2021 Nissan Sentra vs. Nissan Altima

The 2021 Nissan Sentra and the 2021 Nissan Altima are both compelling sedans for daily drivers in the Newark area, but which is right for you? The new Sentra is an excellent compact car, and it offers impressive fuel economy for a low starting price. However, if you’re willing to pay a little more for the new Altima, you’ll be rewarded with a more powerful engine, a longer feature list, a larger trunk, and other benefits. Our 2021 Nissan Sentra vs. Altima comparison breaks down everything you need to know.

Nissan Sentra vs. Altima: Starting Price & Trim Levels

• The 2021 Nissan Sentra starts at $19,310 MSRP*, while the 2021 Nissan Altima starts at $24,300 MSRP*.
• The Sentra is offered in three trim levels: S, SV, and SR. The Altima is offered in five trims: S, SV, SR, SL, and Platinum. An optional engine upgrade for the SR trim brings the total number of Nissan Altima models up to six.

Nissan Sentra vs. Altima: Interior Space & Features

Starting price is one thing, and value is another! Check out some of the standard highlights in both models before you take your test drive:

Features in the 2021 Nissan Sentra S

• 6-way adjustable driver’s seat
• 4-way adjustable front-passenger’s seat
• 60/40-split fold-down rear seatbacks
• Cloth seat trim
• In-cabin microfilter
• Rear Door Alert

Features in the 2021 Nissan Altima S

• 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
• 60/40-split fold-down rear seatbacks
• Cloth seat trim
• Carbon-fiber look interior trim
• Nissan Intelligent Key® with Push Button Ignition
• Map lights and rear reading lights
• In-cabin microfilter
• Rear Door Alert

No matter which trim levels you’re comparing, the Altima has a larger trunk. There’s not a huge difference between 15.4 cubic feet and 14.3 cubic feet, but every inch counts when you’re running errands in Staten Island or Bayonne.

Nissan Sentra vs. Altima: Performance

Before we dig into engine specs, it’s important to clarify one important difference between these two models! Any driver comparing the Nissan Sentra vs. Nissan Altima should know that only the Altima offers optional all-wheel drive. The latter is available in SV, SR, and SL trim levels, and it comes standard in the Platinum model.

Both models offer standard front-wheel drive, and they both carry the same standard transmission. Partly for this reason, they offer near-identical power and fuel economy specs as standard. However, the Altima does provide a little more power:

2021 Nissan Sentra S

• 2.0L DOHC 4-cylinder engine
• Xtronic CVT®
• Standard front-wheel drive
• 149 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque
• 29 mpg city/39 mpg highway**

2021 Nissan Altima S

• 2.5L DOHC 4-cylinder engine
• Xtronic CVT®
• Standard front-wheel drive / available all-wheel drive
• 188 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque
• 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway***

If you upgrade to the Nissan Altima SR trim level, you can upgrade with the optional VC-Turbo™ 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that delivers 248 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. The 2021 Sentra doesn’t offer any other engines, but you should still be familiar with each of the Sentra trim levels. If you want to see what else these vehicles can do, check out the Nissan Sentra 0-60 times and the Nissan Altima performance specs in more detail at Hudson Nissan.

Conduct Your Own Nissan Sentra vs. Altima in Person

Your Nissan Sentra vs. Altima comparison won’t be complete until you’ve explored our current leasing specials! Our team would love to see you behind the wheel of either model, and we offer exceptional pricing for those who want to lease a new Sentra or a new Altima! Interested in shopping online? We can help with that too.

*Price is Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). MSRP excludes tax, title, license, options and destination charge. Dealer sets actual price.
**2021 EPA Fuel Economy Estimates. 29 City MPG / 39 Highway MPG / 33 Combined MPG for Sentra® S, SV; 28 City MPG / 37 Highway MPG / 32 Combined MPG for Sentra SR. Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions. Use for comparison only.
***2021 EPA Fuel Economy Estimates. 28 City MPG / 39 Highway MPG / 32 Combined MPG for Altima® S FWD. 27 City MPG / 37 Highway MPG / 31 Combined MPG for Altima® SV, SR, SL FWD. 26 City MPG / 36 Highway MPG / 30 Combined MPG for Altima® SV, SL AWD. 25 City MPG / 35 Highway MPG / 29 Combined MPG for Altima® SR, Platinum AWD. 25 City MPG / 34 Highway MPG / 29 Combined MPG for Altima® SR FWD VC-Turbo. Fuel economy estimates based on 87-octane fuel. Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions. Use for comparison only.