Due to economic pressures and changing consumer preferences, the average transaction price of a new vehicle has soared to $50,080. That’s a princely sum, and the carpocalypse has seen a number of affordable sedans fall by the wayside.
There are still a few survivors around, though, and Nissan believes compact sedans are going to experience renewed interest. This helps to explain why they’ve introduced a new Sentra.
It features a bold design, a surprisingly upscale interior, and plenty of room for four adults. However, it’s not quite as new as it looks and there are a few compromises to keep prices down.
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A Bold New Look
The eighth-generation Sentra was a high-water mark for design as the sedan looked sporty and upscale. While it resembled a slightly smaller Altima, it was hard to complain about the car’s styling.
That’s not the case this time around as you’ll either love or hate the look of the 2026 Sentra. It makes a profound first impression as there’s a wide V-motion grille flanked by slender LED headlights. The latter come standard and provide far better illumination than the old halogen units found on most trims.
While the lights are a welcome addition, the protruding chin will likely prove divisive. Designers also gave the car pronounced wheel arches and 16- to 18-inch wheels. Most of them are aluminum alloys, although the base model comes with 16-inch steelies.
Michael Gauthier / Carscoops
Moving further back, the Sentra has an upward sweeping beltline, a flowing roof, and a stylish rear end. The latter features LED taillights and a large trunk with an integrated spoiler. They’re joined by a contrasting lower bumper, which hides the exhaust out of the way.
Customers looking for something sportier can opt for the Sentra SR, which is distinguished by a dark chrome grille, extended side skirts, and a tacked on spoiler. They’re joined by a unique rear bumper and a chrome exhaust tip. However, the most eye-catching change is an available two-tone exterior that combines a Super Black roof with a contrasting body in Aspen White, Atlantic Gray, Energetic Ember, or Bluestone Pearl.
An Impressive Interior
The exterior styling might be hit or miss, but Nissan’s interior design team knocked it out of the park. That’s clearly evident in our range-topping Sentra SL tester, which featured white TailorFit seats as well as contrasting dark blue accents.
The two-tone design contributes to a ‘class above’ feeling and isn’t something you’d typically find in a compact sedan. Thankfully, the upscale features don’t end there as the SL has heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. It also sports a wireless smartphone charger, a sunroof, a dual-zone automatic climate control system, and a class-exclusive 64-color ambient lighting system.
They’re joined by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an intuitive 12.3-inch infotainment system. The latter has Google Assistant as well as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Drivers can also jam out to the standard 8-speaker Bose premium audio system.
One of the cooler features is a myQ garage door opener, which has a geofencing function. This enables the app to automatically pop up when you arrive or leave home.
Getting back to the supportive Zero Gravity front seats, they have quilting and an eye-catching vertical stripe as well as six-way power adjustment on the driver’s side. The Sentra also has best-in-class front legroom as well as plenty of headroom.
The feeling of space is echoed in the rear seat, which provides 34.8 inches (884 mm) of legroom. That’s 2.6 inches (66 mm) less than the Honda Civic and the same amount as the Toyota Corolla. While the Sentra doesn’t have bragging rights, this 6’ 2” scribe found plenty of head- and legroom. That being said, the rear bench would be a tight fit for three adults.
Michael Gauthier / Carscoops
While sedans aren’t known for their storage, Nissan paid special attention to the design of their trunk. As part of the makeover, the model has one of the lowest load heights in its class as well as a 2-inch (50 mm) wider trunk base. This promises to make Costco trips easier than ever before.
Cargo capacity remains unchanged at 14.3 cubic feet (405 liters), which bests the Corolla and slightly trails the Civic. However, Nissan has moved the rear seat releases to the trunk. This is a great idea in theory, but they don’t work particularly well. After pulling the release, I still had to go into the second row to fold the seat down. This effectively defeats the point, while requiring even more work.
On the bright side, most other controls work well including the captive touch buttons on the center console. They’re joined by a smattering of physical switchgear including a dedicated volume knob.
A Familiar Engine, For Better Or Worse
Under the hood, the Sentra has a familiar 2.0-liter four-cylinder MR20DD engine that produces 149 hp (111 kW / 151 PS) and 146 lb-ft (198 Nm) of torque. It’s connected to a continuously variable transmission, which sends power exclusively to the front wheels.
While the engine carries over, the Xtronic gearbox has been upgraded to provide smoother acceleration and more natural responses. Officials didn’t elaborate, but the CVT felt impressively refined during our brief test drive. In fact, most drivers probably won’t even notice this isn’t a traditional automatic.
As you’ve probably guessed, this isn’t the most exciting powertrain combination. On the bright side, it’s not terrible either, as acceleration is decent, especially around town. The performance certainly won’t wow you, but it won’t have you cursing either.
Michael Gauthier / Carscoops
Fuel economy is also so-so as the model carries an EPA rating of up to 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. That’s a slight decrease from last year, when the Sentra returned up to 30 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined.
The Sentra’s reliance on an outdated engine puts it at a major disadvantage when compared to rivals. The Corolla comes standard with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 169 hp (126 kW / 171 PS) and 151 lb-ft (205 Nm) of torque. Besides being more powerful, the model is more efficient as it returns up to 32 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined.
If that wasn’t enough of a dagger, the Corolla offers a hybridized 1.8-liter engine that enables the car to return up to 53 mpg city, 46 mpg highway, and 50 mpg combined. Customers can also get an optional all-wheel drive system for an additional $1,400.
It’s a similar story with the Civic, which offers regular and hybrid variants as well as a sporty Si. The latter starts at $30,995 and features a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine with 200 hp (149 kW / 203 PS).
A Capable Commuter
While the Sentra lacks variety, it’s still a solid sedan. The model rides on the familiar CMF-CD platform and features numerous enhancements that provide a 6% increase in structural rigidity.
Besides the stiffer chassis, drivers will find an electric power-assisted steering system with a revised ratio of 14.0:1. That’s down from 15.3:1 and this results in a more responsive feeling.
Wet suburban roads didn’t allow us to explore the car’s dynamic potential, but the Sentra felt comfortable and controlled. The independent strut front and multi-link rear suspension does a pretty good job of dealing with road imperfections, although you’ll feel what’s happening. Thankfully, we never encountered anything that came across as harsh or unrefined. Part of this can likely be chalked up to new shock absorber valving, which “helps better mute impact harshness from bumps.”
While the standard driving experience is relaxed and comfortable, the Sentra has an enhanced Sport mode that makes pronounced changes. It adjusts the steering, throttle, and transmission. Most of the changes are welcome as Sport mode adds considerable heft to the steering, which feels a little too light in Normal. However, some of the other changes chip away at the car’s refinement.
The throttle is linear and predictable, while the brakes do a decent job of bringing the car to a halt. Notably, the 2026 Sentra eschews the 9-inch (229 mm) rear drums used on last year’s model as every trim now comes standard with ventilated discs that measure 11 inches (279 mm) front and 10.2 inches (259 mm) rear.
Engineers also worked to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness. While we’ve already talked about the suspension updates, the 2026 Sentra has an enlarged dynamic steering damper that promises to reduce road vibrations. Nissan also reduced the size of body openings to help keep things quiet. The changes seem to have worked as the car seems suitably hushed, even at highway speeds.
Michael Gauthier / Carscoops
Aiding in the experience is an impressive assortment of standard driver assistance systems including Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, and Lane Departure Warning and Prevention. They’re joined by Intelligent Cruise Control, High Beam Assist, and Traffic Sign Recognition. Other highlights include Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Blind Spot Warning / Intervention.
Higher end variants offer more advanced tech including Rear Automatic Braking, Lane Keep Assist, and ProPILOT Assist. The latter is a new addition to the Sentra and it makes long trips far more relaxing as it combines adaptive cruise control with a lane centering function. It’s a hands-on system, which worked well during a brief highway jaunt.
Affordable Doesn’t Have To Mean Cheap
The 2026 Sentra is a step forward as it features a significantly improved cabin, new technology, and additional standard equipment. The good news doesn’t end there as the model is surprisingly spacious and offers a relatively refined driving experience.
Nissan hasn’t forgotten about value either as pricing starts at $22,400 before a $1,245 destination fee. That’s $810 more than its predecessor, but it undercuts the Civic by $2,195 while also besting the Corolla by $325.
However, most customers will go for the better equipped Sentra SV. It’s a great value as pricing starts at $23,170 and it comes equipped with LED lighting units, remote start, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Buyers will also find 12.3-inch displays, passive entry, automatic climate control, and a host of driver assistance systems.
While there’s a lot to like, the lack of a hybrid powertrain is disappointing. There are also hints of cheapness and terrible rear seat releases. On top of that, this is essentially the old Sentra in a new wrapper.
That being said, the 2026 Sentra is a solid compact sedan that provides a lot of value, as long as you don’t go overboard on options.
