Chevrolet Malibu vs Nissan Sentra: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Chevrolet Malibu typically lists for $19,693 against $19,083 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 $17,999 vs the S at $18,181; 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) ($17,999) faces the Nissan Sentra S ($18,181); the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) (77.0% of Chevrolet Malibu listings) and the SV (77.7% of Nissan Sentra listings); at the top of the market, the PREMIER (2LT) ($21,370) faces the SR ($22,080). 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 | $17,999 | 6.8% | SCheapest | $18,181 | 12.0% |
| LT WITH 1LT | $18,837 | 0.6% | SVMost popular | $18,995 | 77.7% |
| LT (1LT)Most popular | $18,990 | 77.0% | SRPriciest | $22,080 | 10.3% |
| LS (1LS) | $18,999 | 4.2% | — | ||
| RS (1SP) | $20,998 | 3.7% | — | ||
| PREMIER (2LT)Priciest | $21,370 | 7.3% | — | ||
| PREMIER (2LZ) | $21,988 | 0.4% | — | ||
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 | $21,284 | $19,083 | Chevrolet Malibu +$2,201 | 31 MPG | 33–34 MPG |
| 2024 | $19,693 | $18,900 | Chevrolet Malibu +$793 | 31 MPG | 33–34 MPG |
| 2023 | $17,489 | $19,298 | Nissan Sentra +$1,809 | 30 MPG | 32–33 MPG |
| 2022 | $16,595 | $17,449 | Nissan Sentra +$854 | 26–32 MPG | 32–33 MPG |
| 2021 | $14,996 | $16,241 | Nissan Sentra +$1,245 | 26–32 MPG | 32–33 MPG |
| 2020 | $13,999 | $15,399 | Nissan Sentra +$1,400 | 26–32 MPG | 32–33 MPG |
| 2019 | $13,000 | $10,432 | Chevrolet Malibu +$2,568 | 26–46 MPG | 27–32 MPG |
| 2018 | $11,995 | $8,999 | Chevrolet Malibu +$2,996 | 26–46 MPG | 27–32 MPG |
| 2017 | $11,331 | $9,211 | Chevrolet Malibu +$2,120 | 26–46 MPG | 27–32 MPG |
| 2016 | $10,125 | $7,999 | Chevrolet Malibu +$2,126 | 26–46 MPG | 30–33 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,682 | $7,325 | Chevrolet Malibu +$1,357 | 24–29 MPG | 30–33 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,787 | $7,000 | Chevrolet Malibu +$787 | 24–29 MPG | 30–33 MPG |
| 2013 | $6,997 | $6,900 | Chevrolet Malibu +$97 | 24–29 MPG | 30–33 MPG |
| 2012 | $6,595 | $5,400 | Chevrolet Malibu +$1,195 | 20–26 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2011 | $5,995 | $5,225 | Chevrolet Malibu +$770 | 20–26 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,942 | $5,450 | Chevrolet Malibu +$492 | 20–29 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,995 | $5,000 | Chevrolet Malibu +$995 | 20–29 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,948 | $4,997 | Chevrolet Malibu +$951 | 20–27 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,688 | $4,236 | Chevrolet Malibu +$452 | 18–25 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,998 | $3,950 | Chevrolet Malibu +$1,048 | 19–24 MPG | 22–27 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 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 $19,083 versus $19,693 for the Chevrolet Malibu (national medians, July 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 4.2 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 $17,999 vs $18,181 for a Nissan Sentra S; the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) ($18,990, 77.0% of Chevrolet Malibu listings) and the SV ($18,995, 77.7% of Nissan Sentra listings); at the top of the market, the PREMIER (2LT) ($21,370) faces the SR ($22,080). 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.