Chevrolet Malibu vs Nissan Sentra: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Chevrolet Malibu typically lists for $19,385 against $18,998 for the Nissan Sentra (same model years — 2023–2025 — national medians from live listings). The Nissan Sentra takes fuel economy (29 MPG combined vs 26 MPG); the Chevrolet Malibu leads on NCAP safety (4.6★ vs 4.4★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the LS (1FL) at $17,792 vs the S at $18,499; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Chevrolet Malibu LS (1FL) ($17,792) faces the Nissan Sentra S ($18,499); the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) (77.4% of Chevrolet Malibu listings) and the SV (75.8% of Nissan Sentra listings); at the top of the market, the RS (1SP) ($20,789) faces the SR ($21,897). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Chevrolet Malibu | Nissan Sentra | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| LS (1FL)Cheapest | $17,792 | 5.8% | SCheapest | $18,499 | 11.5% |
| LT WITH 1LT | $18,449 | 0.8% | SVMost popular | $19,018 | 75.8% |
| LS (1LS) | $18,817 | 3.1% | SRPriciest | $21,897 | 12.7% |
| LT (1LT)Most popular | $18,995 | 77.4% | — | ||
| LT | $19,220 | 0.7% | — | ||
| 1LT | $19,990 | 0.7% | — | ||
| PREMIER (2LT) | $20,708 | 7.5% | — | ||
| RS (1SP)Priciest | $20,789 | 3.5% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Chevrolet Malibu prices · Nissan Sentra prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Chevrolet Malibu typical | Nissan Sentra typical | Difference | Chevrolet Malibu MPG | Nissan Sentra MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $20,720 | $19,898 | Chevrolet Malibu +$822 | 31 MPG | 33–34 MPG |
| 2024 | $19,385 | $18,499 | Chevrolet Malibu +$886 | 31 MPG | 33–34 MPG |
| 2023 | $17,314 | $18,998 | Nissan Sentra +$1,684 | 30 MPG | 32–33 MPG |
| 2022 | $16,594 | $17,275 | Nissan Sentra +$681 | 26–32 MPG | 32–33 MPG |
| 2021 | $14,995 | $15,999 | Nissan Sentra +$1,004 | 26–32 MPG | 32–33 MPG |
| 2020 | $13,995 | $15,299 | Nissan Sentra +$1,304 | 26–32 MPG | 32–33 MPG |
| 2019 | $12,995 | $10,541 | Chevrolet Malibu +$2,454 | 26–46 MPG | 27–32 MPG |
| 2018 | $11,999 | $9,288 | Chevrolet Malibu +$2,711 | 26–46 MPG | 27–32 MPG |
| 2017 | $11,285 | $9,075 | Chevrolet Malibu +$2,210 | 26–46 MPG | 27–32 MPG |
| 2016 | $9,998 | $7,995 | Chevrolet Malibu +$2,003 | 26–46 MPG | 30–33 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,900 | $7,317 | Chevrolet Malibu +$1,583 | 24–29 MPG | 30–33 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,659 | $7,495 | Chevrolet Malibu +$164 | 24–29 MPG | 30–33 MPG |
| 2013 | $6,999 | $6,730 | Chevrolet Malibu +$269 | 24–29 MPG | 30–33 MPG |
| 2012 | $5,995 | $5,495 | Chevrolet Malibu +$500 | 20–26 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2011 | $5,999 | $5,391 | Chevrolet Malibu +$608 | 20–26 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,995 | $5,425 | Chevrolet Malibu +$570 | 20–29 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,420 | $5,469 | Nissan Sentra +$49 | 20–29 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,699 | $4,997 | Chevrolet Malibu +$702 | 20–27 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,753 | $4,238 | Chevrolet Malibu +$515 | 18–25 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,498 | $3,777 | Chevrolet Malibu +$721 | 19–24 MPG | 22–27 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Malibu or Nissan Sentra?
Comparing the same model years (2023–2025), the Nissan Sentra is cheaper: it typically lists for $18,998 versus $19,385 for the Chevrolet Malibu (national medians, August 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Chevrolet Malibu or Nissan Sentra?
The Nissan Sentra: its typical rated version returns 29 MPG combined versus 26 MPG for the Chevrolet Malibu (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Chevrolet Malibu or Nissan Sentra?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Chevrolet Malibu averages 4.6 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.4 for the Nissan Sentra. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Chevrolet Malibu or Nissan Sentra?
NHTSA lists an average of 4.3 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Malibu and 2.9 for the Nissan Sentra — an edge for the Nissan Sentra. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Chevrolet Malibu LS (1FL) typically lists for $17,792 vs $18,499 for a Nissan Sentra S; the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) ($18,995, 77.4% of Chevrolet Malibu listings) and the SV ($19,018, 75.8% of Nissan Sentra listings); at the top of the market, the RS (1SP) ($20,789) faces the SR ($21,897). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/malibu/vs/nissan/sentra.
Dig deeper
Chevrolet Malibu — live listings & specs Nissan Sentra — live listings & specs Chevrolet Malibu prices by year Nissan Sentra prices by year Chevrolet Malibu MPG by year Nissan Sentra MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.