Review of the new Nissan Altima: Should you buy one?

Despite some newer additions in the market, there are a handful of models that form the core of the midsize sedan segment even to this day. This is where cars like the Nissan Altima come in. While the Altima has been a mainstay for Nissan in the GCC for a long time, it has been around in several global markets since the early 1990s. It was since the arrival of the third generation and the even better-received fourth-generation model that the Altima nameplate became cemented in the UAE.

Now that we are on the sixth generation, the Nissan Altima 2023 was the most recent update applied to this sedan. We have had our chance to extensively test drive the new Altima, and the following is what we have to say about Nissan’s best-selling midsize sedan. In the meantime, if you are looking for secondhand cars in Dubai, or are in search of the best cars for sale in UAE, then do check out YallaMotor.

What do we think of the styling of the Nissan Altima?

One of the things that we appreciate when it comes to the styling of all-new Nissan cars is that they retain the brand’s common “family look.” One look at the new Altima and the family genes is quite evident – also apparent is the simplistically modern design of this car. While Nissan’s V-motion front grille makes its appearance here with much aplomb, we particularly like the boomerang-shaped chrome inserts and LED headlights up front.

Our test vehicle, being the fully loaded SL trim and finished in Deep Blue Pearl, came with stunning-looking 19-inch alloy wheels that boast a fancy turbine-like design. Aside from those gorgeous wheels, the side is perhaps one of the more boring angles to view the new Altima from. That said, there is chrome trim on the door handles and along the lower window line, which does add some bling. As for the sleek door handles, the front ones get a door unlock button.

Of course, a door-unlocking button isn’t all that fascinating. What is interesting with the new Altima’s is that with one press, it just unlocks the associated door – two clicks result in all the doors being unlocked. Then there is the rear of the Altima, which features the revised Nissan logo, a subtle bootlip spoiler, large wraparound taillights that protrude out the sides, and twin exhaust tailpipes tuckered neatly under the back bumper.

What does the interior of the Nissan Altima hold?

Compared to its predecessor, the interior of the new Nissan Altima is miles better in every way possible. It features good build & material quality, combined with soft-touch leather trim and faux wood that makes this cabin feel relatively modern and well-thought-out. Nissan has retained physical controls for the new Altima’s HVAC system, which is far easier to operate even whilst driving – the knurled knobs feel good to use, too.

Having said that, we would have preferred cooled seats instead of the heated seats function that are found in the new Altima. Considering that the UAE experiences some of the hottest summers (like almost every other nation in the region), cooled seats would have been a far more practical option for customers. Speaking of which, the leather seats in our test car are comfortable and the front ones are electrically adjustable, with the driver’s seat featuring a power lumbar support.

The high-definition, 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system works well enough and is loaded with useful features, though we have observed the system being laggy at times. Our Nissan Altima SL also gets wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, both of which work as well as expected. Placed right below the center display are some of the primary controls for the infotainment system, one of which is the button for the cameras. The top-end SL comes with 360-degree cameras that can come in really handy, though it leaves a little more to be desired in terms of its picture quality.

The multifunction steering wheel is wrapped in high-quality leather and features a flat bottom, with a button for Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility System. It also incorporates flappy paddles for the CVT gearbox – a pretty moot point if you ask us (albeit adding a touch of ‘sportiness’). The Intelligent Mobility System encompasses a wide array of safety equipment, which includes Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, etc.

There are enough storage spaces in the new Altima’s cabin and the center console integrates a couple of cupholders, an engine start/stop button, an electronic parking brake, and a wireless charging pad. Meanwhile, the console itself is trimmed in piano black plastic and even stitched leather. We would have liked if Nissan had equipped the armrest storage with a cooling feature, but alas. The rear seats of the Altima are equally comfortable and spacious, the latter further exaggerated by the light beige interior and the electrically operated sunroof.

The seats feature a comfortable recline angle, a center armrest with integrated cupholders, Type-A & Type-C charging ports, and rear AC vents that will be useful during Dubai’s blisteringly hot summer months. All that said, headroom at the back is not all that great, even for those who aren’t exactly six feet tall.

How does the new Nissan Altima drive?

For starters, let us talk about what is under the hood. Depending on the variant, the new Nissan Altima can be had with either a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-popper or a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The former produces 188 hp and 244 Nm of torque, while the latter can pump out 248 hp and up to 380 Nm of torque. For reference, our tester was powered by the 2.5-liter four-cylinder motor.

While it is not as brisk as the turbo model, the naturally aspirated Altima’s performance should suffice for most customers under most circumstances. During our testing, one of the first things that caught our attention was the annoying rubber-band effect of the CVT gearbox, which sounds strained as it holds constant revs – sounding even more intrusive under any sort of hard acceleration. According to Nissan, the new Altima is capable of achieving between 16.4 km/l to 17.6 km/l (6-5.6 L/100 km).

However, during our time road testing it, the new Altima 2.5 managed around 10.4 km/l or 9.6 L/100 km. Although it is not as powerful as its 2.0 turbocharged stablemate, our tester got up to triple-digit speeds without much fuss. Once there, the cabin insulation did a pretty decent job of keeping much of the wind and road noise at bay, making the in-cabin experience pretty good.

Also, despite its swanky 19-inch rims, the new Altima’s ride quality impressed us a lot – long drives in this sedan are a breeze. Sweetening the deal further is the fact that, even when we took it to Sharjah and Jebel Ali (from Dubai), the powertrain felt smooth and refined. Of course, any sudden stab of the accelerator brought back the whine of that CVT.

Verdict

All in all, we think that the new Nissan Altima is a well-packaged family sedan that offers a decent dose of power, good ride quality, and a comfortable cabin. The price of the new Altima ranges between AED 110,000 and AED 146,500 in the UAE, which is quite high if we are being totally honest – though its immediate rivals are not exactly cheap either.