 14.3 cubic feet of space, with foldable seatbacks for additional storage. The driving position and controls were user-friendly, with knobs for volume and tuning, adding to the overall comfort and convenience.

The 2021 Nissan Altima's Zero Gravity front seats lived up to their reputation, providing comfort on long drives. Upper trims added power adjustment, position memory, leather appointments, and heating for the seats. The front cabin had ample storage, including a big glovebox, center console storage bin, cupholders, and door pockets. The second row was roomy for two adults and could accommodate three for short rides. The 60/40 split-folding rear seats allowed access to the 15.4 cubic feet trunk, enhancing the Altima's practicality.

The 2020 Nissan Sentra lacked ProPilot, navigation, and wireless charging, but offered Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and WiFi as standard on the mid-level SV. The SV also included dual-zone climate control, proximity-entry key, adaptive cruise control, and remote engine start. The SV Premium Package added bright LED headlights, while the SR trim offered additional features like a Bose stereo, sunroof, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and 360-degree cameras. The Sentra's tech features were basic but adequate for its price range.

The 2021 Nissan Altima included Nissan Intelligent Key with pushbutton start, remote engine start, Bluetooth, cruise control, HomeLink, rear-view camera, Siri Eyes Free, Google Assistant Voice Recognition, and streaming audio/hands-free phone with Bluetooth as standard. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard on all but the base S model. The base touchscreen was 7 inches, with an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen on higher trims. The S model had a 5-inch multi-function display, while others had a 7-inch advanced Drive-Assist display. Higher trims included additional USB ports, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bose audio system, Active Noise Cancellation, and Nissan Door to Door Navigation with trial access to various services.

The 2020 Nissan Sentra had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS, but CarGurus expected top ratings. It included rear side airbags, knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, forward and reverse emergency braking, pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, auto high beams, and a driver attention monitor as standard.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan Safety Shield 360, standard on SV and above, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. ProPilot Assist was available, offering features like intelligent forward collision warning, intelligent lane intervention, traffic sign recognition, intelligent driver alertness, and adaptive cruise control. The Intelligent Around View Monitor was available on upper trims. The Altima received a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick + rating from IIHS.