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Nissan Sentra vs Volkswagen Jetta: reliability compared

From 2006 to 2026, owners filed an average of 180 complaints per model year about the Nissan Sentra and 291 about the Volkswagen Jetta.

Side by side

Nissan SentraVolkswagen Jetta
Model years compared2006-20262006-2026
Owner complaints3,7736,119
Complaints per model year180291
Recalls3643
Years to avoid201320142006200920102011
Best years200620092022201720202021
Most common problemTransmissionElectrical
Crash ratingNo dataNo data
Fuel economy32-33 mpg combined (2026)33-34 mpg combined (2026)

A car that sells more collects more complaints, so the fairest test is the number of years to avoid, which compares each year with a typical year of the same car.

Complaints per model year

2006 Nissan Sentra: 1162006 Volkswagen Jetta: 58020062007 Nissan Sentra: 1542007 Volkswagen Jetta: 2012008 Nissan Sentra: 1672008 Volkswagen Jetta: 18820082009 Nissan Sentra: 552009 Volkswagen Jetta: 8892010 Nissan Sentra: 1442010 Volkswagen Jetta: 85220102011 Nissan Sentra: 1422011 Volkswagen Jetta: 6072012 Nissan Sentra: 1802012 Volkswagen Jetta: 50020122013 Nissan Sentra: 6382013 Volkswagen Jetta: 5182014 Nissan Sentra: 3812014 Volkswagen Jetta: 38820142015 Nissan Sentra: 3522015 Volkswagen Jetta: 1942016 Nissan Sentra: 2702016 Volkswagen Jetta: 16220162017 Nissan Sentra: 2312017 Volkswagen Jetta: 1602018 Nissan Sentra: 1852018 Volkswagen Jetta: 3220182019 Nissan Sentra: 2232019 Volkswagen Jetta: 5532020 Nissan Sentra: 2082020 Volkswagen Jetta: 5420202021 Nissan Sentra: 1332021 Volkswagen Jetta: 712022 Nissan Sentra: 812022 Volkswagen Jetta: 4320222023 Nissan Sentra: 202023 Volkswagen Jetta: 432024 Nissan Sentra: 412024 Volkswagen Jetta: 4620242025 Nissan Sentra: 322025 Volkswagen Jetta: 322026 Nissan Sentra: 202026 Volkswagen Jetta: 62026
Nissan SentraVolkswagen Jetta

Problems compared

SentraJetta
Transmission1,1571,152
Engine6041,268
Electrical5411,442
Airbags481403
Brakes415621
Driver assistance318276
Fuel system1631,147

Questions about the Nissan Sentra vs Volkswagen Jetta

Which is more reliable, the Nissan Sentra or the Volkswagen Jetta?

Between 2006 and 2026, the Nissan Sentra has 2 years to avoid and the Volkswagen Jetta 4. The Nissan Sentra has been more consistent from year to year. By raw volume, the Nissan Sentra drew fewer complaints per model year (180 vs 291), though sales volume affects that number.

Which has more recalls, the Nissan Sentra or the Volkswagen Jetta?

From 2006 to 2026, the Nissan Sentra was covered by 36 recalls and the Volkswagen Jetta by 43.

What years of the Nissan Sentra and Volkswagen Jetta should you avoid?

Nissan Sentra: 2013 and 2014. Volkswagen Jetta: 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

More compact cars comparisons

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