New Nissan Altima is a smooth operator
Nissan’s bread-and-butter midsize sedan, the Altima, arrives for 2019 with aggressive new styling and new engine options.
This evolution is part of Nissan’s attempt to inject new energy into the segment, which has taken a hit as consumers move to SUVs. Still, Nissan has sold 5.6 million Altimas to date. (For scale, Tennessee has about 6.7 million residents.)
The Canton, Mississippi-made 2019 Altima is lower, longer and wider than the outgoing model and features a choice between a robust 2.5-liter engine (normally aspirated) and a new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that cranks out 248 horsepower. Our tester, provided for a oneweek test run by the manufacturer, is a mid-trim SR model with the 2.5liter engine making 188 horsepower.
Partly to entice some of those crossover buyers back into sedans, Nissan is offering all-wheel-drive as a $1, 350 option on most trim levels.
Locally, Altimas are available at Nissan of Chattanooga East (2121 Chapman Road) and Mountain View Nissan (2100 Market Street). Both dealerships have scores of Altimas in digital inventory, so selection is not a problem.
WHAT IS IT?
The Nissan Altima is a five-passenger, mid-size sedan that competes with such cars as the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
Depending on the trim level, Altimas range in price from $23,750 (S model) to $35,750 for a top-of-the-line VC-Turbo Limited Edition model. Our mid-trim SR, frontwheel-drive model starts at $25,100. With options, our tester has a sticker price of $27,665.
WHAT WE LIKED:
Our inventory of “likes” included the handsome “sport” interior, superior build quality, expressive fascia and overall fit and finish. We like the way the doors close with a confident “thunk.” This car seems solid and inspires confidence that it will last a long time.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT:
The 2.5-liter engine, although powerful, is a bit coarse. The infotainment screen looks tacked-on, and we’d like to see dual zone climate controls on cars like our $27,665 tester.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS:
We were surprised at how nimble the new Altima can be. Although we tested the 188-horsepower version — not the 248-horsepower turbo model — we were impressed about how the Altima charged up our mountain roads. The emphasis on all-wheeldrive is a smart play.
WHY IT MAKES SENSE FOR CHATTANOOGA:
Although we haven’t had much winter weather yet (knock on wood) it’s always great to have allwheel-drive for those occasions when our hills and mountains make icy roads all but impassable for mere two-wheel-drive models. BOTTOM LINE
The new Altima is a sharp-looking alternative to a small SUV, and should be on your “must drive” list if you are shopping for family sedans. A wide price range and great selection make the Altima a onesize-fits-all choice for a range of buyers.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@ timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/ mkennedycolumnist.