Yahoo Autos The 2019 Nissan Altima Shows Nissan Hasn't Given Up on the Sedan
A new Nissan Altima may not seem terribly exciting, considering they're handed out like starlight mints at rental-car counters. While it may not have had the sweet taste of free candy, the last Altima was spacious, competent, reasonably refined, and affordable. It checked the segment's major boxes, it just didn't receive any gold stars. Okay, the V-6 version was a silly overpowered front-wheel-drive thing, and while it did leave us chuckling, we weren't exactly laughing with it.
What's New
The 2019 Altima has been completely redone. As is typical with a redesigned model, its maker boasts about increases in structural rigidity. Check. The Altima's structure is both lighter and more rigid than its predecessor. Next come the safety claims. That's when we learned that the Altima has standard automated emergency braking. When it comes to the interior, USBs are the new cupholders. And in the new Altima, not only are there two regular USB ports, there are also two of the new USB type-C ports, which are the future of device connections.
There's an entirely new floor stamping, which allows for the driveshaft that's necessary for the Altima's newly available all-wheel-drive system. All-wheel drive is available on every trim level, as long as you select the 188-hp naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four. A $1350 option, AWD makes the Altima a foul-weather standout against the front-drive-only Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu, Mazda 6, and Volkswagen Passat. Subaru's Legacy has all-wheel drive, but ironically the family-sedan segment is one place where Subaru can't find traction.
Back to the Altima: A 1.9-inch-longer wheelbase makes for even more Uber-friendly room in the rear seat. Although the legroom is excellent, there's more road and tire noise in the rear than the front. It's loud enough to make you wonder if someone left out the sound-deadening material. Front-seat space is also generous, and the butt-coddling foam in what Nissan calls Zero Gravity seats remains.
The suspension design also carries over. There are struts up front and a multilink setup in the back. Base versions come with 16-inch steel wheels, moving up to SV or SL trims brings 17-inch aluminum wheels, and the SR and Platinum versions have 19s. On our drive around Santa Barbara, California, only SR and Platinum Altimas were available.
The SR trim level is the sportiest and the one that Nissan expects to be the best seller. It looks great sitting on its 19-inch wheels, and the chrome collar around the grille is darker than with the other trim levels. All-season tires are used on every Altima, but the SR has 10-percent-stiffer springs in front and back, and the damping is also a bit more aggressive. We'd say the damping is a little too aggressive; it didn't send our flabby pecs aflutter, but the car could stand to be a bit less jittery on concrete freeways. The Platinum version also rides on 19-inch wheels, but its less aggressive chassis tuning provides a superior ride. Grip is excellent on both versions, and the steering is accurate, if not exactly sporty. We'd like more involvement and feedback. Assist ramps up with speed, which means lightness at parking-lot speeds and more weight at highway velocities.
A Four and a Turbo Four
There's a new variable-compression-ratio turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four with 248 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, available on the SR and the Platinum. Retuned to drink regular instead of premium fuel (as it does in the Infiniti QX50), the engine replaces the amusing 3.5-liter V-6. Equipped with the 2.0-liter engine, the Altima nips at the heels of the pricier Maxima. There’s plenty of power throughout the rev range, and the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) pairs well with the low-rev torque of the turbo, which keeps it from high-rpm droning. The engine note has a satisfying snarl that works to put you in a sporting mood. Acceleration is strong-strong enough that we'd like to have the option of all-wheel drive to avoid spinning the front tires from a standstill. EPA-estimated fuel economy, at 25 mpg in the city and 34 highway, is an improvement over the V-6’s 22 mpg city and 32 highway numbers, and it beats all competitors' step-up engines.
The base engine is a direct-injected version of the previous Altima's 2.5-liter four-cylinder. A higher compression ratio and the direct injection adds nine horsepower. With the new 2.5-liter, the Altima scores 1 mpg better in EPA testing than before-28 mpg city, 39 highway. Adding all-wheel drive knocks it down to 26 city, 36 highway. A CVT is the only transmission available. SR models get paddle shifters and eight preset ratios that do a respectable job of mimicking a planetary automatic. Left to its own devices, the CVT does vary engine rpm under steady acceleration in a way that makes you think it has gears.
We drove the 2.5-liter powertrain with and without all-wheel drive, and the big four is free of annoying droning or resonances. Even under hard acceleration, the engine remains distant and unobtrusive, which is a nice match to the redone interior. Nissan has removed clutter and designed a clean and attractive dashboard that has bits that could have been taken from a Mazda 6, which is a good thing. An 8.0-inch touchscreen is standard, and it's augmented by volume and tuning knobs. There's an industry trend of returning to the basic two-knob setup after experiments with fussy touch and swipe controls, and we're happy to see the simple yet functional setup here in the Altima. SR models have a vinyl wrap with real stitching over the instrument panel; oddly, the supposedly more luxurious Platinum loses the dash wrap but does get gray-toned faux wood.
The exterior design borrows the black C-pillar swoosh of the Altima's big brother, the Maxima. It looks as if it's ready for a two-tone black roof option, like the Camry. Or you could go old-school and do a vinyl roof. LED headlights are standard on everything above the base car and the taillights remind us of the Lexus GS's. Overall, the look is modern and very Maxima-like, especially on the 19-inch wheels, which may be why Nissan expects the SR trim to be the best seller.
The SR's price is as attractive as its wheels. With the 2.5-liter four, the SR opens at $25,995. Choosing the turbocharged engine raises the SR's price by $4050; it's a $3000 upgrade on the Platinum. The base model starts at $24,645, and you can pay upward of $35K for a fully loaded Platinum. It's clear that Nissan hasn't given up on the Altima. Crossovers and SUVs may be taking more than half of the sales pie, but Nissan believes that Gen Y and Gen Z customers will be buying sedans to avoid the SUVs and crossovers that their parents drove. Rejecting Mom and Dad is a trend as old as humanity. Buying an Altima might be a strange way to rebel, but if it replaces yet another crossover sale, we're in support of the revolution.
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