Compare the2026 Nissan SentraVS 2026 Toyota Corolla

The Nissan Sentra has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Corolla doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sentra (except S/SV) offers optional Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Corolla doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Sentra (except S/SV) offers an optional HD Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Corolla only offers a rear monitor.

Both the Sentra and the Corolla have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Sentra’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Corolla doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Sentra uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Corolla requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

For better stopping power the Sentra’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Corolla:

The Sentra has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Corolla doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For superior ride and handling, the Nissan Sentra has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Corolla LE has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Sentra has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Sentra flat and controlled during cornering. The Corolla LE suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sentra is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Corolla.

For better maneuverability, the Sentra’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Corolla’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.6 feet).

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Sentra has an electronically controlled liquid-filled front engine mount. A computer-controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The Corolla uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Sentra a Mid-size car, while the Corolla is rated a Compact.

The Sentra has 7.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corolla (96.1 vs. 88.6).

The Sentra has .6 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear hip room and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corolla.

The Sentra has a much larger trunk than the Corolla (14.3 vs. 13.1 cubic feet).

The Sentra has a standard Push Button Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. The Smart Key System costs extra on the Corolla.

The Sentra’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Corolla’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent. The Corolla SE/XSE’s manually variable intermittent wipers don’t change delay with speed.

The Sentra’s optional rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Corolla doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

On extremely cold winter days, the Sentra’s optional (except S) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Corolla doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Sentra (except S/SV)’s optional dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Corolla doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Compared to the Toyota Corolla, the Nissan Sentra eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.