Midsize cars · Gasoline · model year 2026
Nissan Sentra vs Volkswagen Golf/GTI
For model year 2026, the Nissan Sentra gets 33 MPG combined and the Volkswagen Golf/GTI 27: a 6 MPG lead, or 22% on the lower figure.
Side by side
| Measure | Nissan Sentra | Volkswagen Golf/GTI |
|---|---|---|
| Combined fuel economy (best version) | 33 MPG | 27 MPG |
| City | 30 MPG | 24 MPG |
| Highway | 38 MPG | 32 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,050 | $2,500 |
| Tailpipe CO2 | 269 g/mile | 326 g/mile |
| Lowest rated version | 32 MPG | 25 MPG |
| Rated versions | 3 | 2 |
| Rank in class (best combined rating) | 12th of 31 | 19th of 31 |
| Class | Midsize cars | Midsize cars |
| Powertrain | Gasoline | Gasoline |
Better figure in bold; each model's most efficient version.
Fuel economy and cost
Under the file's assumptions the Nissan Sentra costs about $2,050 a year to fuel and the Volkswagen Golf/GTI about $2,500: $450 a year apart on 15,000 miles.
Where each one ranks
Within their class the Nissan Sentra is tied for 12th of 31 midsize cars, in the upper half. The Volkswagen Golf/GTI is tied for 19th of 31 midsize cars, in the lower half.
The Nissan Sentra has 3 rated versions, from 32 to 33 MPG. The Volkswagen Golf/GTI has 2, from 25 to 27 MPG. For the most efficient versions, the Nissan Sentra is rated 8 higher on the highway (38 against 30), while the Volkswagen Golf/GTI is rated 8 higher on the highway (32 against 24).
The two versions closest in rating are Sentra SL/SR: 2.0 L, 4 cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), FWD at 32 MPG and GTI: 2.0 L, 4 cyl, Automatic (AM-S7), FWD at 27, 5 MPG apart.
Ratings by model year
Both models are in the data for 8 model years, 2019 to 2026. The Nissan Sentra has the higher best rating in 6 of them and the Volkswagen Golf/GTI in 0, with 2 level. The widest gap, 7 MPG, was in 2025, when the Nissan Sentra led.
| Model year | Nissan Sentra | Volkswagen Golf/GTI | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 33 | 27 | +6 |
| 2025 | 34 | 27 | +7 |
| 2024 | 34 | 27 | +7 |
| 2023 | 33 | 28 | +5 |
| 2022 | 33 | 28 | +5 |
| 2021 | 33 | 33 | level |
| 2020 | 33 | 32 | +1 |
| 2019 | 32 | 32 | level |