WASHINGTON — Toyota and Honda have long dominated the midsize sedan class, but recently, Nissan has moved closer to its rivals with its revamped Altima.
The Altima offers decent-sized sedan choices, with four- or six-cylinder engines and different trim levels to satisfy various budgets and needs. Last year, we studied the top-of-the-line SL trim level. I came away mostly impressed.
But how many people buy the fully-loaded sedan? This time, we look at the mid-grade SV trim level with a starting price under $25,000, and a more popular model for most buyers.
The Altima I drove did have one option – the convenience package for $1,350. It included a sunroof, rear A/C vents and one of those universal garage door openers and compass. For $26,880, you get a large sedan with standard power driver’s seat, leather steering wheel and shift knob and some comfortable Zero Gravity front seats. Those seats are good for longer trips or just fine for the normal daily commute. If you choose the sunroof, it does look like you lose some rear seat headroom, which could impact taller riders. However, there looks to be plenty of legroom. The rear A/C and heat vents are a nice touch and the trunk is very spacious. The 5-inch color display is small, but it does come with a standard rear view camera and Bluetooth for your phone and USB ports to plug in devices.
The Altima 2.5 SV comes with a four-cylinder engine with 182hp. It does a good job moving the sedan around but it can get noisy when working hard. The CVT transmission seems to keep it loud when accelerating and it can be a bit eager at times when starting from a stop. Under light acceleration or just cruising, the transmission is smooth and quiet. The CVT tradeoff should be stellar gas mileage. But I could only manage 28 mpg over a week and 220 miles of mixed driving when the sticker says 27 mpg city/38 mpg highway. The Altima did handle the roads with a smooth ride and it was pretty quiet on the highway. It’s also a sedan that doesn’t mind a back road once in a while.
Styling for the Nissan Altima is handsome. It doesn’t wow you with standout looks, but is modern with some styling cues. The fenders have a bulge around the wheel openings and the front and rear lights wrap around the corners, adding style. The standard 17-inch alloy wheels also help class-up the car a bit. Even the dual tailpipes add a little flair to the midsize sedan, and bits of chrome-colored trim make the Altima look a bit smaller than it really is. The Storm Blue paint is a handsome color for the Altima, and a color you don’t see often.
I see why the 2015 Altima is making some inroads with the competition — it has the size and the price to better compete than before. Different trim levels and a choice for a V6 or the base four-cylinder engine works fine for most buyers. Even when you don’t choose to have every option, the lower trim levels of the Nissan Altima don’t seem to be much of a sacrifice to save a few a bucks.
Editor’s note: Mike Parris is a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association. The vehicles are provided by STI, FMI or Event Solutions for the purpose of this review.
