Here's How Much A 2021 Nissan Sentra Has Depreciated In 5 Years

Even the cheapest new sedans may not be affordable for everyone. The least expensive 2026 Nissan Sentra starts at $23,845. That makes it one of the cheapest new cars on the market. Still, factor in taxes, registration costs, and dealer fees, and the total easily tops $25,000. Shopping for a used Sentra can be more wallet-friendly, especially since this subcompact four-door depreciates by about 35% over 5 years. That's a hefty discount if you don't mind driving the previous generation.

Fortunately, the market for second-hand Sentras comes close to projections from CarEdge and iSeeCars. In other words, finding one from the 2021 model year that reflects these depreciation forecasts is realistic. However, we'll dive into the details by reviewing different predictions, then verify this information by checking dealer listings on Autotrader and CarGurus.

Of course, because the Sentra isn't the only subcompact sedan out there, we'll compare its value loss estimates against the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Mazda3. All MSRPs discussed in this article include factory destination charges.

CarEdge estimates that the Nissan Sentra loses 34.7% of its original value over half a decade. iSeeCars isn't too far off, with a depreciation projection of 33.3%, compared to 29.6% for all compact cars over the same period. Unsurprisingly, the numbers continue downward with age. However, at seven years, CarEdge is more conservative, projecting depreciation of 59.8%, while iSeeCars' crystal ball says 52.2%. The numbers come closer at the 10-year mark: 65.6% (CarEdge) vs. 63.1% (iSeeCars). As years go by, the Sentra continues to lose value more quickly than the rest of the compact car segment. Perhaps Nissan's ranking in Consumer Reports' reliability ratings has something to do with it, as dependability and resale value are directly connected.

To see how the Sentra's depreciation estimates fare in the real world, we looked at dealer listings from Autotrader and CarGurus. For models with a clean title, no accident history, and average mileage (60,000–70,000 miles), prices for the mid-grade SV trim start near $14,000 (minus a few outliers). When new, that edition had an MSRP of $21,495. Depreciating 35% yields a resale value of $13,972, right in line with the estimates.

Arguably, you might get better pricing through a private seller, but the 2021 Sentra is new enough that finding one not sold through a dealer will be a challenge. Only 1% of active Autotrader listings nationwide are from private sellers.

The Sentra has always knocked heads with the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. So, it's only natural to see how depreciation looks among these competitors. For good measure, we included the Mazda3 in the mix. All comparisons involve sedan body styles. To prevent the numbers from getting too unwieldy, we'll use CarEdge's five-year estimates, which start at 27.4% for the 2021 Corolla. The mid-tier SE trim stickered at $23,470. Crunching the numbers (MSRP minus depreciation) yields a resale value of just over $17,000. Meanwhile, Autotrader listings show prices for a second-hand 2021 Corolla SE start around $17,500, which syncs with the prediction.

According to CarEdge, the Civic has an even lower five-year value loss: 22.7%. In 2021, the Civic Sport had an MSRP of $24,065. Once again, CarEdge's prognostication is on target, as the depreciation math and marketplace listings align with pricing that begins at about $18,500.

The numbers get more interesting with the 2021 Mazda3, which had a worse five-year depreciation projection than the Sentra at 38.1% and a base price of $23,845 for the Select trim. These figures suggest that used models start at around $14,700. However, in this case, the marketplace says otherwise, with pricing beginning at $16,000. Mazda does rank higher than Nissan in Consumer Reports' recent reliability study.