10 Biggest News Stories of the Month: Nissan Sentra Squeaks Past Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Nothing is ever all good or all bad. In the dwindling compact sedan market, it’s a bummer that only a handful of choices remain for those still interested in a pragmatic, affordable little four-door car to ferry them to and from work every day in this era of return-to-office mandates. On the bright side, the surviving members of the compact sedan club have a lot to offer, and the 2025 Nissan Sentra stands out among them. That’s, of course, not to say the current-model-year Sentra is perfect (see Sentence 1), as you’ll find in one of Cars.com’s most popular news articles of the past month — a rapid-fire roundup of the pros and cons of Nissan’s small sedan.
Related: 2025 Cars.com Affordability Report: Best Value New Cars
Working in the Sentra’s favor are its updated and upgraded continuously variable automatic transmission, which edges up effectiveness while dialing down the drone of a CVT; fuel economy that improves 1 mpg to an EPA-estimated 34 mpg combined; acceleration that’s enough to get you up to speed and into the traffic mix while offering a quiet and comfortable enough ride; accommodating, if unremarkable, interior appointments, as well as user-friendly infotainment and climate control; and a rival-besting base price that doesn’t translate to stingy features and equipment. Working against it is difficult, less-than-ideal child-safety seat installation, as well as a general level of sexiness and excitement that says, “Hi … I’m in Delaware.”
For the full details on what we loved and what we loathed about the 2025 Nissan Sentra, follow the link below to the No. 7 news story on this month’s countdown of most read articles.
Hot on the Sentra’s heels — but not because of particularly impressive acceleration — is the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Per Cars.com reviewer Brian Normile’s comprehensive critique, the outgoing version of the bestselling compact SUV on the market (hence one of the very bestselling vehicles period) lags behind segment rivals with lackluster oomph off the line, noisy gas-engine operation, disconcertingly grabby brakes and forgettably fine cabin accommodations that get the job done in the least remarkable way. Where it excels is in fuel efficiency, boasting a competitive EPA-estimated gas mileage of 41/38/39 mpg city/highway/combined, as well as in delivering on its modest promise to be the lowest common denominator among compact SUVs.
For our full take on the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid — including as-tested pricing and an expert recommendation as to who should have it on their shopping list — follow the link below to our No. 8 article from the month of May.
Beyond all that, we’ve got headlines on the Honda CR-V Hybrid, Mazda CX-5, Toyota Sienna and much more — so don’t stop reading till the digits double. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of in the past month:
1. 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid Review: Popular for Good Reason
2. What Are the Best 2025 Hybrids for the Money?
3. Here Are the 10 Cheapest New Cars You Can Buy Right Now
4. Which Electric Cars Are Still Eligible for the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit?
5. 2025 Mazda CX-5 Review: Pace Over Space
6. How Much Is the 2026 Honda CR-V?
7. Is the 2025 Nissan Sentra a Good Car? 5 Pros, 2 Cons
8. 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Review: Efficiency in Need of an Overhaul
9. Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy
10. 2025 Toyota Sienna Review: It’s What’s Inside That Counts
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