2026 Nissan Sentra Review: First Drive

Phoenix, AZ - Where have all the cars gone? It’s a question we’ve covered plenty of times here at AutoGuide. With the unrelenting love affair North Americans have for SUVs and crossovers, conventional cars continue to fall by the wayside. It seems every week those high-riding utility vehicles claim another sedan victim.

Even the once steadfast segment of compact cars has fallen victim, now culled to a field of eight, all of which battled in an AutoGuide mega-comparison earlier this year. Finishing last in that comparison was the aging Nissan Sentra. We found the car to be quite good, actually, but couldn’t keep up amongst a younger field of competitors.

For the 2026 model year, we’re happy to report Nissan has invested in the Sentra, launching a new generation of the big compact car. All-new might be a bit of a stretch, but plenty has changed. We were invited to Phoenix, Arizona, to try the 2026 Nissan Sentra out for ourselves. 

The Sentra has some features that are new and some that carry over. The styling inside and out, as well as the technology available, are the biggest changes for the car. The mechanics mostly carry over, but the transmission and body structure have been tweaked.

For the 2026 model year, the Sentra will be available in four trims in the USA: S, SV, SR, and SL. In Canada, only three trims will be available: the S, SV, and SR. The Canadian market SR Premium will have the same kit as the American market SL, just with the SR styling.

The new Sentra is easily identifiable as a modern Nissan. It has the new V-motion front-end family look shared with the LEAF and Murano. The headlights are thin with trim work that draws the eyes inward to the pronounced V-shaped grille. Compared to the current Sentra, the new car is slightly longer, about the same width, and with a slightly lower roofline. Nissan states the new Sentra shape has a lower coefficient of drag, which should help fuel economy, but more on that later.

As is currently the case, this new generation of the car will continue to offer two-tone paint jobs. The entry-level S trim will get 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers, while higher trims get 16-, 17-, or 18-inch alloys. The 18-inch wheels on the SR will differ between the United States and Canada.

While on the topic of the SR, it gets unique front-end styling, which consists mainly of different paints for various pieces on the fascia. Both the SV and the SL get the brand’s signature headlights and taillights.

The only engine that will be offered on the new-generation Sentra is the familiar 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 149 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque. Compared to plenty of competitors’ entry-level engines, these performance figures are fine. But up at the price point the SR and SL trims play at, plenty of other compact cars offer more powerful engines, hybrid options, or both. When asked if there are plans for Nissan to add an upgraded engine option to the Sentra lineup in the future, we were told that there are none at this time.

To help combat the power deficit, Nissan’s engineers have reworked the continuously variable automatic transmission to deliver quicker response. Same goes for the throttle mapping. On the road, we didn’t really notice a big difference. As we’ve stated with the previous generation Sentra, at low speeds and around town, the engine feels more robust than the quoted power levels. On the highway, though, reality sets in. Accelerating to freeway speeds, especially on an inclined on-ramp, requires patience and space.

Like the drivetrain, the suspension doesn’t alter much with the new generation Sentra. Up front is an independent strut suspension with coil springs, while the rear has a multi-link independent set-up. To help with control and ride comfort, the Sentra includes Nissan’s Intelligent Trace Control and Active Ride Control.

The structure of the car has been made stiffer, up 6% compared to the current car. With a curb weight of just 3,097-3,177 pounds (1,405-1,441 kg), the Sentra is nimble and easily changes directions. The widest tires available are 215 mm in width, which is a bit narrow by today’s standards. They do, however, keep unsprung weight down, which helps improve the car’s response. Ultimate cornering grip may be lower than competitors with wider tires, but this can induce its own brand of fun as the Sentra’s limits are easier to approach.

Tailored more for comfort than outright cornering capability, we’d rate the new Sentra’s ride quality above average. It's quite good, absorbing most imperfections on the road without jarring occupants inside the car. There can be audible clunks from the rear suspension, especially when going over larger expansion joints on the freeway, but the corresponding impact is not felt much inside the car. The bigger audible inconvenience is tire noise that can really roar over rough surfaces. Wind Noise, though, is kept to an absolute minimum, so maybe we were just driving on some really terrible roads.

Seating surfaces consist of cloth or leatherette, depending on trim. Our SV Premium tester included the optional 6-way power driver seat with 4-way adjustable power lumbar. The seating surface is comfortable, and after many hours on the road, we weren’t complaining of any aches or pains. The passenger seat is not power or height adjustable and sits a bit high for our liking. We also found the front door armrests aren’t fully covered in squishy material, leaving our elbows exposed for the odd thud on a hard plastic surface.

The interior of the previous-generation Sentra is functional but quite dated in terms of style. For the 2026 model, Nissan has addressed this. Drawing the eyes is the big, single-piece pod that houses dual 12.3-inch screens: one for the digital driver’s information center and one for the infotainment screen. The haptic controls for the HVAC system and heated seats add some modernity to the cabin, while the materials used throughout have interesting textures to them, even on hard plastic surfaces.

To add a little spice and sizzle inside, the SR includes contrasting red stitching throughout, and there is an available 64-ambient color option.

Some standout technology available in the new Sentra includes haptic steering wheel controls, an optional eight-speaker Bose sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, Wi-Fi hotspot, and of course those dual 12.3-inch screens. The latter comes standard on the SV, SR, and SL models, while the S gets a 7-inch driver information center instead.

From a safety standpoint, Nissan’s ProPilot Assist 1.1 is optional on SR models and comes standard on the SL. Most other active safety systems come standard, with some exceptions being the optional automatic rear braking, lane keep assist with cyclist detection, and the around view monitor.

The price point on the 2026 Nissan Sentra could be the make-or-break factor for the car. This isn’t a big shock for something competing in the compact car segment, but the Sentra has a history of offering more space/content for the money compared to key competitors.

The starting price for the 2026 Nissan Sentra S begins at $23,645 (all prices including destination charges) in the United States. Stepping up a level, the SV begins at a price of $24,415 while the SR slots in at $26,245. The top-level SL starts at $29,235, which is impressive as few competitors have top trims beginning under $30,000. That stated, there are plenty of options available on the Sentra, and as tested, our SR Premium tester with various other optional equipment totalled $31,945 as tested.

As of this writing, Canadian pricing has not been announced. We expect it will be released closer to the car's on-sale date late this year.

The 2026 Nissan Sentra isn’t a revelation compared to the car it replaces, but it didn’t need to be. The car has found a good following with different sets of consumers looking for ease of use in a sizable compact at a lower-than-average price. With the new 2026 model, in the lower trims, the new Sentra continues to nail all of these objectives. Plus, it now includes improved technology, style, and safety.

Higher trims may have a harder time winning over customers, though. As the price point increases, the competition intensifies. Some of the Sentra’s faults start to become more obvious. Still, models like the SR will appeal to those after a sporty look over outright performance.

The 2026 Nissan Sentra will go on sale before the end of the year and will continue to be built in Mexico.

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