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Honda Civic vs Nissan Sentra: which has fewer problems?

Honda CivicNissan Sentra

Photos: Elise240SX · Mr.choppers (Wikimedia Commons)

Winner

Nissan Sentra

About 12% fewer owner complaints per car sold than the Honda Civic, and fewer in 12 of 25 model years both were sold.

Head to head

Honda Civic
Nissan Sentra
Lemon Index
100 = average, lower is better
67
59
Years with fewer complaints
2000–2025
13 of 25
12 of 25
Recalls
2000–2025
220
109
MPG
latest year
24–49
33–34
Crash test
best, latest year
★★★★★
★★★★★
Best year to buy
2011
2023

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the government within 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average, lower is better. Green check = the better of the two on that line.

Year by year

Shorter bar = fewer complaints per car sold. Tap a year for its full report.

2000
Honda Civic 39 Nissan Sentra 68
2001
Honda Civic 92 Nissan Sentra 120
2002
Honda Civic 59 Nissan Sentra 113
2003
Honda Civic 55 Nissan Sentra 61
2004
Honda Civic 35 Nissan Sentra 44
2005
Honda Civic 40 Nissan Sentra 50
2006
Honda Civic 202 Nissan Sentra 38
2007
Honda Civic 184 Nissan Sentra 62
2008
Honda Civic 108 Nissan Sentra 65
2010
Honda Civic 44 Nissan Sentra 40
2011
Honda Civic 25 Nissan Sentra 35
2012
Honda Civic 57 Nissan Sentra 51
2013
Honda Civic 31 Nissan Sentra 124
2014
Honda Civic 33 Nissan Sentra 53
2015
Honda Civic 32 Nissan Sentra 51
2016
Honda Civic 106 Nissan Sentra 47
2017
Honda Civic 51 Nissan Sentra 36
2018
Honda Civic 46 Nissan Sentra 43
2019
Honda Civic 35 Nissan Sentra 61
2020
Honda Civic 40 Nissan Sentra 93
2021
Honda Civic 32 Nissan Sentra 78
2022
Honda Civic 437 Nissan Sentra 64
2023
Honda Civic 140 Nissan Sentra 15
2024
Honda Civic 64 Nissan Sentra 31
2025
Honda Civic 64 Nissan Sentra 33

Every Honda Civic year · Every Nissan Sentra year · How the index works