In today’s world, the market is flooded with crossovers. Everywhere you look, you’ll see one. So, it can be a bit surprising to see a completely new sedan like this 2026 Nissan Sentra. Yes, the humble sedan is still being made. So, how does this newest one compare against one of my favourite compact sedans; the Mazda 3?
Performance
Engine – The 2026 Nissan Sentra doesn’t come out of the gates swinging. It is only available with one engine and it’s not too powerful. It’s a 2.0L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder with just 149 hp & 146 lb-ft of torque (111 kW & 198 Nm). This power is adequate for city traffic when setting off from a stop. But on highways you have to plan your overtaking maneuvers ahead of time. It requires a lot of throttle input and the engine reaching redline.
On the other hand, the 2026 Mazda 3 is available with two engines. The standard is a 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder which produces 186 hp & 186 lb-ft of torque (139 kW & 252 Nm). The other is a turbocharged version which makes the Mazda 3 feel almost like a hot hatch. But getting back to the standard engine, the power comes in at lower rpms and it doesn’t require so much throttle input from the driver to overtake slower traffic on highways.
Fuel Economy – However, one major advantage to having a smaller engine is fuel consumption. The Nissan Sentra SR is rated for 8 L/100km (29.4 MPG) in a city and 6.4 L/100km (36.7 MPG) on a highway. The best that the Mazda 3 can achieve is 8.8 L/100km (26.7 MPG) and 6.6 L/100km (35.6 MPG) respectively with the FWD version. Thai AWD has slightly higher fuel economy numbers of 9.1 L/100km (25.8 MPG) in a city and 6.8 L/100km (34.6 MPG) on a highway. During my time with both cars, I averaged 7.6 L/100km (30.9 MPG) in the Nissan and 8.6 L/100km (27.4 MPG) in the Mazda.
Transmission – Predictably, Nissan has paired this engine with a CVT. In the past, these have been known to be problematic. However, Nissan has stepped up and improved the reliability of their CVT. But I’ll let the owners be the judges of that. In city traffic, this CVT operates like any other CVT. It brings up the engine’s rpms and holds them there until you ease off the throttle. But press a bit harder on that throttle and this CVT will replicate virtual gear changes. This doesn’t quite feel like a traditional automatic but it doesn’t drone like a dying hornet either.
The engine in the Mazda 3 is paired with a slick shifting 6-speed automatic. Shifts between the gears are smooth and if you put the car into Sport mode, the shifts are quick and responsive should you decide to use the paddle shifters, if equipped.
Braking – Both the Sentra and the Mazda 3 have no issues when it comes to stopping. The brake pedals have quite a bit of travel which allows for smooth stops and they progressively get firmer the harder you press on them.
Handling – Of all its competitors, the 2022 Mazda 3 has always been known as the driver’s car. Sharp and firm steering give the driver confidence to push this Mazda 3 through corners a bit more quickly than its competitors. Body roll is well controlled by the suspension without too many jounces after driving over a big bump. G-vectoring control momentarily limits engine torque while driving through corners to prevent the body from rolling too much which in turn maintains traction and provides a smoother drive for occupants. The AWD system is a blanket of security for those that live in areas where winters are actually winters.
The Nissan Sentra has more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension but it doesn’t feel quite as sharp as the Mazda. The steering is a bit lighter and it feels more relaxed. But the car does stay planted when you hit a mid-corner bump. It absorbs potholes with composure and it doesn’t feel like the back end is doing a little dance.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Despite the more basic torsion beam rear suspension of the Mazda 3, the ride quality is very good for this class of vehicle. Yes, it is a tiny bit firmer than the Honda Civic for example but you can still drive over potholes without the fear of shaking your teeth loose.
As for the Nissan Sentra with its more advanced suspension design, the ride quality is similar to that of the Mazda 3. It absorbs potholes effectively but I was expecting the ride to be a little bit softer than that of the 3.
Interior Space – On paper, both compact cars have similar amounts of headroom and legroom. In the front seats, this is true in the real world. For my above average height of 6’4”, I can sit comfortably in either one.
Things, however, are very different in the back seats. Behind my driving position, I can just squeeze in the Sentra. My legs do feel squished and I can feel my hair against the headliner but it’s not as bad as it is in the Mazda 3. In the 3, my legs feel even more squished and I have to turn my head sideways in order to fit in the back seats.
The Mazda 3 also has a smaller trunk at 374 L (13.2 cu-ft) whereas the Nissan Sentra has 405 L (14.3 cu-ft). However, the Sentra only has a tire repair kit while the Mazda 3 gets a temporary spare wheel, even with the AWD system.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – To my surprise, both cars have similar amounts of interior noise. To the human ears, the Mazda 3 sounds a bit quieter than the Nissan Sentra but to the cheap decibel app on my phone, both cars registered an average of 69 decibels at around 60 km/h over the same piece of patched up road. But the Mazda 3 does have a nicer sounding engine than the Sentra when putting your foot down. It is a deep and raspy noise whereas the 2.0L in the Sentra just sounds like any other 4-cylinder.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – If you just want a bare bones sedan with seats and a wheel at each corner, both cars start at almost the same price. There’s only an $18 CAD difference between them. The 2026 Nissan Sentra S starts at $25,268 CAD ($22,600 USD) while the 2026 Mazda 3 GX starts at $25,250 CAD ($24,550 USD, 2.5 S). Things stay pretty similar when you move up to their mid-level trims but the Mazda 3 starts to make a bit of a gap with the GS trim costing a bit more than the SV trim of the Sentra. But move up to their respective top trims and that’s where you’ll really notice the price gap. The Sentra SR Premium is $31,998 CAD ($27,990 USD, SL) while the Mazda 3 GT is $34,050 CAD ($36,740 USD, 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus).
Gadgets – On the tech side, the Sentra SR can be equipped with a lot of stuff. Heated front seats, heated steering wheel, power sunroof, wireless phone charging pad, dual-zone automatic climate control, push button start and even surround view cameras.
The Mazda 3 can be equipped with the same features including the surround view cameras as well as a head-up display. That’s something the Sentra does not have. But those last two features are only available on the top spec GT trim.
As for the infotainment systems, the Nissan uses a more traditional system with a touchscreen being the focal point of the system. It allows some degree of customizability with different apps & widgets being available for the home screen. It still has some elements of the older infotainment system such as the fonts and some menu structures, but I found this new system fairly easy to get used to.
The Mazda uses a rotary knob on the center console to control the system. I know this is not to everyone’s taste, but the native system was designed to function with this rotary knob. It’s quite intuitive to use. However, once you launch Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, both of which are wireless in both cars, then using the rotary knob is worse than fingernails on a chalkboard. Thankfully, the screen becomes a touchscreen to ease the use of those apps.
Interior Design – The 2026 Nissan Sentra’s interior is reminiscent of other current Nissan models. That means it has a dual-screen layout, a few physical buttons and a volume knob just underneath it, and unfortunately, capacitive touch controls for the climate control. These work just fine but even these force you to take your eyes off the road to make sure you’ve selected the thing that you wanted to select. The designers have tried to spruce up the interior with synthetic leather upholstery, orange stitching for this SR trim, and a lovely ambient lighting system. But there is still quite a bit of plastic.
In the Mazda 3, the interior is perhaps not as flashy but I’d say much more elegant. There’s lashings of leatherette across the dashboard and center console, and of course the seats, but you can opt for the real stuff with the top spec GT trim. You also get analog gauges which these days have become a sign of craftsmanship and not just fitting a screen in front of the driver like almost every other brand out there. Even the Porsche 911 has gotten rid of its brilliant analog tachometer. Additionally, it still uses physical buttons and knobs for commonly used functions such as the climate control.
Exterior Design – To make a sedan stand out, you have to give it what designers call “presence”. In the past, Nissans looked like…. just some car. But now look at the Sentra, it is sharp! It’s this SR trim that you’ll definitely want to go for. It has the blacked out front grille, a rear spoiler that probably doesn’t do anything but it looks cool, and the 18-inch wheels that fill the wheel wells better than the 16-inch steelies of the base trim. It’s lower, wider, and just cooler than before.
Next to the Mazda 3, the new Sentra definitely has plenty of presence. The 3 is not a bad looking car, I think it has an elegant design, but it just doesn’t make me turn my head like the Sentra if it drove past me.
Warranty – The 2026 Nissan Sentra is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km new vehicle basic warranty and a 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty, click here.
The Mazda 3 has a 3 year / unlimited km basic warranty and a 5 year / unlimited powertrain warranty. In the United States, the warranty is 3 year / 36,000 mile basic & 5 year / 60,000 mile powertrain. For more info on Canadian warranty, click here. For more info on U.S.A. warranty, click here.
Conclusion – Overall, the Mazda 3 is still the car you buy if you love driving. It’s an artist’s tool. It’s beautiful and can be very fast.
The Nissan Sentra is an honest, well-equipped, and stylish sedan. Sure, it’s not quick like the Mazda 3, but it doesn’t try to over complicate things either with different engines or an AWD system. And in a world of overpriced and over-complicated crossovers, this might be the most sensible thing on the road.
Thank you to Nissan Canada for providing the 2026 Sentra. www.Nissan.ca
Thank you to Mazda Canada for providing the 2026 3 GS AWD. www.Mazda.ca
2026 Nissan Sentra SR Premium Gallery
2026 Mazda 3 GS AWD Gallery
