Scotty answered this in todays video at the very beginning:

Scotty: "I would go Mazda all the way on that one. It's 2018 they have relations with Toyota... they are much better made than they used to be. And the Nissan Sentra is a Nissan Sentra problems as they age. No question I would go with the Mazda on that one they are so much better made. You say they are the same price but in the real world the Sentra would be worth a lot less"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rJQw9mWim0

I would definitely go with the Mazda. I personally don't like newer Nissans because they feel very cheap inside, especially the smaller ones like that Sentra, and they are nowhere near as well built as those 350Zs were. And Mazda's manual transmissions are much more crisp than the one in the Sentra.  

Definitely get the Mazda, it will run circles around the Nissan and it will last way longer.

Mazda for sure until Nissan gets its Japanese mojo back.

I have a Nissan Sentra and Mazda 3 in the garage right now. You are looking at manual transmission so at least you avoid the junky Nissan CVT that I’ve come to realize I have. The Mazda 3 is much more fun to drive than the Nissan Sentra. Best of luck

Add the Turbo and you will make the Nissan engine explode. I would go Mazda on that one, but if you test the Sentra and you like it better, it could be alright for a while as it is a manual. Neither should have problems until around 100k miles and you should always have a mechanic do a pre-purchase inspection on which ever car you choose.

Am sure I'm going to go with the Mazda 3 GT Hatch. Mazda gives more bang for the buck too. I'll post my review if I decide to test the Nissan for shits and giggles.

So I test drove the Nissan Sentra SR Turbo. I think it's a good second choice if I can't score a deal on a Mazda and I really need a car.

It drives fine and handles fine and obviously has more power than a regular Sentra, though I can almost here the car telling me "that's all I got!". The body and interior do not feel as solid as the Mazda. Felt like a fancy rental. The doors diddn't seem to swing freely. Don't know if it's a desgin issue or limited to the car I tested. Getting in and out of the car felt better and roomier than the Mazda but I didn't get the sense that the seats hugged me once I settled in. Too much movement in the seat while driving.

Overall, I think it's a fine car as far as looks and I guess enough power. But I'll hold out for a Mazda 3 Hatchback Grand Touring Manual if I can. More solid and more bang for the buck when you compare the two.

Those are my 2 cents for what they're worth. And for the record, I did drive a 1990 Sentra 2 door manual back in the day. The squared boxy looking one. Got 200k miles out of it.

I’m pro Nissan on this one the manual trans and the turbo engine in the newer Sentra have had close to 0 problems they’ve got decent power and so far very reliable.  And the 6 speeds are strong. Not so sure on Mazda’s but to me it’s a Japanese Ford and the dealers aren’t quite as convenient depending on where you live.