The 2015 Nissan Altima is a stylish and well equipped mid size sedan that takes aim square at the Toyota Camry but promises sportier driving dynamics and a lower price. This particular 2.5 SL model comes wearing a sticker price just a hair over $31,000, but it has just about every piece of equipment that Nissan can throw at it, from leather seats, to lane departure, and navigation. The only thing this car doesn’t have is a V6 engine. Rather, this particular tester comes with Nissan’s 2.5-liter four cylinder that makes 182 horsepower and 180 pound feet of torque. When this generation car first debuted in 2012 it was easily top of its class, but lets go for a drive and see just how well the Altima has held up over the years now that many of its key rivals have been updated.
From an exterior design standpoint, I still enjoy the way the Altima looks, but is once dramatic and radical styling has begun to lose its impact. The deeply creased fenders and softened curves are still handsome enough, and the overall design is interesting enough that it’s not boring, but you can still blend into the parking lot. The Cayenne Red paint and 17-inch alloys do add a nice touch.
On the inside things get a bit better. Since this is the SL model, the cabin is filled with an assortment of luxury goodies. I have leather seats, a power moonroof, 9-speaker Bose stereo system, backup camera, NissanConnect, Bluetooth, push-button start and more. The seats are Nissan’s fancy NASA-inspired “Zero Gravity” thrones that are very supportive and comfortable for long drives, and they are heated. The addition of the Technology Package sees the addition of navigation, a larger 7-inch color touchscreen for the infotainment system and a host of safety features like blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and moving object detection.
Nissan’s 2.5-liter engine in the Altima may not be the most powerful unit in its class, but thanks to a lower weight, the car does have one of the best acceleration times and it has outstanding fuel economy ratings. The little 182 horsepower motor will return up to 38 mpg on the highway according to the EPA. Most of this efficiency comes down to the Altima’s Xtronic CVT. The CVT in the Altima has very high spacing between its ratio start and end points that re greater than many 7-speed transmissions. During my testing I saw an average around 34 mpg.
Driving dynamics of the Altima are better than you may expect, but this sedan doesn’t possess a sporting character like you may get in something like a BMW. This is mostly due to the suspension setup. The Altima is sprung on the softer side for greater comfort, but it hinders performance in the bed. The car is still relatively neutral in the turns, but it will understeer when pushed, and the rolling body motions can make passengers feel a little ill when you really cane on it.
On the bright side, the Alitma has a pretty solid steering system. While most competitors use a full electric setup to save fuel, the Altima uses a hybrid system. There is still a full hydraulic power steering system, but rather than use the engine to power it, it uses an electric pump. This still saves fuel, but it gives the steering a more natural feel. Weight builds naturally in the corners, and there is more feel than you would expect.
On the whole, I still really enjoy the Altima. It may not feel as sharp or groundbreaking as it did three years ago, but the car has aged gracefully and it still remains a solid competitor in a crowded segment. If Nissan can bring out an updated version in a year or two using that new aggressive design language found on the new Maxima and Murano, coupled with a bit of a horsepower boost, it could easily become the king of the mid-size mountain once again.
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