The Altima sedan has been a stalwart for Nissan for over a decade, and in 2025, it will add capability to help boost sales in the crossover-dominated marketplace.
Nissan still believes in the midsize sedan class even while other automakers have given up on them altogether. For 2025, the midsize sedan comes with a simpler game plan. Gone is the gutsy optional turbo engine that gave the Altima plenty of power but made it pricey.
Now, a 2.5L four-cylinder motivates this sedan without much fuss.
The trade-off comes with the benefit of the optional Intelligent all-wheel-drive system that makes the Altima a sure-footed sedan. It’s a comfortable highway cruiser with minimal road and tire noise reaching the cabin.
However, you feel the larger bumps and broken roadway more than in other midsize sedans. When you hit the corners of the backroads, the Altima is a willing partner, but there isn’t much steering feel when you really push it.
Styling for the 2025 Altima is a strong selling point. It starts with a bold blacked-out grill and sports car-styled 17-inch wheels, lending to a sportier look for a price that won’t break the bank. The body boasts lines and curves and the sloping roofline and angled rear door glass give it more of a coupe-like appearance. Dual tail pipes and a small rear spoiler help shed the boring sedan styling blues.
The Altima has good space, offering loads of room for front and rear-seat riders. I drove the value-minded SV trim level, which comes with heated, durable cloth seats. However, the preproduction test model didn’t have rear vents to warm backseat passengers.
The trunk space is also a plus. The 12.3-inch touch screen is easy to use and there is wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car’s voice control feature actually understands your voice.
Cost: $28,930; as tested $32,520
MPG: 25 mpg city; 34 mpg highway. I managed 31.5 in 389 miles of mixed driving.
Options: $365 floor mats, trunk mat, hideaway net and dual trunk hooks; $570 exterior ground lighting with logo; $1,090 SV special edition; $425 premium paint.
Safety: Nissan safety shield 360; steering assist; automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection; intelligent forward collision warning; rear automatic braking; blind spot warning; rear
cross traffic alert; lane departure warning; intelligent lane intervention; high beam assist; vehicle dynamic control system.
Things to know: Nissan has made its popular Altima midsize sedan even more appealing with optional AWD and keeps the price reasonable for more buyers.
Pros:
- Large sedan has space for the family
- AWD available in models under $30,000
- Gets good fuel economy
Cons:
- Not the best visibility out of the back of the car
- No hybrid version available at this point
- Some might miss the optional peppy turbo engine that is discontinued for 2025
