Autoblog Calls Nissan Altima A Solid Value

If you look back to the automotive industry 50 years ago, you will find a marketplace dominated by American sedans. Despite the fact that nearly every American nameplate also consisted of coupe, convertible, and station wagon models, the sedans usually outsold the other body styles combined. Meanwhile, the Asian import brands mostly entered the market with small 2- and 4-door hatchbacks. So it is ironic today that American brands have mostly abandoned sedans to concentrate on SUVs with hatches, and it has been left almost entirely to the Asian brands to keep the family sedan market alive. Nissan has been the strongest sedan supporter, and you will find no less than four sedan model lines on offer at Nissan of Rochester. Bridging the middle and top of the sedan portfolio is the mid-size Altima, and the automotive site Autoblog has found plenty of reasons for it to be considered by any new car buyer.

While it is difficult to deny the cargo-carrying ability of an SUV or crossover, it should also be noted that few households need more than one cargo hauler and that the sedan has some distinct, if somewhat forgotten, advantages. It starts with the fact that everything in the trunk is secure and hidden from wandering eyes. Also, shutting the cargo area from the cabin eliminates noise that can resonate in that big open box in the rear. Sedans also tend to poke a lower hole in the air and thus have greater fuel efficiency.

Autoblog’s Altima review blows off any suspense by stating that the Altima is ”… a very good car in many ways.” They find the exterior attractive, if not aggressive, the engines “efficient and refined,” and the ride comfortable and quiet. Nissan also recognizes that having a secure trunk need not be mutually exclusive from a desire for the traction optimization of all-wheel drive (AWD), particularly for anyone anywhere near Rochester, Minnesota. Thus, Nissan is commended for offering AWD as a $1,500 option on SV, SR, and SL trim levels. 

Efficient Powertrains

No hybrid Altimas exist, but Nissan keeps things efficient with a normally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-4 engine that makes 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque. Further optimizing the efficiency, the engine is paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), supplying an infinite number of ratios. From there, the power goes to the front or all four wheels. It pays off with FWD models having an EPA-estimated city/highway/combined mpg as high as 27 / 39 / 32. AWD models don’t change much, with an EPA estimate of 26 / 36 / 30. 

Nissan does tap into its “4-Door Sports Car” heritage with the SR model powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 that produces 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. That is way more power than the 1989 Maxima that originated the “4-Door Sports Car” theme. This engine is also paired with a CVT but adds paddle shifters that fire off specific sequential ratios on demand, with the subsequent power going strictly to the front wheels. As Autoblog notes: “Unsurprisingly, the highest power also delivers the lowest fuel economy, but it’s still quite respectable at 25 / 34 / 29.”

Sporty Yet Sensible Controls

The Altima cabin greets the driver with a sporty and practical flat-bottomed steering wheel that Autoblog states:” looks good and feels better in your hands.” From there, the Altima keeps things straightforward with traditional white-on-black analog gauges with a large color information display in between. The center touchscreen size ranges from 7 to 8 to 12.3 inches depending on the trim, but even the large screen leaves room for physical controls for the HVAC and audio systems. The shifter is also traditional, with Nissan finding no advantage to button systems. The result is everything is where you expect it to be, and no learning curve is required.

In short, the Altima does everything you expect from a mid-size sedan quite well, with the added advantage of offering all-wheel drive, which makes up most of the Altima models in the Nissan of Rochester inventory, for obvious reasons. If a sedan sounds like a good idea for your next vehicle, you will want to check out the Altima at Nissan of Rochester.