2018 Chevolet Cruze vs 2018 Nissan Sentra
With so many entries vying for attention in the crowded compact-car segment, only a few models manage to stand out. If you’re considering buying a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze at Chevrolet Marysville, you’ll be happy to know the Cruze is one of the compacts that demands to be noticed. The Chevy Cruze delivers a smooth ride and comes with a wide array of tech features, near-luxury amenities and ample space to hold cargo. Last year, Chevrolet rolled out the Cruze hatchback, which means buyers can opt for a hatch or a sedan. The 2018 Nissan Sentra is a reliable compact sedan that doesn’t offer much that particularly stands out. We’ll examine the Cruze and the Sentra to discover which one represents the best choice for car buyers.
Chevrolet Cruze InventoryPowertrain
The base engine for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze is a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder that generates 153 horsepower and 177 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a six-speed manual on the base L model, with an available six-speed automatic on the other trims. Meanwhile, the 2018 Nissan Sentra has a base 1.8-liter four-cylinder that’s only good for 124 horsepower and 125 lb.-ft. of torque. With the base S trim’s manual gearbox, those numbers get a slight bump to 130 hp and 128 lb.-ft., but this still falls short of the Cruze’s more powerful engine. The Sentra S trim gets a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional CVT that’s standard on the other models. The Chevrolet dealer Marysville points out that while the Cruze offers a diesel engine, you can’t get one in the Nissan Sentra.
Fuel Economy
The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze is more fuel efficient than the Nissan Sentra. EPA-estimated fuel economy for the Cruze’s base engine ranges from 28 mpg city/37 mpg highway to 30 mpg city/40 mpg highway, depending on the trim and the transmission.* The 2018 Sentra gets fuel economy rated at just 27 mpg city/35 mpg highway. When you consider the Cruze has a slightly larger gas tank, you can see that Sentra owners will have to make more trips to the gas station.
Steering and Handling
Edmunds gave the 2018 Cruze 4.5-out-of-five stars for steering and handling, writing: “The Cruze feels sportier than others thanks to its quick reactions to steering inputs and a little more feedback transmitted through the steering wheel.” Edmunds rated the Sentra a mere three stars in these two categories.
Safety
Safety is an important consideration when buying a car. The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze received the highest rating of five starts in overall crash testing by the NHTSA. The organization gave the 2018 Nissan Sentra an overall rating of only four stars.
Both vehicles have a standard rearview camera, but the Cruze includes Chevrolet’s Teen Driver system, which lets owners set limits on the vehicle’s top speed and audio volume when teenage drivers are using the car. In addition, Teen Driver sends a report back with data on how the car was driven. You won’t find a comparable safety feature on the Nissan Sentra, even as an option.
Finally, there are a number of driver assistance features available on the Cruze that aren’t offered on the Sentra, including lane change alert, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, a following distance indicator and rear parking sensors.
In the End
When you compare the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze with the 2018 Nissan Sentra, the choice is clear. The Cruze wins hands down.
*All vehicle mileage based on 2018 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.