2026 Nissan Sentra Has a New Face That Will Make You Look Twice
Nissan ushers the veteran nameplate into its ninth generation by focusing on styling changes for its compact sedan.
By Jack FitzgeraldPublished: Sep 23, 2025
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The 2026 Nissan Sentra moves the compact sedan into a new generation, highlighted by distinctive styling and popular features.
The Sentra’s interior is now adorned with dual 12.3-inch displays on all but the base model, which instead sports a 7.0-inch driver display..
The new version will arrive at dealerships later this year, with Nissan planning to announce full pricing closer to the on-sale date.
The Nissan Sentra has long been a solid value, with styling that hasn’t offended anyone. Facing a competitive segment that includes the hugely popular Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, Nissan gives its compact sedan a major makeover for its ninth generation to help it stand out. Along with styling cues that align with Nissan’s new Murano and Leaf designs, the 2026 Nissan Sentra also adds desirable tech features and should maintain an affordable price.
Hey Look! A New Sentra
The redesigned Sentra’s styling focuses on aerodynamics, with Nissan saying the goal was to boost efficiency. The front of the car takes on a softer shape than the outgoing model and is emphasized by a distinctive grille and headlights that blend into one another, creating a piercing look. A new character line stretches from the headlights to the rear spoiler and helps to visually lower the car.
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Initial spy photos made the Sentra look as if it had grown, but in reality, the dimensions are nearly identical between generations. The wheelbase of the 2026 model has actually shrunk slightly. It now measures 106.5 inches, down from 106.8 inches, despite the overall length stretching from 182.7 to 183.3 inches.
To better help it fit in with the cool kids, Nissan stocked the 2026 Sentra with new standard tech. Every Sentra now comes with a 12.3-inch center touchscreen, which is considerably more real estate than the outgoing model’s available 8.0-inch display. However, if you stick to the new Sentra’s base S trim, you’re stuck with a 7.0-inch driver display. But if you opt for any of the higher trims, you get a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. Similarly, the SV, SR, and SL add wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Meanwhile, the S requires the corded version.
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The rest of the Sentra’s interior changes are more subtle. The new interior also maintains dedicated controls on the dashboard for features such as the heated seats, HVAC system, and stereo. They’re operated via a row of haptic buttons set beneath the infotainment screen and air vents.
Same Ol’ Powertrain
Too bad our least favorite part of the current Sentra has migrated to the new version. As with the current model, every 2026 Sentra is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates a meager 149 horsepower. The last Sentra we tested dawdled to 60 mph in 9.2 seconds, and we expect the new one to be similarly slow.
The four-pot is still mated to a CVT, which Nissan says is retuned for 2026 to feel smoother and more natural while accelerating. In the United States, there’s a new Sport drive mode for the SV, SR, and SL trims that’s said to sharpen powertrain responses to give the Sentra a sportier feel.
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The Sentra’s driving experience could be improved compared with its predecessor. Nissan says it reinforced the sedan’s unibody construction, resulting in a 6 percent stiffer chassis than the current car. The ninth-gen Sentra also has new damper valving and a larger dynamic damper for the steering wheel. Smaller openings in the bodywork are designed to decrease sound levels as well.
The new Sentra will begin arriving at dealerships later this year. As with the fuel-economy figures, Nissan says we’ll have to wait until closer to the actual on-sale date before we get the official pricing figures. Between the added technology and the downstream effect of tariffs, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Sentra’s price jumps a little. That said, we don’t expect it to stray too far afield from its current $22,785 starting figure.
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Jack Fitzgerald
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.