2025 Honda Civic vs 2024 Nissan Sentra

The 2024 Nissan Sentra underwent a styling update that enhanced its visual appeal. The wider grille seamlessly blended with the headlights, which featured black interior bezel elements, and chrome trim accentuated the edges. Vertical elements resembling air vents were positioned at the front fascia's edges, creating a broader appearance. The Sentra's design philosophy embraced the "longer, lower, wider" maxim, resulting in a small sedan that balanced flair and sophistication. The Sentra's lineup remained unchanged, with S, SV, and SR trims, each offering distinct wheel designs and styling elements. The interior boasted large round air vents inspired by the Z sports car, a plunging dashboard, and red-orange accent stitching on SR models, creating a distinctive design.

The 2025 Honda Civic's exterior updates were subtle yet effective. The lower grille area widened, following the lines of slimmer air inlets at the front corners, giving the Civic a more aggressive look. The Civic Si featured a honeycomb grille texture, echoing the interior theme. LED headlights and daytime running lights were standard, and darker tail lights added a smoked effect to the rear styling. New colors like Solar Silver Metallic and Urban Gray Pearl were introduced, with body style-specific options for the sedan and hatchback. The Civic Si's new 18-inch matte black wheels drew inspiration from the Acura logo, enhancing its sporty character. Inside, the Civic Si featured red accents on the honeycomb dash and red seats, though the styling didn't extend to the back row, creating a distinct cabin area.

The 2024 Nissan Sentra was equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 149 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive. The CVT was reengineered for improved fuel efficiency and smoother operation, and an engine start-stop system was added for 2024. While the Sentra focused on efficiency over performance, it offered a pleasant driving experience with precise steering feedback and a laid-back suspension setup. However, the updated CVT exhibited an unexpected surge of acceleration at around 45 mph, though this might differ in production models.

The 2025 Honda Civic offered a range of powertrains, with the base model featuring a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 150 horsepower and 133 lb-ft of torque. The Civic Si, however, boasted a turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine delivering 200 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 192 lb-ft of torque between 1,800 and 5,000 rpm. The Si was available only with a six-speed manual transmission, offering short throws and a light clutch for easy management. The Civic Si featured three dynamic drive modes, with Sport mode increasing throttle sensitivity. A new Formula One-inspired shift indicator on the digital driver-information display added a sporty touch. While the Civic Si was user-friendly, it lacked a traditional manual e-brake and gear indication on the dash, which might deter new manual drivers.

The 2024 Nissan Sentra provided decent interior space, particularly in the front row. It offered competitive headroom and legroom compared to rivals like the Kia Forte and Mazda 3, though rear-seat legroom was less generous. The Sentra's Zero Gravity seats were comfortable, and the low window sills and slim dashboard provided excellent forward visibility. The Sentra's trunk offered 14.3 cubic feet of space, with a 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat for accommodating longer items. An All-Weather Package added heated features and dual-zone climate control for comfort in cold weather.

The 2025 Honda Civic Sedan and Hatchback offered 39.3 inches of headroom and 42.3 inches of legroom in the front, with the Civic Si's headroom slightly reduced due to a power moonroof. Rear passengers enjoyed 37.1 inches of headroom and 37.4 inches of legroom. The Civic Si's trunk provided 14.1 cubic feet of cargo volume, slightly less than other Civic Sedans. The Civic Hatchback excelled with 24.5 cubic feet of cargo space. Heated front seats were standard on the Civic Si, enhancing comfort, while leather seats were exclusive to the Hybrid Sport Touring trim.

The 2024 Nissan Sentra offered functional tech but lagged behind some competitors. The base Sentra S featured a 7-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument cluster display with analog gauges. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, though wireless versions were unavailable. The SV and SR models upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen and a 7-inch instrument cluster display, along with a six-speaker audio system and SiriusXM compatibility. The Premium Package added an eight-speaker Bose audio system and Wi-Fi connectivity for the SR model. While the screens were well-integrated, the graphics appeared dated compared to rivals.

The 2025 Honda Civic Si was equipped with advanced tech features, matching the top Civic Sport Touring Hybrid trim. It featured a 9-inch touchscreen with Google Built-In, offering three years of service. The Si boasted a 12-speaker Bose Premium sound system and wireless smartphone projection, exclusive to top trims. A 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster incorporated F1-inspired shift lights and navigation instructions from Google Maps. Lower trims received two front USB-C ports as standard, enhancing connectivity.

The 2024 Nissan Sentra's safety ratings were incomplete at press time. It received a "Good" rating in the IIHS' original side-impact crash test but only an "Acceptable" rating in the updated version. The Sentra's front crash prevention scored "Advanced" in daytime testing but "Basic" at night. It received a "Poor" headlight rating. The NHTSA provided five stars for rollover and side crash tests, but frontal crash-test and overall safety scores were unavailable. The Sentra offered standard Nissan Safety Shield 360 features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and more. SV and SR models added adaptive cruise control and an available 360-degree camera system.

The 2025 Honda Civic featured Honda Sensing as standard, with enhanced driver assistance features for 2025. The collision-mitigation braking system improved bicycle and motorcycle detection, while adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist were updated for smoother performance. The Civic earned Top Safety Pick+ awards from the IIHS and five-star overall ratings from the NHTSA, surpassing the 2024 model's performance. The Civic's increased frame rigidity contributed to its top marks in safety tests.