2025 head-to-head · Midsize Car
2025 Chevrolet Malibu vs Nissan Sentra
MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.
FWD · 1.5L 4-cyl turbo · CVT · 31 MPG
The 2025 Nissan Sentra is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas, it costs about $1,368 a year to fuel (34 MPG), versus $1,500 for the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu (31 MPG). That's roughly $132 a year, or about $662 over five years.
Your numbers
Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.
Fuel cost over 10 years
- Chevrolet Malibu
- Nissan Sentra
Side by side
| Chevrolet Malibu | Nissan Sentra | |
|---|---|---|
| $1,500 | Your annual fuel cost | $1,368 |
| 31 MPG | Combined efficiency | 34 MPG |
| 28 MPG | City | 30 MPG |
| 36 MPG | Highway | 40 MPG |
| 102 cu ft | Passenger volume | 96 cu ft |
| 16 cu ft | Cargo volume | 14 cu ft |
| 283 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 262 g/mi |
| 6/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 7/10 |
| 6/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 7/10 |
| Gas | Powertrain | Gas |
| Regular gasoline | Fuel | Regular gasoline |
| 1.5L 4-cyl turbo | Engine / motor | 2.0L 4-cyl |
| CVT | Transmission | CVT |
| FWD | Drivetrain | FWD |
✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.
Chevrolet Malibu vs Nissan Sentra across model years
- Chevrolet Malibu
- Nissan Sentra
Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.
How they differ
Per EPA interior volume figures, the Chevrolet Malibu has more passenger space (102 vs. 96 cu ft); the Chevrolet Malibu has more cargo space (16 vs. 14 cu ft).
Among 42 2025 midsize cars, the Chevrolet Malibu ranks 16th and the Nissan Sentra 14th for lowest fuel cost.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu or the 2025 Nissan Sentra?
Measured by cost to drive, the Nissan Sentra. The Chevrolet Malibu is rated 31 MPG combined and the Nissan Sentra 34 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu vs. the Nissan Sentra per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas, about $1,500 for the Chevrolet Malibu and $1,368 for the Nissan Sentra.
Which has more cargo space?
The Chevrolet Malibu, with 16 cu ft of luggage volume versus 14 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).
Chevrolet Malibu vs Nissan Sentra in other years
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