2021 Hyundai Elantra vs. 2021 Nissan Sentra

2020 Nissan Sentra SR ・ Photo by Nissan

The compact car segment has been one of the most popular in America for decades. The Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Sentra are two prominent players in the category, and both have been thoroughly revamped recently to help them gain more footing against the 800-pound gorillas in the class — the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. For 2021, Hyundai decided to provide a wide variety of offerings with the first-ever Elantra HEV hybrid and the performance-oriented Elantra N Line. Nissan decided to take an entirely different tack, keeping things extremely simple. The Sentra only offers one powertrain and three trim levels. That makes choosing the best Sentra for you very easy. Nissan has also taken interior comfort and style to a new level among mass-market compact sedans. You might be astounded at how luxurious and rich the top-level new Sentra looks inside.

Exterior Style

When it came time to re-do their mainstream compact sedans, both Nissan and Hyundai went the same direction. They made the new vehicles longer and wider. The Sentra is two inches longer and two inches wider than the previous generation Sentra, and it looks like it is from a completely different class. It employs its version of Nissan's signature "V-motion grille," flanked by thin LED headlamps, while the "floating roof" is another Nissan signature. The 2021 Hyundai Elantra has the "four-door-coupe look" in a sedan that is longer, lower, and wider than the previous generation. The Elantra is about 1.5 inches longer than the Sentra sedan, and it is more than an inch shorter in overall height as well. The sports-oriented Sentra SR has a rear spoiler, black-painted side mirrors with integrated turn signals, lower bodyside extensions, special 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and a chrome exhaust finisher. The V-motion grille is finished in dark chrome. The Elantra N Line offers a variety of appearance items as well.

: 2021 Nissan Sentra

Photo by Nissan

Interior Style

Nissan made a special effort to ensure that the interior of the 2021 Sentra is cut above anything else in the compact car class, and they have largely succeeded. Among the special touches are satin chrome aluminum accents, contrasting seat stitching, and the standard D-shaped steering wheel. The Sentra uses Nissan’s Zero Gravity front seats, with 6-way manual adjustment for the driver's seat and 4-way manual adjustment for the front passenger's seat. Heated front seats and a 6-way power-adjustable driver's seat with 2-way lumbar support are also available as is a heated steering wheel. The premium-package quilted leather seats (front and rear) are the best-looking seats we’ve seen offered in a mass-market compact. In the Elantra, seating is comfortable and attractively designed, but it doesn’t reach the level of the Sentra’s quilted leather. 60/40 split-folding rear seats are available in both the Sentra and the Elantra.

: 2021 Nissan Sentra

Photo by Nissan

Infotainment

The Sentra’s infotainment offering is the next development of Nissan’s long line of easy-to-understand systems. The base 7.0-inch color touchscreen has Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. It is supplemented by a 4.2-inch digital driver’s display. The upscale system is an 8.0-inch NissanConnect touchscreen center display paired with a 7.0-inch digital driver display. To aid parking, the Sentra offers an available Intelligent Around View monitor. Like the Sentra’s, the 2021 Hyundai Elantra’s infotainment system is clear and easy to operate. The base center-dash display is an 8-inch touchscreen, and the car features a “natural language” voice recognition system that does a good job of responding to driver commands. A wide variety of climate-control and other functions can be adjusted using the system. The elite Elantra Limited trim has a 10.25-inch touchscreen plus a 10.25-inch driver’s display and dedicated navigation, but it lacks the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offered with the 8-inch touchscreen system.

: 2021 Hyundai Elantra

Photo by Hyundai

Powertrain Options

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra offers two conventional engine choices, including a turbo 4-cylinder in the performance N Line, and a hybrid version. The naturally aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that is the base Elantra powerplant produces 147 horsepower, while the Elantra N Line features a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that delivers a hearty 201 horsepower. The Elantra HEV hybrid has a 1.6-liter Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder engine plus a permanent-magnet electric motor with a total system output of 139 horsepower. The Elantra HEV uses Hyundai’s 6-speed, dual-clutch transmission, and the N Line offers both dual-clutch and manual transmission options. The only engine in the Nissan Sentra is a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that produces 149 horsepower. All 2021 Sentra models are equipped with Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission. Noted for its fuel economy advantages, the transmission has a D-mode step-shift program that simulates gear shifts, giving a more natural feel during acceleration.

: 2021 Hyundai Elantra

Photo by Hyundai

Driving Impressions

Fitted with their base powerplants, the Nissan Sentra and Hyundai Elantra deliver pleasant, comfortable, and economical driving largely without excitement. The Hyundai HEV hybrid has performance characteristics very similar to the conventionally powered Elantra, and we haven’t tested the N Line version because it hasn’t come to market yet. With the 201-horsepower turbo engine and the choice of 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, it should offer satisfying thrills. One thing that is certain is both Elantra and Sentra upped their game over the previous versions. For example, the Sentra has a new independent rear suspension, which is matched to a MacPherson strut front suspension with twin-tube shock absorbers all around. It uses a dual-pinion-rack electric power steering system, and lateral grip has been increased by four percent.

: 2021 Hyundai Elantra

Photo by Hyundai

Safety and Driver Aids

Both Nissan and Hyundai have joined the trend to offer a lot of standard safety and driver-assistance features in a branded collection. The Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of six driver-assist systems includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beam headlight assist, and rear automatic braking. The Sentra’s airbag system has dual-stage supplemental front airbags with seat-belt and occupant-classification sensors. Hyundai’s SmartSense system features forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, and driver attention warning. Blind-spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic assist, automatic high-beam headlight control, and safe exit warning are also included in the standard array. It, too, has a comprehensive number of airbags and other passive safety gear.

: 2021 Hyundai Elantra

Photo by Hyundai

Interior and Cargo Space

Both the Sentra and the Elantra are longer and wider than their predecessors and many of their competition. This translates into excellent interior space and good cargo-carrying ability. The vehicles have very similar front legroom, but the Elantra outdoes the Sentra in rear hip, shoulder, and legroom. The Elantra offers 99 cubic feet of passenger space, while the Nissan Sentra is fairly close with 96 cubic feet. The Sentra has slightly more trunk room (14.3 cubic feet) than the Elantra whose maximum trunk space is 14.2 cubic feet. In both cars, cargo carrying is limited a bit by the relatively small trunk openings, but the trunks themselves are larger than in many luxury cars. The additional room in the Elantra’s back seat is a bit surprising given its four-door coupe-like styling, but Hyundai designers wanted to make certain the rear seat passengers are comfortable.

: Tie

Photo by Nissan

Fuel Economy

One big advantage of a small sedan is the associated small fuel cost. Neither the Sentra nor the Elantra is really all that small, but they do offer excellent fuel economy. The Sentra’s S and SV trim levels deliver EPA ratings of 29 mpg in the city, 39 mpg on the highway, and 33 mpg combined; the sportier SR has gets 28 mpg city/37 mpg highway/32 mpg combined. The conventionally powered Hyundai Elantra outdoes them all with EPA fuel economy ratings of 33 mpg city/43 mpg highway/37 mpg combined. Fuel economy for the most fuel-efficient Elantra HEV model, the Blue trim, is 53 mpg city/56 mpg highway/54 mpg combined. The HEV Limited trim with larger tires and added equipment is EPA-rated at 49 mpg city/52 mpg highway/50 mpg combined.

: 2021 Hyundai Elantra

Photo by Hyundai

Pricing and Value

Both the Elantra and the Sentra are high-value cars. The least expensive Elantra has an MSRP of $19,650 plus a $1,005 destination charge. The least expensive Elantra HEV (hybrid) has an MSRP of $23,550, plus $1,005 freight cost, while the top-level HEV Limited version has a suggested retail price of $28,100 plus the freight charge. The conventional Elantra Limited has a base price of $25,450 plus freight, and the base Hyundai N Line is slightly less expensive. The base 2021 Sentra S has an MSRP of $19,460 plus a $950 destination charge. The 2021 Sentra SV has a base price of $20,520 plus a $950 destination charge. And the sportier-styled Sentra SR has an MSRP of $21,800 plus the destination charge. 

: 2021 Hyundai Elantra

Photo by Hyundai

The Winner — Hyundai Elantra

There is no doubt that the 2021 Nissan Sentra is an excellent value. It is good-looking, comfortable, and offers one of the most upscale interiors a compact sedan has ever had. It would be an excellent choice. But in this comparison, it is up against the North American Car of the Year for 2021. The Hyundai Elantra comes in three very alluring varieties — a conventional compact sedan, a hybrid sedan, and a sports-oriented version. All three are larger and more comfortable than virtually any other car in the segment.

We are fans of the tech in the hybrid Elantra HEV, and we are itching to try the high-horsepower Elantra N. It should bring a smile to the faces of a lot of people who thought the compact sports sedan was a thing of the past. The Sentra's infotainment system is easy to operate, but we think the Elantra's is even better. All that said, there are many good reasons why the champion of this comparison is the Hyundai Elantra.

: 2021 Hyundai Elantra

Photo by Hyundai