Schomp Honda

Safety

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Fit deploy with different levels of force or don't deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Fit's side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Sentra's side airbags don't have smart features and will always deploy full force.

 

The Honda Fit has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Sentra doesn't offer Daytime Running Lights.

 

Both the Fit and the Sentra have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Fit is safer than the Sentra:

	Fit	Sentra
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Head Injury Index	312	336
Chest forces	39 g's	42 g's
Leg injuries (L/R)	148 / 116	453 / 505
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest forces	39 g's	41 g's

More stars indicate a better overall result. Lower numbers indicate better individual test results.

Reliability

 

The engine in the Fit has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Sentra has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

 

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without their vehicle while it's being repaired. Consumer Reports predicts that the Fit's reliability will be 30% better than the Sentra.

 

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Fit third among subcompacts in their 2010 Initial Quality Study. The Sentra isn't in the top three in its category.

 

J.D. Power and Associates' 2010 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 12th, below the industry average.

 

J.D. Power and Associates' surveys of the owners of three-year-old cars provide the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 48 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 25th.

 

Fuel Economy and Range

 

On the EPA test cycle the Fit gets better fuel mileage than the Sentra:

		Fit	Sentra
	Manual	27 city/33 hwy	24 city/31 hwy
	Auto	28 city/35 hwy	27 city/34 hwy

 

Environmental Friendliness

 

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Fit higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Nissan Sentra (5). This means the Fit produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sentra every 15,000 miles.

 

Brakes and Stopping

 

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don't press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The Fit has a standard brake assist system to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Sentra doesn't offer a brake assist feature.

 

The Fit stops much shorter than the Sentra:

	Fit	Sentra
70 to 0 MPH	196 feet	199 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	132 feet	149 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	145 feet	164 feet	Consumer Reports

 

Suspension and Handling

 

The Fit Sport handles at .81 G's, while the Sentra 2.0 SL pulls only .71 G's of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

 

For better maneuverability, the Fit's turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Sentra's (34.4 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

 

Chassis

 

The Honda Fit may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 400 pounds less than the Nissan Sentra.

 

The Fit is 1 foot, 6.2 inches shorter than the Sentra, making the Fit easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The Fit is 1 foot, 6.5 inches shorter than the Sentra 2.0 SR.

 

Passenger Space

 

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Fit's rear seats recline. The Sentra's rear seats don't recline.

 

Cargo Capacity

 

The Fit has a much larger cargo area with its rear seat up than the Sentra (20.6 vs. 13.1 cubic feet).

 

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Fit easier. The Fit's trunk lift-over height is 24 inches, while the Sentra's liftover is 28.3 inches.

 

Servicing Ease

 

The Fit has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery's water level. The Sentra doesn't have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery's cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

 

A Maintenance Minder is standard on the Fit to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, spark plug replacement, air filter replacement, tire rotation, radiator flush and transmission fluid replacement based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Nissan doesn't offer a maintenance reminder on the Sentra.

 

Ergonomics

 

The Fit Sport Automatic offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The Sentra doesn't offer a remote starting system.

 

To help each driver find a more comfortable driving position, the Fit has a telescoping steering wheel. Much better than just a tilt steering wheel or adjustable seat, this allows a short driver to sit further from the steering wheel while maintaining contact with the pedals. The Sentra doesn't offer a telescoping steering wheel.

 

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Fit has a standard rear wiper. The Sentra doesn't offer a rear wiper.

 

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Fit has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Sentra doesn't offer rear vents.

 

With optional voice command, the Fit Sport offers the driver hands free control of the radio, cell phone and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Sentra doesn't offer a voice control system.

 

Economic Advantages

 

Insurance will cost less for the Fit owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Fit will cost $640 to $1005 less than the Sentra over a five-year period.

 

The Fit will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. Kiplinger's estimates that the Fit will retain a greater percentage of its original price after two and four years than the Sentra.

	Fit	Sentra
Four Year	40%	32% to 35%
Two Year	59%	45% to 48%

 

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Fit is less expensive to operate than the Sentra because it costs $510 less to do the manufacturer's suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Fit than the Sentra, including $222 less for an alternator, $25 less for front brake pads, $44 less for fuel injection, $16 less for a fuel pump, $13 less for front struts and $33 less for a power steering pump.

 

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda Fit will be $1903 to $3318 less than for the Nissan Sentra.

 

Recommendations

 

The Honda Fit has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Fit	Sentra
Consumer Reports Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book 'Best Bet'	TRUE	FALSE
Kiplinger's Award	TRUE	FALSE

 

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Fit third among subcompacts in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner's expectations. The Sentra isn't in the top three in its category.

 

The Fit was chosen as one of Car and Driver's 'Top Ten' for 4 of the last 4 years. The Sentra has never been a Car and Driver 'Top Ten' pick.

 

The Fit was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine's 'All Stars' in 2009. The Sentra has never been an 'All Star.'

* [1]  Based on 2011 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.