Ford Fiesta vs. Nissan Sentra

iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Ford Fiesta and Nissan Sentra contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Ford Fiesta and the Nissan Sentra.

When we compare the Ford Fiesta's and the Nissan Sentra's specifications and ratings, the Ford Fiesta has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, reliability and resale value. The Nissan Sentra has the advantage in the areas of interior volume, overall quality score and base engine power. The Ford Fiesta and Nissan Sentra have the same fuel efficiency. Based on this comparison of the Ford Fiesta's and the Nissan Sentra's specifications and ratings, the two cars are fairly comparable.

Pricing: A used 2019 Ford Fiesta ranges from $8,991 to $16,993 while a used 2019 Nissan Sentra is priced between $9,995 to $18,998.

Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Ford Fiesta loses 30.3 percent of its value and the Nissan Sentra loses 38.2 percent of its value. This means the Ford Fiesta retains 7.9 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Nissan Sentra.

Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Ford Fiesta is 8.2 out of 10 while the Nissan Sentra's quality rating is 8.4 out of 10.

Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Ford Fiesta is 8.0 out of 10. For the Nissan Sentra the reliability rating is 7.9 out of 10. This gives the Ford Fiesta a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Nissan Sentra.

Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Ford Fiesta’s base engine makes 120 horsepower, and the Nissan Sentra base engine makes 130 horsepower. Both the Fiesta and the Sentra are rated to deliver an average of 30 miles per gallon, with highway ranges of 434 and 462 miles respectively. Both models use regular unleaded.

Passenger Space Comparison: The Nissan Sentra has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, rear shoulder room, rear leg room, and cargo space. The Ford Fiesta has the advantage in the areas of front leg room and rear head room.

Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, the Nissan Sentra has higher safety ratings than the Ford Fiesta, with an average rating of 4.55 out of 5 Stars compared to 4 out of 5 Stars.