Nissan’s new compact sedan is an update of the old car, not all-new, but could get a hybrid option later
Plenty of once-mighty nameplates have come and gone in the last 40 years, but Nissan’s Sentra is still alive and kicking. For 2026 it returns with fresh sheet metal and a thoroughly updated cabin,signaling that the compact sedan still has some fight left in it. Before long it could also become the last car standing in Nissan’s US lineup, with the Versa scheduled to bow out at the end of the year and the Altima’s future still up in the air.
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We already had a sneak peek at the MY26 via photos of its Chinese twin, the Sylphy, which we published a couple of weeks ago. But now Nissan has dropped details of the US-market Sentra, including shots of the vastly improved dashboard and infotainment system.
Edgier Looks in a Familiar Shape
Compared with last year’s Sentra, the new one has a more techy-looking face that reminds us of the Ariya electric SUV and looks particularly good with the blackout treatment that comes on the sporty SR trim. We guess the Ariya didn’t need it anymore since it’s being dropped from the US market this season.
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Other major visual changes include the C-pillar treatment (the waistline no longer kicks up at the rear of the back door) and the addition of a transverse light bar across the tail. Go for the SR and you get a trunklid spoiler as well as black sills, 18-inch wheels, and a two-tone roof.
Screens Take Center Stage
Inside, the changes are even harder to miss. The MY25 Sentra’s traditional gauge cluster cowl and squarish tablet touchscreen have been junked for a long slab of glass that joins both the cluster and the new 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system on most trims. Base cars miss out on the 12.3-inch driver display (though all get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), while the SR brings red highlights and a drive mode selector.
Same Old Hardware
With all of that glitz, you might easily mistake the Sentra for a new car. It’s not. Under the tauter skin is the same basic platform and prehistoric-sounding mechanical package you’d find on the outgoing car. So the sole drivetrain option is trhe good ‘ol naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter inline four that makes just 149 hp (151 PS) and a measly 146 lb-ft (198 Nm), driving the front wheels through an Xtronic CVT. Don’t bank on breaking 9 seconds to 60 mph (97 km/h).
There’s no sign of the Rogue’s 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS) turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine or any of Nissan’s e-Power technology as yet, though insiders report the latter is in development. So are the prices, but the new base S will probably start just north of the $22,785 Nissan charges for the 2025 version, and this time, the S, SV, and SR lineup will be bolstered by the addition of an SL grade.
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Chris is a seasoned automotive journalist with over two decades of experience. He has worked… Read full bio

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