2026 Nissan Sentra Looks More Appealing Than Ever, Even Though The Engine Is The Same

All of the talk about the sedan body style’s demise may have been premature. Sure, there are way fewer sedans on sale these days compared to the past decade or two, with crossovers, SUVs and tall hatchbacks becoming vastly more popular. But many brands are remaining steadfast sedan supporters, as evidenced by the debut of the ninth-generation Nissan Sentra. While the 2026 Sentra has the exact same powertrain as the old model, Nissan’s compact sedan is more appealing than ever thanks to a fantastic new design, an improved interior and more standard and available features — plus there are lots of enhancements under the skin to make it even better to drive.

Though it hasn’t been officially priced yet, we don’t expect the base Sentra S trim’s MSRP to start much higher than the 2025 model’s $22,835 ask (including destination) when it hits dealerships later this year. Even the top SL trim, which Nissan has brought back as the most premium offering, could stay under $30,000.

The new-gen Sentra rides on the same platform as the outgoing model, and it uses the same MR20DD engine, a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-4 making the same 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. A CVT remains the only transmission choice, Nissan says it has been retuned for “a more natural, smooth acceleration feel,” which can only be a good thing. Every Sentra other than the base S also gets a Sport drive mode that was tuned in the U.S. for “sharper throttle response and more thrilling shift patterns.” The EPA has yet to rate the new Sentra, but Nissan’s estimates are slightly worse than the current model at up to 33 mpg combined, 38 mpg highway and 29 mpg city.

Even the base S now has rear disc brakes as standard, and the independent strut front and multi-link rear suspension get new shock absorber valving to lessen impact harshness. Nissan says the new Sentra is 6% more rigid than before, the steering wheel has a bigger dynamic damper that reduces road vibrations, and panel gaps have been made smaller to keep the cabin quieter. 

The outgoing Sentra was a pretty good-looking car, especially for a small Nissan sedan, and I think the new one is even better. Its wheelbase has been reduced by a tenth of an inch, but the new Sentra has grown in overall length by about half an inch and is ever so slightly taller. It’s also more aerodynamic than its predecessor, with the S and SV trims having a drag coefficient of 0.268 and the SR and SL coming in at 0.283 and 0.288, respectively, versus 0.299 for the current generation. To achieve that, Nissan shaped the trunk and rear fenders to reduce wake behind the car, reduced the wheel openings, and gave it flat floor covers and tire deflectors.

It wears a new interpretation of Nissan’s V-Motion grille, with slash lines that flow into the slim projector LED headlights (higher trims get additional LED signature lights). The surfacing is more athletic, with crisp lines running along the shoulders and accentuated wheel arches, and the roofline seems even more fastback-y. LED taillights are also standard, with the SR and SL having a nearly full-width light bar connecting them. The SR has a sportier appearance with a blacked-out grille panel, additional black accents, a rear spoiler, a diffuser insert in the rear bumper, a two-tone roof, and 18-inch wheels. There are some nice color options, like the bright Energetic Ember you see on the SR in these photos, and the lovely Imperial Bronze on the SL at the bottom of this story.

The current Sentra’s interior was pretty good when it first launched in 2019, but it quickly got outgunned by competitors like the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra, so luckily Nissan really stepped it up with the new generation. It’s similar in style to other new Nissans like the Murano, featuring a pair of screens sitting atop a sweeping dashboard. A 12.3-inch touchscreen is standard; the base S has a 7-inch gauge cluster while every other Sentra has a 12.3-inch display in front of the drive. Nissan says the infotainment screen is two times brighter than the old one to make it easier to read. Between the two air vents is a small panel with a volume knob and hard buttons for skipping tracks, the camera system and your hazards, and below that is a capacitive panel with various climate controls. The Sentra also has a normal shifter, normal steering wheel stalks, and actual buttons on the cool two-spoke steering wheel.

Material quality has been improved, especially on the door panels where there’s more soft-touch surfaces. The SR has lots of orange stitching and accents, plus a cool zig-zag perforation pattern on the seats, but I’d want to get the top-end SL for its available white and blue color scheme, which looks awesome. Interior dimensions are pretty much the same as before, as is cargo space, but the new Sentra has a larger trunk opening with a lower liftover height.

Standard on every 2026 Sentra is remote keyless entry with pushbutton start, power windows with auto up/down for the driver’s window, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (which is wireless on all but the base S), and two USB-C ports up front and one in the rear. Even the base S is available with heated front seats, and while the S and SV only get cloth upholstery, TailorFit leatherette is standard on the SL and optional on the SR. Other available features include heated mirrors, a power moonroof, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, a wireless phone charger, a heated steering wheel, Nissan’s Intelligent Key with approach unlocking and walk-away unlocking, dual-zone automatic climate control, 64-color ambient interior lighting and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Every new Sentra also comes with automatic headlights, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection and forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and prevention, rear cross-traffic alert and a driver attention monitoring system. The SV and up get a vehicle security system, and optional on the SR and standard on the SL are Nissan’s ProPilot Assist system, rear automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist with cyclist detection, rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera system.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik