Starting at
Starting at
| 149 | Horsepower | 147 |
| 146 lb-ft | Torque | 132 lb-ft |
| 30/40 | MPG city/hwy | 30/41 |
SUVs might have come to dominate the auto industry over the last couple of decades, but a great compact sedan is still the perfect choice for many of us. There is nothing quite like a small car for zipping around town, navigating crowded parking lots, and enjoying your time behind the wheel while keeping your stops for gas to a minimum. That being said, trying to choose the right sedan to meet your needs is not always easy—there is a lot to keep track of and consider if you look at everything out there. We find it is much easier to focus on just a couple of options to see how they stack up. The 2024 Nissan Sentra vs 2024 Kia Forte is a perfect example.
While the Kia Forte is a fine car, the updated and refreshed 2024 Sentra is something special, with gorgeous exterior styling and great features inside and out. For the 2024 model year, Nissan has revised the looks of the Sentra to include new exterior lighting in the front and rear, refined bumper styling, and new wheel designs. The Kia Forte is a good-looking car, but it cannot match the gorgeous lines and bold new front end that the Sentra brings to the road. There is a reason Nissan is a leader in the auto industry, and the good looks of the refreshed Sentra are the perfect example of that.
When you combine the good looks of the 2024 Sentra with the sporty engine under the hood, then you can start to see just how impressive this car is. In terms of both horsepower and torque, it surpasses the standard engine on the Forte, plus you get terrific fuel efficiency so that you can go far in the Sentra. Perhaps best of all, every 2024 Sentra comes with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced safety technology, including Automatic Emergency Braking and a Blind Spot Warning. While the Forte has features like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, you have to pay more for features like the available Blind-Spot Collision Warning to get the kind of safety the 2024 Sentra comes with as standard.
When it comes to a great vehicle, we will admit that looks aren't everything, but they are still important, and the exterior of your car can impact your overall experience. After all, as you approach your car each day, the outside is the first thing you will see, and it can set the tone for the rest of your drive. There is a reason so many classic cars are still sought after and beloved today: they have distinct looks and styles that set them apart. With its 2024 update, the Nissan Sentra looks better than ever, and even though Kia has done a good job designing the 2024 Forte, it cannot match the unique style and gorgeous design that Nissan has delivered.
The 2024 Kia Forte has nice lines that give the impression of strength, and the front end, in particular, has some striking angles that certainly catch the eye. Similarly, the variety of exterior colors offered by Kia is impressive, including some notable standouts like Deep Sea Blue and Fire Orange. The 18-inch wheels that are available on the highest trims are also a nice touch. Overall, these features make the Kia Forte look pretty nice, but it falls flat once you compare it to the 2024 Nissan Sentra. The recently revised styling of the Sentra is simply more compelling and makes it a standout among other compact sedans.
Just looking at the front end of the 2024 Sentra, it is clear that Nissan's designers wanted to make a bold, immediate impression, and they succeeded beautifully. The refreshed look of the front features a large and powerful grille that stands out as daring but is refined by new touches like the redesigned lighting and a stylish bumper. When matched with gorgeous, new 18-inch wheels and sleek overall curves of the Sentra, it creates a compelling design that we cannot get enough of—it is the sort of sight that happily greets you in the morning and is a sight for sore eyes after a long day at work.
Power and performance from a sedan might not be quite as vital as they are in a powerful truck like the Nissan Titan or a racer like the Nissan Z, but they matter in daily life. You deserve to have a good time behind the wheel no matter what kind of vehicle you drive, which often comes down to having a great engine. Even if you are looking at a compact sedan, it should still handle well and deliver performance that makes it enjoyable when you are on the road. Both of these cars have good engines under the hood, but Nissan has pushed a bit further to give you more to enjoy with the 2024 Sentra.
The Kia Forte comes with a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that is good but nothing particularly special. This is paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that offers a smooth drive, which is nice, but there is some room for improvement. You get similar performance with the 2024 Nissan Sentra, but it is better than what Kia offers for its standard engine. While the Sentra similarly has a 2.0L engine with four cylinders, it offers greater horsepower and more torque than what the 2024 Kia Forte delivers. Hence, you get a better driving experience while on the road—plus, its Xtronic CVT provides an incredibly smooth and responsive driving experience that surpasses the 2024 Kia Forte.
Since we are talking about compact sedans, you probably expect them to offer great fuel economy that lets you go longer between stops for gas. This is exactly what you will find with the 2024 Nissan Sentra, thanks to its Xtronic CVT, which helps improve fuel economy compared to previous models. You get an estimated 30 MPG in the city, 40 MPG on the highway, and 34 MPG of combined fuel efficiency with the Sentra, which ensures you can drive longer before heading to a gas pump—up to 422 miles of estimated total range from a full tank. That makes the Sentra perfect for your daily commute, errands, and anything else.
No matter what else you want from a vehicle, nothing is more important than how well it can assist you and keep you and your loved ones safe. This is something that Nissan and Kia clearly understand because both the 2024 Sentra and the 2024 Forte models have great standard safety features. Kia puts a lot into their vehicles, but we are about to see that Nissan simply gives us more. The 2024 Kia Forte comes with an impressive suite of standard safety systems in every model with Kia Drive Wise. This includes Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keeping Assist, and Lane Following Assist to make it easier to stay safely in one's lane and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. A Driver Attention Warning is also included, but additional features like a Blind-Spot Collision Warning come at an extra cost.
The 2024 Nissan Sentra, of course, also comes standard with collision prevention systems, such as Intelligent Forward Collision Warning w/Automatic Emergency Braking, Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, and Rear Automatic Braking. In addition, you get an incredible selection of standard features thanks to the Nissan Safety Shield 360 package. Every Sentra comes with Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, a Lane Departure Warning, and Rear Automatic Braking. You also get a Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Blind Spot Warning standard on the Sentra, which are offered only as available options on the Forte. You can take things even further with the Intelligent Around View Monitor available from Nissan, which gives you a virtual look around your vehicle while maneuvering at low speeds. Overall, the standard features for the 2024 Nissan Sentra are some of the best on the market, and it's ready to protect you and your family every time you hit the road.
It is easy to see that Nissan has gone above and beyond with the refreshed and updated 2024 Sentra, making it one of the most stylish, affordable, and impressive sedans on the road. Whether you know the refreshed Nissan Sentra is right for you or are still searching for your next vehicle and have questions, we are here to help. With one of our friendly and knowledgeable salespeople by your side, it is easy to explore everything the Nissan lineup has to offer and find the right vehicle with everything you have been looking for. We are here to answer all of your questions, discuss what is available to you, and ensure you find the perfect vehicle with everything you are looking for.
That is the difference you'll get when you choose a dealership that puts your needs first rather than focusing on making their next sale. Here at Illini Nissan, we have put together a fantastic team of people committed to providing you with the highest level of customer service every day. We offer a terrific selection of new and pre-owned models, so if the 2024 Nissan Sentra is perfect for you or you're still looking, we can find you a model that has everything you are looking for. Call or come visit us at Illini Nissan today to learn more, and let us show you how easy and rewarding it can be to shop for your next vehicle.
*Images, fuel economy, and other stats, may reflect higher trim levels, options, or features that may result in a higher cost from the starting MSRP.
MSRP excludes tax, license, registration, additional options, and possible destination charges. Dealers set own prices.
