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Nissan Sentra Reliability by Year

Every Sentra model year from 2004 to 2025, scored on reported failures weighted against how many were sold — and ranked against every other Compact Passenger Car of the same year.

The short answer

Best model year
2009
#2 of 32 that year
Year to avoid
2013
#32 of 43 that year
Latest scored
2025
#4 of 18

Across 22 scored model years the Sentra needs fixing less often than its class, and repairs cost about what you would expect. The spread between years is what matters: 2009 is its strongest, 2013 its weakest.

Every model year, scored

Longer bar is better. Rank is against every Compact Passenger Car sold that same model year.

YearRelative standingClass rankPctl
2004#18 /2939th
2005#16 /3150th
2006#7 /3180th
2007#9 /3375th
2008#11 /3671th
2009#2 /3297thBest year
2010#14 /3055th
2011#13 /3261th
2012#16 /4163th
2013#32 /4326thAvoid
2014#26 /4138th
2015#25 /3937th
2016#12 /3870th
2017#21 /4150th
2018#16 /3556th
2019#12 /3467th
2020#20 /2727th
2021#18 /2529th
2022#11 /2964th
2023#5 /2281th
2024#5 /2281th
2025#4 /1882th

The line has moved around across 22 model years, with its weakest stretch in 2011–2022. The recent trend is upward. This 2025 car falls in a strong stretch.

What tends to break

All 12 systems, measured against the class average for each model year.

Every Sentra model year is scored across 12 separate systems — engine, transmission, brakes, electrical, steering and suspension, structure, interior, and five more. Each system is compared against how often that same system fails on the average Compact Passenger Car of the same year, so a common failure is judged against how common it is everywhere else.

Across the last three model years (2023–2025), the trouble concentrates in one place: tires & wheels. That system draws issue reports more often than the same system on the average Compact Passenger Car of its year — which changes what you should be inspecting before you buy.

🔒 System-by-system breakdown
All 12 systems scored for the Sentra year you are looking at — which ones fail more often than the class, by how much, and on how many reports.
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How it compares to the class

All 18 Compact Passenger Cars from 2025, plotted by how often they need fixes and what those fixes cost.

🔒 The whole class, plotted
Where the Sentra lands against every other 2025 Compact Passenger Car — and which rivals beat it.
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Common questions

What is the best year for a used Nissan Sentra?

2009 is the strongest Sentra model year on record, ranking #2 of 32 Compact Passenger Cars that year.

Which Nissan Sentra years should I avoid?

2013 is the weakest year in the model's history, ranking #32 of 43.

Is the latest Sentra reliable?

The 2025 Sentra ranks #4 of 18 Compact Passenger Cars — the upper quarter of its class.

Where does this data come from?

Failure reports filed with NHTSA — submitted by vehicle owners and repair shops alike — weighted against US sales volumes so a high-volume model is not penalised for selling well, then benchmarked within segment and model year.

See the full picture for your Sentra

All 12 systems scored, the whole class plotted, and a downloadable Full Model Report for any year — 6,000+ vehicles in the dashboard.

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How this was built. Scores derive from failure reports filed with NHTSA — submitted by vehicle owners and repair shops alike — weighted against US sales volumes and benchmarked within segment and model year. We measure two separate things: Fix Frequency — how often a vehicle needs fixing — and Fix Severity — how costly those fixes are. These figures describe a model line, not the specific vehicle in front of you; trim, mileage and service history still decide an individual car.