Phoenix, AZ — For 2026, Nissan has gone back to the drawing board with the high-selling and award winning Sentra compact, delivering a sedan with a bold new design, new interior tech and a tweaked chassis and powertrain.
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
“Drawing board” is the operative here because from looking at it there’s no denying that this is not the Sentra so many have come to know and love. It starts with the front fascia, which gets the most extreme application of the brand’s “V-Motion” grille we’ve ever seen, stripping that title from the futuristic Ariya EV crossover.
In top-spec SR trim seen here, it gets an aggressive blacked-out finish that reminds of the Hyundai Elantra, hitherto the most aggressive-looking car in the segment. On the Sentra, the grille is complimented by aggressive new headlight lenses shrouding HID bulbs and you can’t miss the bold “SR” logo aside the driver’s side headlight. It makes quite the first impression, especially when surrounded by new “Energized Ember” paint. It cuts quite the swathe against the bright blue skies and orange sand in the desert around our Scottsdale home base.
Add unique-to-SR 18-inch black wheels, black rear spoiler, black greenhouse surround and aggressive rear bumper and diffuser that make the Sentra look lower and wider than it actually is – which is no wider than the outgoing model. At the end of the day, the Sentra looks more aggressive than it ever has (even if you go with the S or SV models, which swap the blacked-out grille for a silver trimmed one) and has risen to the top of the pops in the compact car game when it comes to the boldness of its exterior styling.
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
What is bigger is the trunk opening. Not only is it bigger, but the floor is lower so it’s easier to load and make use of the 405 litres of trunk space on offer. If you need to transport a 55-inch TV, for example, you can – in fact, Nissan demonstrated this by loading one, box and all, into the boot at the launch event. You’d have to fold the 60/40 split rear seats in order to do so, a task made easier in the new car thanks to the trunk-mounted seat release levers.
Inside, there isn’t much more space than there was previous (the new car’s footprint is roughly the same as the old one’s), but with their patented Zero Gravity seats, the driver’s seat is a comfortable place to inhabit. The back seats are also mounted low enough so my 6’3” frame didn’t even have to hunch to get back there and although most people riding in the back of a compact like this will be of the “kid” type, it’s nice to know you can ferry adults in a pinch.
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
The SR also gets a full-digital dash with dual 12.3” displays for your instrument cluster and infotainment display, which Nissan says has been positioned to be easier on the eyes. There’s standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (with two USB-C ports if you’d rather go that way, plus one in the back), as well as wireless charging and an optional 360-degree hi-def AroundView parking camera. Thanks to a slight fisheye build, it can see around corners to let you know what’s coming. Also optional is an 8-speaker Bose audio system; a four-speaker unit comes as standard.
Special SR bits include flat-bottom steering wheel with contrasting red stitching, red SR badging on the seats and a few other smatterings of red here and there, such as on the dash. We didn’t have a chance to experience any of the other trims but we were told the interior build quality is the same. Which is a very good thing because the materials used, the tightness of the panel fastening and the interior lighting (which includes 64-colour ambient lighting on the SR) make for a very upscale cabin that I think will be the standard for the segment.
It’s sometimes said that good build quality is the first step to a good drive and in most aspect, the 2026 Sentra stays true to that mantra.
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
The ride quality is the real star, here – even with the larger wheels, it’s nicely smooth on your typical urban road imperfections such as manhole covers, tarmac heaves and potholes. The body is six per cent stiffer than previous and while that doesn’t sound like much, it sure feels like a confident, well-tuned body and chassis. The suspension components are the same, but they have been tweaked to provide a more controlled and comfortable ride.
The steering feel through the flat-bottom wheel is good, and you can even add a little more directness and weight if you select Sport mode with a toggle mounted just to the left of the shift lever. It joins Standard and Eco on every Sentra sold, and it’s nice to be able to get just a little more directness from the steering, especially in a more sport-oriented version like the SR.
Power from the 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder remains unchanged from last year, so there it sits at 149 horsepower (just couldn’t squeeze out that one last hp, hey Nissan?) and 146 pound-feet of torque. It gets sent to the front wheels via a continuously-variable automatic (CVT) that also is the same as last year, but has been tuned to provide more responsiveness. One thing they haven’t added, however, is any kind of a manual mode. It’s not like you can’t have one with a CVT, either; Subaru, Honda and others have all found away to program their CVTs to at least make it feel like you’re switching gears, which is something that buyers of a car in this segment do appreciate. The Sentra does get a “B” setting for the transmission – that helps when climbing hills, for example – which is nice to have but I found myself selecting “B” when I meant to select “D” because the stopper in between those two gear positions isn’t defined enough. So, what ends up happening is you find yourself revving the thing to the nines on a flat road because you’re in “low” gear.
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
Other than that, though, the Sentra’s powertrain is fine. There’s enough punch to complete somewhat challenging passes at speed or highway entries and when crawling through town, it makes for good fuel economy where I saw 7.8L/100 km, which is a fine figure.
What’s great about the Sentra, though, is how accessible it is from the buying process and on. When it goes on sale in Canada at the end of ’25, there will be three trims on offer plus a Premium package on both the SV and SR – and that’s it. No complicated option packages, no having to decide between a sunroof or a fancy audio system because they both come as standard in a single package. Would I like some more power? A turbo, perhaps? How about a hybrid system considering that the Corolla, Civic and Elantra all have that option? Perhaps, but Nissan says that one of the Sentra’s main attractions for buyers is its value and compelling mix of fun and features, that their buyer demographic likes cools styling and brightly-lit interiors. If that continues to be the case, then they’ve hit the nail on the head with this new Sentra.
First Drive: 2026 Nissan Sentra
Phoenix, AZ — For 2026, Nissan has gone back to the drawing board with the high-selling and award winning Sentra compact, delivering a sedan with a bold new design, new interior tech and a tweaked chassis and powertrain.
“Drawing board” is the operative here because from looking at it there’s no denying that this is not the Sentra so many have come to know and love. It starts with the front fascia, which gets the most extreme application of the brand’s “V-Motion” grille we’ve ever seen, stripping that title from the futuristic Ariya EV crossover.
In top-spec SR trim seen here, it gets an aggressive blacked-out finish that reminds of the Hyundai Elantra, hitherto the most aggressive-looking car in the segment. On the Sentra, the grille is complimented by aggressive new headlight lenses shrouding HID bulbs and you can’t miss the bold “SR” logo aside the driver’s side headlight. It makes quite the first impression, especially when surrounded by new “Energized Ember” paint. It cuts quite the swathe against the bright blue skies and orange sand in the desert around our Scottsdale home base.
Add unique-to-SR 18-inch black wheels, black rear spoiler, black greenhouse surround and aggressive rear bumper and diffuser that make the Sentra look lower and wider than it actually is – which is no wider than the outgoing model. At the end of the day, the Sentra looks more aggressive than it ever has (even if you go with the S or SV models, which swap the blacked-out grille for a silver trimmed one) and has risen to the top of the pops in the compact car game when it comes to the boldness of its exterior styling.
What is bigger is the trunk opening. Not only is it bigger, but the floor is lower so it’s easier to load and make use of the 405 litres of trunk space on offer. If you need to transport a 55-inch TV, for example, you can – in fact, Nissan demonstrated this by loading one, box and all, into the boot at the launch event. You’d have to fold the 60/40 split rear seats in order to do so, a task made easier in the new car thanks to the trunk-mounted seat release levers.
Inside, there isn’t much more space than there was previous (the new car’s footprint is roughly the same as the old one’s), but with their patented Zero Gravity seats, the driver’s seat is a comfortable place to inhabit. The back seats are also mounted low enough so my 6’3” frame didn’t even have to hunch to get back there and although most people riding in the back of a compact like this will be of the “kid” type, it’s nice to know you can ferry adults in a pinch.
The SR also gets a full-digital dash with dual 12.3” displays for your instrument cluster and infotainment display, which Nissan says has been positioned to be easier on the eyes. There’s standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (with two USB-C ports if you’d rather go that way, plus one in the back), as well as wireless charging and an optional 360-degree hi-def AroundView parking camera. Thanks to a slight fisheye build, it can see around corners to let you know what’s coming. Also optional is an 8-speaker Bose audio system; a four-speaker unit comes as standard.
Special SR bits include flat-bottom steering wheel with contrasting red stitching, red SR badging on the seats and a few other smatterings of red here and there, such as on the dash. We didn’t have a chance to experience any of the other trims but we were told the interior build quality is the same. Which is a very good thing because the materials used, the tightness of the panel fastening and the interior lighting (which includes 64-colour ambient lighting on the SR) make for a very upscale cabin that I think will be the standard for the segment.
It’s sometimes said that good build quality is the first step to a good drive and in most aspect, the 2026 Sentra stays true to that mantra.
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
The ride quality is the real star, here – even with the larger wheels, it’s nicely smooth on your typical urban road imperfections such as manhole covers, tarmac heaves and potholes. The body is six per cent stiffer than previous and while that doesn’t sound like much, it sure feels like a confident, well-tuned body and chassis. The suspension components are the same, but they have been tweaked to provide a more controlled and comfortable ride.
The steering feel through the flat-bottom wheel is good, and you can even add a little more directness and weight if you select Sport mode with a toggle mounted just to the left of the shift lever. It joins Standard and Eco on every Sentra sold, and it’s nice to be able to get just a little more directness from the steering, especially in a more sport-oriented version like the SR.
Power from the 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder remains unchanged from last year, so there it sits at 149 horsepower (just couldn’t squeeze out that one last hp, hey Nissan?) and 146 pound-feet of torque. It gets sent to the front wheels via a continuously-variable automatic (CVT) that also is the same as last year, but has been tuned to provide more responsiveness. One thing they haven’t added, however, is any kind of a manual mode. It’s not like you can’t have one with a CVT, either; Subaru, Honda and others have all found away to program their CVTs to at least make it feel like you’re switching gears, which is something that buyers of a car in this segment do appreciate. The Sentra does get a “B” setting for the transmission – that helps when climbing hills, for example – which is nice to have but I found myself selecting “B” when I meant to select “D” because the stopper in between those two gear positions isn’t defined enough. So, what ends up happening is you find yourself revving the thing to the nines on a flat road because you’re in “low” gear.
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
2026 Nissan Sentra SR
Other than that, though, the Sentra’s powertrain is fine. There’s enough punch to complete somewhat challenging passes at speed or highway entries and when crawling through town, it makes for good fuel economy where I saw 7.8L/100 km, which is a fine figure.
What’s great about the Sentra, though, is how accessible it is from the buying process and on. When it goes on sale in Canada at the end of ’25, there will be three trims on offer plus a Premium package on both the SV and SR – and that’s it. No complicated option packages, no having to decide between a sunroof or a fancy audio system because they both come as standard in a single package. Would I like some more power? A turbo, perhaps? How about a hybrid system considering that the Corolla, Civic and Elantra all have that option? Perhaps, but Nissan says that one of the Sentra’s main attractions for buyers is its value and compelling mix of fun and features, that their buyer demographic likes cools styling and brightly-lit interiors. If that continues to be the case, then they’ve hit the nail on the head with this new Sentra.