The Altima is not a sport-utility (SUV) nor it is a crossover wagon, and that is the most potent criticism anyone can make of this Nissan sedan — a sedan which got a noteworthy upgrade for 2023.
2Modern cabin with lots of tech features.
Yes, the Altima is a four-door family car, one of a dwindling few. Consumers started to turn away from family cars years and years ago. It surprises most of us that carmakers the world over still make them, given the soft demand.
And yes, Toyota still has the Camry (due for a redesign in 2025), Kia the K5 (on the cusp of an expected freshening), Hyundai the Sonata (getting a makeover for 2024), and Honda the Accord (remade for 2023).
The K5 is the most interesting to drive of the bunch; while the Camry, Sonata and Accord offer hybrid versions that stretch your fuel dollar and cut your emissions.
The Altima? It is a gasoline-only four-door with very tidy looks, excellent fuel economy from its 182-hp, 2.5-litre four-cylinder (8.1 L/100 km combined). , and an exhaustive list of modern driver aids, such as:
- blind-spot and lane-departure warning;
- automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection;
- stability control;
- high-beam assist;
- rearview monitor;
- and all sorts of other software and hardware bits that help bad or distracted or surprised drivers avoid disaster, or even a minor scrape.
Pretty car.
Pricing starts at just below $35,000 and stair-steps to a still reasonable $38,000 or so, plus fees and extras. My 2024 Altima SR AWD tester was a sporty AWD (all-wheel drive) with a base price of $34,498. It had $2,500 worth of useful add-ons thanks to the Premium package:
- 12.3-inch touchscreen;
- Bose premium sound with 9 speakers;
- Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto;
- Navigation;
- Wi-Fi hotspot;
- Nissan Connect Services;
- And a few other odds and ends.
I cannot imagine anyone not liking the looks of this car. It is pretty, and pretty nice to drive in the city, too. The instrument and control layouts are sensible. The cabin is spacious. The ride is quiet and comfortable. And the seats are decently comfortable, though more under-thigh support would be one of my recommendations.
2023 ALTIMA
I would also encourage Nissan to dial in more steering feel and tune the continuously variable gearbox to provide something that feels more alive, more engaging. The materials in Accords, K5s and Camrys of a similar price look and feel richer than the Altima, but not by a huge margin.
The Altima also could do a better job of bringing calm to the ride when the pavement gets a bit nasty. And outward visibility is okay, but not great for two reasons: first, you are in a sedan, lower to the ground than an SUV; and, two, the roof pillars are a bit thick for a modern four-door.
I would argue that the Altima offers good value in an over-priced new-car marketplace. For something well, well below the average price of a new car in Canada — $20,000 or so, in fact – you get a well-done and functional family car with a comfy cabin, a useful trunk and scads of tech features that deliver convenience and safety on a grand scale.
Roomy cabin though not best-in-class trunk space.
My bet is that shoppers will find dealers willing and able to put them in a new Altima at a fair if not somewhat discounted price. That alone makes this car worth a look, even if it is not an SUV.
