Nissan priced the 2027 Sentra from $22,990 on August 18, a $390 step up from the outgoing 2026 model’s $22,600 base, and put it on sale immediately. The headline addition is a Midnight Edition package for the SR grade, joining a CVT retune that Nissan says makes the sedan feel noticeably less like a CVT.
Midnight Edition is a $650 option on the Sentra SR, which itself starts at $24,990. The package adds black exterior badges, a Midnight Edition badge, black window opening trim, 18-inch black alloy wheels, and a Super Black two-tone roof. It is a cosmetic package only, no mechanical changes attached. Whether the blacked-out look justifies the add-on price is a matter of taste, but $650 is a modest ask compared to what rivals charge for similar appearance packages.
The more substantive update is what Nissan did to the Xtronic CVT. The automaker says engineers went further than the revisions already made for the 2026 model year, tuning the transmission for a smoother, more linear acceleration profile and crisper response to accelerator inputs. CVT refinement is a recurring priority for Nissan on this generation of the Sentra, and buyers who found earlier iterations rubbery underfoot will want to spend time with the 2027 before writing the transmission off entirely. The underlying 2.0-liter four-cylinder carries over, rated at 149 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque.
Trim pricing runs the full lineup: Sentra S at $22,990, SV at $23,990, SR at $24,990, and SL at $27,990. Destination and handling adds $1,275 to each. The SR is the logical choice for most buyers, sitting $3,000 below the SL while making the Midnight Edition package available. Fuel economy for the S, SV, and SL grades is EPA-rated at 30 mpg city, 38 highway, and 33 combined; the SR comes in at 29 city, 36 highway, and 32 combined due to its larger 18-inch wheels.
Nissan has not announced pricing for any potential future packages beyond the Midnight Edition itself.
The standard-equipment story remains one of Sentra’s clearest selling points. Every 2027 Sentra ships with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Intelligent Cruise Control, and LED lighting front and rear. The SR and SL grades add dual 12.3-inch displays, which Nissan claims is a class-leading setup in the mainstream compact segment. New for 2027 is an available Qi2 wireless charger, an upgrade over the previous generation’s Qi pad that brings faster charging and broader device compatibility. The cabin earned a spot on the 2026 Wards 10 Best Interiors and UX list and carries a 2026 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating.
The Sentra has covered significant ground since its 2022 nadir. Nissan recorded 152,659 U.S. sales in 2024, up from 109,195 in 2023. The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla remain the volume leaders in the segment, but the Sentra’s sales trajectory over the past two years has closed the gap more than most observers expected. A $650 appearance package and a smoother gearbox will not by themselves sustain that momentum, but they keep the Sentra current in a class where fresh content matters to conquest buyers.
At $22,990 to start, the 2027 Sentra makes a straightforward case. The Midnight Edition gives the SR something the base trims lack, the CVT retune addresses the transmission’s most persistent criticism, and the standard safety and infotainment equipment remains unusually generous for the price point. Nissan just needs buyers to keep noticing.
Source: Nissan. Images courtesy of Nissan.
