From Altima to Z. What’s New in Nissan Cars?

While several other manufacturers have abandoned passenger cars altogether or maybe just kept one on their roster, Nissan still offers a large selection of passenger car lines, including three sedans, an EV, and not one, but two dedicated sports cars. Alas, 2024 does mark the departure of the Maxima sedan, a proud Nissan nameplate for over 40 years and a favorite here at Nissan of Rochester, but there remains plenty of carlines ready for your garage. Let’s look at what you can expect from the 2024 model lines.

2024 Versa

The Nissan Versa carries on proudly as an economical subcompact sedan. Wearing its still-fresh exterior from its major 2023 update, the Versa remains unchanged for 2024. It is the most affordable new car on the market, with a starting MSRP of $16,200 (excluding tax, title, license, destination, and handling charges).

2024 Sentra

The Sentra has been on the market since 1987, and Motor Trend describes this 8th-generation as “…the best version of the compact the automaker has ever developed.” To this 8th-generation model, Nissan has added new front styling with a revised grille and new headlight design. There are also new 16- and 18-inch wheel designs. The car gets a significant mechanical upgrade with a new Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) for smoother acceleration and overall operation. The new CVT enables the addition of Idle Stop Start, which shuts down the engine during stops at lights or in traffic and smoothly starts it again with the push of the accelerator pedal. The popular SV grade gains a Premium package that includes Intelligent Around View Monitor®4, an 8-speaker Bose® Premium Audio System, and exterior mirrors with turn signal indicators. Heated front seats are now standard on the SR grade. 

2024 Altima

The mid-size Altima received a major update for the 2023 model year, which included refreshed styling and new technology features such as available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, ProPILOT Assist, and Nissan Safety Shield® 360 standard on all models. The Altima is available with two powertrains. The standard 2.5-liter inline-4 produces 188 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. The highly advanced 2.0-liter Variable Compression Turbo (VS-Turbo) engine can seamlessly change its compression ratio to optimize output according to conditions. That output peaks at 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque (using 93 octane fuel). The VC Turbo Altima is EPA-rated at 34 highway mpg.

2024 LEAF

The world’s first modern all-electric passenger car is now well into its 2nd generation and received a significant styling update in 2022, including an enhanced front grille, bumper molding, and headlights, plus interior upholstery changes and a new 17-inch wheel design for the SV PLUS. There are two LEAF grades, each with its own drivetrain. The LEAF S has 147 hp and 23 lb-ft of torque and an EPA-estimated range of 149 miles from its 40kWh battery. The SV PLUS has a 50% larger battery capacity (60kWh) and produces 214 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque, with a range of 212 miles.

2024 Z

Now, in the second year of its new design, the big news for the Z sports car is the new high-performance NISMO grade. The NISMO takes everything on the Performance grade and enhances it further. It starts with a 20 horsepower bump to 420 overall and 34 additional pound-feet of torque for a peak of 384 that is reached at 2000 rpm and continues through 5,200. The enhancements come from a combination of improved cooling, revised electronic wastegate control, and an independent ignition spark timing strategy derived from the GT-R NISMO.

For the suspension, you have unique stabilizer bars, a stiffer spring rate, and larger, retuned dampers. Bringing it to the ground are lightweight, NISMO-specific gloss black 19-inch wheels wrapped by Dunlop® SP SPORT MAXX GT600 tires which are also used on the GT-R. The chassis is stiffened, the brakes are larger, and most visibly, it wears an extended “G-Nose” treatment in the front matched by a restyled grille with the thinnest hexagon mesh ever on any Nissan product for both reduced drag and improved cooling. 

Inside, you’ll find Recaro seats with NISMO logos, an Alcantara trimmed steering wheel, and bespoke digital display graphics. NISMO models also receive Amazon Alexa connectivity.

2024 GT-R

The 2024 GT-R has improved aerodynamics via a restyled front and a new rear wing. The T-Spec grade returns, slotting between the base GT-R Premium and range-topping NISMO. The T-Spec delivers 565 horsepower and features NISMO carbon-ceramic brakes, a gold-painted version of the NISMO’s RAYS® 20-inch forged wheels, NISMO-tuned Vehicle Dynamic Control, and wider front fenders. Mori Green interior is featured with a combination of semi-aniline and suede upholstery for the front seats. The NISMO grade gains a front limited-slip differential and an available appearance package with bespoke wheels and carbon fiber trim.

From the low-price-leading Versa to the phenomenal GT-R, Nissan has proven that it is fully dedicated to those who love actual cars. If you like cars and want to love what you drive, Nissan of Rochester is the place to go. You will find examples of all six passenger car model lines in the Nissan of Rochester inventory.