2019 Nissan Sentra vs Altima

Nissan is widely popular around the globe for its Japanese precision engineering. The company has been known to make sturdy and high quality automobiles, which they have been doing since the year 1911. The longevity of the brand proves that they are indeed a reliable company that you can trust. In the sedan car category, Nissan has always dominated with its two models, the Sentra and the Altima.

Although almost similar in size, they are vastly different in price due primarily to certain specifications like interior space, engine size, and other features. The Altima has a starting MSRP of $23,750 while the Sentra has a starting MSRP of $17,790. That’s an almost six thousand dollar difference between the two vehicles. The more pricey Altima bears a more powerful engine in its hood, possess a larger interior cabin, and showcases an optional all-wheel drive function as opposed to the Sentra. The primary things that enhance the Sentra are the lower price tag and the better fuel economy rating.

Any buyer in the market looking for a new sedan should read on below, so they can find out the details about these two leading Nissan sedann models. Many previous happy owners have already made their car upgrades to the latest 2019 Nissan Sentra and Altima models, and many more are making a big switch to this brand because the Nissan image offers one of the best values for money.

Size and Styling

Although both the 2019 Sentra and Altima belong to the same sedan category, there are still some variations in the way they look both physically and internally. Both models come with standard automatic boomerang-style headlights, the bold V-motion black grilles, the silver Nissan emblem, the standard 16 inch rim tires, and exciting color choices to choose from. The look of both cars reigns supreme because Nissan knows that this is one of the primary considerations car buyers use to determine their purchase, so they made a few key upgrades to attract even more attention.

Exterior Size and Styling

Fans of the Nissan Sentra will undoubtedly observe that the vehicle holds the same general compact shape. The main update for the 2019 model is it now comes with an entirely sleeker body and a narrower “nose”. This is an ergonomic design with aerodynamics as the primary consideration. This new shape has the capability of reducing the amount of drag that is felt on the highway. The Sentra comes in the standard color choices, but clients are allowed to play around with more choices for their seat options. Colors are Fresh Powder, Super Black, Red Alert, Gun Metallic, Deep Blue Pearl, Aspen White, Scarlet Ember, and Brilliant Silver.

The Altima 2019 model gets a bolder and bigger upgrade. Just like the Sentra, the hood became longer, sleeker, and with a slightly thinner face, but the rear end is now has a coupe like feel. The back is a bit more compact and looks much more sporty. Compared to the previous model, this current Altima is 1.1 inches lower in height, .09 inches wider, and 1 inch longer. This slightly lowered silhouette accentuates the sporty vibe. There are nine exciting colors to choose from for this model, which are Pearl White, Deep Blue Pearl, Gun Metallic, Super Black, Storm Blue Metallic, Scarlet Ember Tint Coat, Sunset Drift Chromaflair, Glacier White, and Brilliant Silver Metallic.

As the more compact sedan, the 2019 Nissan Sentra’s base mode measures just 182.1 inches long, 69.3 inches wide, and 58.9 inches tall. It sits on a 106.3-inch wheelbase and weighs 2,851 pounds. On the other hand, the midsize sedan that is the 2019 Altima is larger than the Sentra with these measurements: 192.9 inches long and 72.9 inches wide. However, because of its sportier feel, it has a lower roofline that makes it lower at 56.8 to 57.4 inches tall in certain ares. The Altima also sits on a bigger wheel base with 111.2-inches and the top-level Altima weighs as much as 3,436 pounds.

Interior Room and Design

Both the Sentra and the Altima can choose from several interior colors for the dashboard. There are also several finishing options for the cushion, such as Gray Leather, Charcoal Leather, Charcoal Sport Cloth, Gray Cloth, and Charcoal Cloth.

The 2019 Sentra is able to provide a headroom of 39.4 inches, a legroom of 42.5 inches, a hip room of 50.9 inches, and a shoulder room of 54.7 inches. On the other hand, the Altima may have 0.2 inches less headroom, but it is larger in all the other aspects. The Altima gives an added 1.3 inches of legroom, an additional 3.8 inches of hip room, and more shoulder room with an extra 3.5 inches.

Backseat Space

In the rear, Nissan aims to make families more comfortable so both sedans come with generous back space. The 2019 Sentra is able to give 36.7 inches of headroom, 37.4 inches of legroom, 50.1 inches of hip room, and 53.9 inches of shoulder room. Once again, Altima’s lower roof gives it 0.2 inches less headroom space. However, it gives more generous leg room length in the back with an additional 2.2 inches. Moreover, the Altima comes with an ever bigger hip room and shoulder room space with an additional 4.4 inches and 3.2 inches, respectively.

Cargo Space

Nissan understands that people need a lot of space to load up their daily essentials, especially for families, so they provide a larger trunk space compared to other sedans. The 2019 Sentra comes with 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space, while the 2019 Altima is only slightly bigger with 15.4 cubic feet of luggage space.

Drivability

With their vast difference in price, there are of course differences under the hood of both the Altima and the Sentra. Here are the specifications:

2019 Sentra Power Train

The 2019 Nissan Sentra comes with six trim levels called the S, SV, SR, SR Turbo, NISMO®, and SL. The SV, SR and SL trims come with a standard 1.8L 4-cylinder engine that is able to produce 124 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque. This system is paired with a CVT, also known as a continuously variable automatic transmission. The base S model uses the same specifications for its engine, but this is matched to a six-speed manual transmission. As a result, this base model is able to produce more horsepower and torque, with 130 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque.

The NISMO® and SR Turbo models are well equipped under the hood. These models are powered by a 1.6-L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, with the capacity of producing 188 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. These cars are not only faster, accelerate better, but they handle corners with more finesse than their counterparts. The SR is paired with a CVT but the NISMO® comes with a standard 6 speed manual transmission or an optional CVT.

2019 Altima Power Train

The Nissan Altima also comes with different trims from S, SR, SV, and SL models. As expected, the higher price commands a better engine under the hood of the Altima when compared to the Sentra. This mid size sedan has bigger engines that are able to produce more horsepower and better torque. This means that the Altima can accelerate much faster and provide better top speed.

The base powertrain of the Altima is a 2.5-liter that is able to produce 188 hp and is connected to a CVT. The SR and Platinum models have an optional 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that has the capability of harnessing more with 248-hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. This particular engine has variable compression, which can adjust its operations for fuel economy or power that is matched a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Fuel Economy

The Nissan Sentra has a better fuel economy rating with 29 for the city and 37 for highway driving. In contrast, the Altima has a lower fuel economy rating which only scores 28 for city driving and 29 for high way driving. The fuel economy rating is as expected because the bigger engine of the Altima means that it does eat up more fuel. Those looking for better fuel consumption will certainly be pleased with the Sentra’s performance as it is on the top of its class.

Ride Feels

Both the Sentra and Altima 2019 give a comfortable ride quality that is not cushy soft, but well absorbent on most surfaces. The steering setup of both vehicles offer an excellent feel. The Altima’s handling is a bit more sporty because of its larger engine, which perfectly matches its sportier look. In terms of noise factor, both cars are well-versed in filtering out road noise and there isn’t much noise coming from the engine either. As a result, riding in both cars is a relaxing and pleasurable experience.

Comfort, Options, and Performance

Nissan manufactured both sedans with ease of use in mind. Both the Sentra and Altima come with high mounted seats that give the drivers excellent road visibility. On top of that, there are cubby holes strategically located for things and cabin controls are also conveniently located for easy usage.

Sentra Special Edition Package

The Sentra comes with an optional Special Edition Package, which is made available to give select trims a more customized look. This special package provide a long list of a enhancements and upgrades like getting bigger 17-inch wheels, a provision of moonroof, installation of vanity mirrors with lighting, more safety amenities in the form of blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, and more.

Altima All Wheel Drive Option

The most notable option difference of the 2019 Altima is that it comes with an all wheel drive upgrade, which is a first ever for this model. This feature gives drivers more secure handling of the vehicle in tough roads with snow, rain, and ice, or even off-road conditions. The Altima also come with ergonomically designed seats to maximize driver and passenger comfort and support. The cabin has soft-touch materials that proved a more luxurious look and feel.

Car Tech Amenities for Added Ride Comfort

The Sentra comes with a standard four-speaker audio system for the driver’s easy listening, a USB to connect the phone for charging or listening, standard air conditioning, cruise control, a tilt-telescoping steering wheel, and a 7 inch touch screen infotainment system, which has been upgraded from the former 5.8 inches.

On the other hand, the Altima model comes with a bigger interior cabin and higher quality materials. It is also better equipped with the newest technological upgrades that keen buyers are now demanding these days. This includes heated front seats, a bigger 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, more USB ports amounting to 4, the modern key less ignition, a remote start that is perfect for extreme weather to make sure the car is in the right ambient temperature before people get in the vehicle, provisions for Bluetooth, and smartphone integration for Apple and Android.

Safety

All Nissan vehicles come equipped with the Nissan Intelligent Safety Shield Technologies, which is a thrust that the company follows for every vehicle they manufacture. This means they abide by a comprehensive approach to safety which serves as their guide for the product engineering and development. This is the company’s way of looking out for their passengers safety.

Both the Sentra and Altima models have passed strict inspection regulations set-up by the government. Standard safety features include airbags, a backup camera, stability systems, and traction control systems. Some model come with more premium technology safety options that help minimize road distraction such as: automatic breaking, pro pilot assistance, predictive forward collision avoidance, advance driver assist display, intelligent cruise control, Nissan Connect services, blind spot detection, and more.

Which Model to Choose?

The 2019 Nissan Sentra is without a doubt the more economical car with a smaller price tag and better fuel efficiency that is best for people who have tighter budgets. It is a great compact car that will give its passengers the sleek and classy look without compromising on performance. It will undoubtedly get its loyal followers from point A to point B without any glitches. Its more compact body is perfect for cramped and tighter city driving. It certainly gets the job done while providing value for money.

The Altima is a good option for those who have more money to spend for added comfort features from high tech interior technological equipment and top-notch safety features. The bigger cabin is a lot more comfortable, especially for taller families with older children. The optional all-wheel drive is also a great upgrade for people living with adverse weather conditions that make their roads extra tough to navigate. And, of course, the Altima has a better engine, which means that the car can accelerate faster and turn corners more seamlessly.

Bottom Line

Both Nissan sedans come equipped with helpful features that help make a driver’s ride easy, manageable and comfortable. The Altima certainly gives more power under the hood, but the Sentra offers great fuel efficiency. The only way to truly see and feel the difference of both the 2019 Altima and Sentra is to visit a dealership and test drive both cars. People will only get to feel the full performance of both vehicles once they are behind the steering wheel. To find out more information, look for the nearest Nissan dealership in your area and schedule an appointment as soon as possible. A responsible car buyer will always do the necessary research before making the final choice.