Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.

Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.

2019 nissan Sentra vs 2019 toyota Tacoma

Reliability comparison based on NHTSA recall and complaint records.

Synced 2026-04-29 Source: NHTSA public records Reviewed by ASE-certified contributors
Quick verdict
2019 Nissan Sentra and 2019 Toyota Tacoma are nearly tied on reliability data

2019 nissan Sentra

3.6/5
Reliability score
216 complaints
1 recalls (0 critical)
$11,950 repair exposure
vs

2019 toyota Tacoma

3.6/5
Reliability score
206 complaints
1 recalls (0 critical)
$12,900 repair exposure

Stories from the shop

Look, these two are running close enough that you'd be fine either way. Reliability scores are within rounding distance (3.6 for the 2019 nissan Sentra, 3.6 for the 2019 toyota Tacoma), and they've each got their own laundry list of weak spots. There's no clean winner here on the data alone.

If you're leaning 2019 nissan Sentra, know what you're getting into on powertrain and electrical. Those categories have noticeably more complaints than what the 2019 toyota Tacoma sees, and they're not cheap items when they go.

Going with the 2019 toyota Tacoma? Watch the brakes and fuel system. The 2019 nissan Sentra has fewer reports in those categories, so you'd be trading one set of weak spots for another.

Bottom line: pick based on use case more than the spec sheet. If you tow heavy and don't want to think about it, that's one calculation. If you're a daily driver and want the cheapest path forward, that's another. Both of these will get you down the road. We're just telling you where each one is most likely to break.

— ProblemsByVin editorial team, drawing on the NHTSA data and shop experience.

Side-by-side by problem area

Category
2019 nissan Sentra
2019 toyota Tacoma
powertrain
51 reports
severe · ~$2,500
36 reports
moderate · ~$2,500
electrical
54 reports
moderate · ~$850
20 reports
severe · ~$850
brakes
14 reports
severe · ~$450
33 reports
severe · ~$450
lighting
19 reports
severe · ~$250
No reports
fuel system
No reports
19 reports
moderate · ~$1,200
engine
3 reports
moderate · ~$3,100
15 reports
severe · ~$3,100
airbags
13 reports
severe · ~$1,100
No reports
body
5 reports
moderate · ~$1,500
8 reports
severe · ~$1,500
cruise control
5 reports
severe · ~$600
6 reports
severe · ~$600
steering
No reports
9 reports
moderate · ~$700

Common questions

Which is more reliable, the 2019 Nissan Sentra or the 2019 Toyota Tacoma?

It's close to a tie. Both vehicles score within 0.2 points on our reliability index (3.6 vs 3.6). At this margin, either choice is defensible — base your decision on the specific failure modes that matter to you.

What goes wrong more often on the 2019 Nissan Sentra?

Compared to the 2019 Toyota Tacoma, the 2019 Nissan Sentra sees more reported issues in powertrain and electrical. That doesn't mean it's a bad truck — it means those are the categories worth budgeting for if you go that direction.

What goes wrong more often on the 2019 Toyota Tacoma?

Compared to the 2019 Nissan Sentra, the 2019 Toyota Tacoma has more complaints in brakes and fuel system. Whether that's a deal-breaker depends on the cost and severity — see the comparison table above for repair cost ranges.

Which has more recalls?

Both vehicles have 1 active recalls. Total recall count alone isn't a great signal — what matters is severity. See the recall counts by severity in the comparison table.

Is an extended warranty worth it on either of these?

Both vehicles are out of factory bumper-to-bumper coverage at this point. Combined repair exposure across the top problem categories runs around $12,900 on the higher-risk vehicle. A quality service contract typically costs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years, so a single major failure usually pays for the contract. The math favors warranty coverage on whichever vehicle you choose, especially if you plan to keep it past 100,000 miles.

Related comparisons

Reliability scores, complaint counts, and severity ratings derived from the NHTSA public records database. "Repair exposure" is the sum of average independent-shop repair costs across each vehicle's tracked problem categories and is intended as a relative comparison, not an exact prediction. Editorial commentary auto-generated from the data and reviewed by ASE-certified contributors. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
Get a free warranty quote →