J.D. Power’s 2025 compact-car ranking places four models above the Volkswagen Jetta: the Nissan Sentra and Honda Civic, tied at 85; the Hyundai Elantra at 83; and the Toyota Corolla at 81. The Jetta scores 80. These are J.D. Power compact-car ratings based on VIN-verified owner data, not a universal judgment that every version of those cars is better than every Jetta.
The four cars above the Jetta
J.D. Power’s page titled “Best Compact Car of 2025” lists the following scores. The ranking and its owner-based methodology are documented on the J.D. Power 2025 compact-car page.
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| Model | J.D. Power 2025 compact-car rating | How to read the result |
|---|---|---|
| Nissan Sentra | 85 | Tied for the highest score among the models listed here. |
| Honda Civic | 85 | Tied for the highest score; sedan and hatchback versions also appear on IIHS’s 2025–26 small-car award list. |
| Hyundai Elantra | 83 | Ranks above the Jetta; the IIHS award listing limits its safety recognition to qualifying sedan builds. |
| Toyota Corolla | 81 | Ranks above the Jetta, although its cited rear-seat crash-test result requires date and methodology context. |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 80 | Baseline for this comparison. |
The scores identify alternatives within one 2025 J.D. Power ranking. They do not establish that the Sentra, Civic, Elantra or Corolla wins every comparison involving price, equipment, driving performance, reliability, fuel economy, safety or body style.
What the J.D. Power numbers measure
J.D. Power says the ranking is powered by VIN-verified vehicle owners. That makes the figures an owner-rating result for the source’s 2025 compact-car list. It is not the same as a laboratory crash score, a road-test grade or a predicted-reliability estimate.
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Keep the source and year attached to each number: Sentra 85, Civic 85, Elantra 83, Corolla 81 and Jetta 80 are all J.D. Power 2025 compact-car ratings. A different publisher, model year, trim or body style can produce a different result.
Why other ratings should not be merged with this ranking
Consumer Reports uses a separate system. Its 2026 Buying Guide says its overall scores combine road-test performance, reliability and owner-satisfaction survey results, plus the availability of standard crash-prevention systems. The guide reports scores for specific tested configurations, not a replacement for J.D. Power’s owner ranking.
Rank #2
- Doors Open
- Pullback Action
- Die Cast Metal Body
- Pull Back Action
| Consumer Reports tested configuration | CR 2026 overall score |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra Hybrid 1.6H | 82 |
| Subaru Impreza 2.0L | 80 |
| Honda Civic Hybrid 2.0H | 79 |
| Nissan Sentra 2.0L | 78 |
| Mazda3 2.5L | 78 |
| Toyota Corolla 2.0L | 76 |
Those Consumer Reports scores cannot be spliced into the J.D. Power table to create one leaderboard: they use different methods and, in several cases, refer to particular powertrains or configurations.
Safety differences among the alternatives
IIHS separates crashworthiness—how well occupants are protected in a crash—from crash avoidance and mitigation systems that can prevent a crash or reduce its severity. Its current small-car criteria and test descriptions are available in IIHS’s small-car ratings summary and its vehicle-ratings overview.
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IIHS award scope
The 2025 IIHS Top Safety Pick small-car list includes the Honda Civic sedan and hatchback and the Hyundai Elantra sedan. The Elantra listing says the award applies only to vehicles built after October 2024. These are safety awards for qualifying configurations, not owner-satisfaction or reliability ratings.
For 2026 Top Safety Pick, IIHS requires good results in specified small-overlap front, moderate-overlap front and side tests, acceptable or good headlights across trim levels, and specified front crash-prevention performance. Top Safety Pick+ adds stricter pedestrian and vehicle-to-vehicle front-crash-prevention requirements. An award therefore has to be read with its year, body style, build-date condition and test criteria.
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- 5. Accessories and collections: This product is very suitable for static accessories and can be used as an accessory next to a computer. For those who are passionate about collecting model car models, this is a great art collection.
The dated Corolla and Civic rear-seat test
In an IIHS report on an updated moderate-overlap test, the 2022–23 Honda Civic sedan and 2023 Toyota Corolla sedan were rated acceptable for the rear-seat portion as published. IIHS also explained that the Corolla’s overall rating is marginal under the methodology adjusted in 2024. This is an older test result, not a current-model-year ranking of every Civic or Corolla.
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IIHS President David Harkey said: “These results highlight one of the key reasons that we updated our moderate overlap front crash test.” He added that in all the small cars tested, the rear dummy “submarined” under the seat belt, allowing the lap belt to ride up onto the abdomen and increasing the risk of internal injuries. The finding illustrates why test date and methodology matter when comparing safety results.
Best Value
- Doors Open
- Pullback Action
- Die Cast Metal Body
- PULL BACK ACTION WITH FREE ROLLING WHEELS
How to choose among the four higher-rated cars
If you want the highest J.D. Power score
The Sentra and Civic are tied at 85 in this specific 2025 list. The tie does not identify a universal winner; compare the exact model year, trim, body style and equipment you intend to buy.
If safety recognition is your first filter
Check the applicable IIHS award year and qualification. Civic sedan and hatchback entries and the post-October-2024 Elantra sedan entry have explicit listing conditions. Confirm that the vehicle’s body style, build date and standard equipment match those conditions.
If you are considering a Corolla
Its J.D. Power score of 81 is above the Jetta’s 80, but the dated IIHS Corolla result should be read under the updated-test caveat rather than treated as a current, all-trim safety verdict.
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If you are comparing a hybrid or a particular configuration
Use configuration-specific data. Consumer Reports, for example, lists the Elantra Hybrid 1.6H at 82 and the Civic Hybrid 2.0H at 79 in its 2026 guide; those figures describe tested versions under CR’s method, not the conventional models’ J.D. Power scores.
A practical comparison checklist
- Write down the exact model year, trim, body style and powertrain for each candidate.
- Label every score by publisher and method: J.D. Power owner rating, Consumer Reports overall score or IIHS safety award.
- Verify whether a safety result applies to the sedan, hatchback, a specific build date or all trims.
- Check crashworthiness separately from crash-avoidance technology.
- Compare the attributes that matter to you instead of averaging unrelated scores.
The Bottom Line
On J.D. Power’s 2025 compact-car list, the Nissan Sentra and Honda Civic lead the Volkswagen Jetta 85–80, followed by the Hyundai Elantra at 83 and Toyota Corolla at 81. Treat that ordering as one owner-based ranking, then verify the exact configuration and the separate safety and testing evidence before choosing a car.
Quick Recap
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