SPICING UP THE SEDAN
Nissan adds power, makes bold statement in an otherwise stagnant automotive category
NOTRE-DAME-DE-LA-MERCI, QUE. I’m not sure what I was more thankful for: the heated seat or the studded tires. Racing around a frozen lake in an equally frozen La Belle Province seems like a rite of passage for any car-crazy Canuck, but, sadly, this was my first time kicking up ice and staring down quickly approaching snow banks.
But what a place to do it. Circuit Mecaglisse, north of Montreal, is renowned for its winter driving courses and proved the ideal location to slide around in the newest all-wheel-drive sedan to come to Canada. Only there wasn’t much sliding going on. The studded tires helped with the grip, but the sure-footed traction worked with the all-wheel-drive system.
What was more remarkable was that I was in a Nissan Altima, a run-of-the-mill family sedan you’d never choose for such a frosty adventure. Run of the mill until now. The all-new, sixth-generation Altima comes standard with allwheel drive, a move that can either be looked at as extremely bold or extremely foolish.
All-wheel-drive sedans, of course, aren’t that unusual if you consider the long tradition of luxury automakers — primarily German — bringing grippy four-doors to market. And Subaru has sold allwheel-drive sedans in Canada for decades. But in the segment and price point the Nissan Altima occupies, the Subaru Legacy is the only competition when it comes to mid-sized, all-wheel-drive sedans. The segment leading Toyota Camry and Honda Accord are strictly front-wheel drive, while larger sedans like the Dodge Charger and Kia Stinger are a big step up in price.
Consumers who want the confidence all-wheel drive delivers usually buy SUVS and CUVS. So not only has Nissan made a statement with the all-wheel-drive Altima — namely, the sedan isn’t dead — it has backed that up with the largest investment in the Altima’s 27-year history. The 2019 car is lighter, stronger and faster than the outgoing model.
The 2.5-litre engine is completely new. It’s more powerful — granted by just three horsepower for an output of 182 — has more torque, and is more fuel efficient (7.9 L/100 km combined). And the steering, CVT and brakes are all new as well.
Inside it gets a full makeover, too, with comfortable yet supportive seats front and rear, easy to read and intuitive displays and a slick eight-inch centre-stack screen. And Nissan’s Pro-pilot Assist and its driving aids makes their way into the Altima with this new model. In addition to that system, designed to ease driver stress in commuting conditions, there’s a full suite of other safety features, including traffic sign recognition and intelligent driver alertness.
As much fun as ripping around Circuit Mecaglisse was, it was the driving on snow-packed and icy Quebec back roads that truly demonstrated the appeal of the new Altima. No studded tires were required to reveal the grip provided by the AWD system, which is calibrated for three driving conditions. There’s a 50/50 split on power front to rear when starting off from a standstill, a fuel-efficient front-wheel-drive mode when cruising on solid ground and a 70/30 split when things get slippery. All-wheel-drive purists might pooh-pooh this limited-slip control, but systems that provide a wider range of traction control, often to individual wheels, are found on luxury vehicles in a much higher price bracket than even the top-of-the-line 2019 Altima.
The sub-200 horsepower output never felt wanting, even under hard acceleration, and the CVT has some fine-tuned mapping that would make you swear there’s a multi-gear transmission making up- and downshifts. The exhaust note when you run through the gears at speed is also very respectable. So, too, is the list of standard features, which seems tailored to Canadian winters and includes heated front seats and heated outside mirrors.
Pricing begins at $27,998 for the base S model, moves up to $31,498 for the mid-range SV and tops out at $34,998 for the Platinum trim. The vehicle is in Canadian showrooms now.
After spending a day in the new Altima, I was left with one question: does Nissan know something the rest of the motoring world doesn’t? Namely, are we at “peak utility?” Are SUVS and CUVS fated to become the minivans of this generation, tossed on the scrap heap of history as objects of suburban ridicule?
Sales of the new all-wheel-drive Altima will provide a hint as to whether the sedan segment can officially be taken off life support.