- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He
2018 Nissan Altima Sedan. 6th generation
The Nissan Altima is a large business-class five-seater sedan with an eye-catching exterior and interesting equipment. It has been produced since 1992 by Nissan (Japan). The company’s bestselling North American sedan, the sixth generation Altima, was unveiled at the 2018 New York Auto Show. In 2021, this generation could be purchased on the Israeli market.
The Nissan Altima competes with the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, being quite close on their heels.
Exterior
The exterior design of the Nissan sedan was already known back in 2017, thanks to the Nissan Vmotion 2.0 concept car. The production car is very similar to it, but more practical. It can be distinguished by the front axle shifted to the bumper, a low bonnet line, a massive chrome ‘tick’ of the radiator grille, a ‘floating’ roof, an elegant and dynamic profile. All of these elements make the new Nissan Altima look very beautiful. With its narrow long and slanted headlights, the sedan’s face looks aggressive. When you look at the rear, you immediately notice two tailpipes of the exhaust system and a small wing that grows out of the trunk lid. The drag coefficient is an amazingly low 0.26.
The car has retained almost the same size: it is 25 mm longer and wider than the previous one, but at the same time it is 25 mm lower, while the wheelbase has grown by 48 mm and is 2,825 mm, like the Toyota Camry. The new Altima is 4,900 mm long, 1,852 mm wide and 1,444 mm high. Its clearance is 129 mm. The volume of the trunk reaches 437 liters.
Interior
It is important to note that the Japanese manufacturer does not seek to implement all existing technologies in its business sedan. Even the expensive trim levels don’t have any digital dashboard and feature many mechanical control units under the relatively small multimedia touchscreen. This will probably allow winning the love of more conservative motorists. Therefore, in front of the driver there is a familiar dashboard with large numbers and massive arrows. As a tribute to fashion and practicality, there is a small on-board computer screen between the speedometer and the tachometer.
A multi-steering wheel with many buttons, an ergonomic shape and a cropped bottom is eye-catching. The center panel houses an 8-inch (even in the entry-level trim) touchscreen display. The multimedia system has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto services, as well as four USB ports: one regular and one compact for front and rear passengers. You can connect to it through any smartphone. In general, the 2018/2019 Nissan Altima’s interior with a lowered front panel and an outstanding multimedia system screen looks noticeably lighter than before. It is also worth noting the smooth lines of the interior and the modified seats with good support.
Powertrains and chassis
The car is still standardly equipped with the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, but, according to the company, the engine has been redesigned by 80%: the output has increased to 191 hp and 244 Nm, while fuel consumption has decreased. It is with this engine that the 2019/2020 Nissan Altima is sold in Israel. The second engine is an innovative 2.0-liter VC-Turbo four-cylinder engine with a variable compression ratio (generating 251 hp). Both engines are paired with a proprietary Xtronic CVT. The two-liter version is exclusively front-wheel drive.
The 2.5-liter engine accelerates the sedan to 100 km/h in 8.7 seconds, while the fuel consumption in the combined cycle is 7 l/100 km. The car is equipped with an independent suspension: the MacPherson strut at the front and a multi-link suspension at the rear. Shock absorbers now provide a smoother ride.
Trim levels and equipment
The 2020 Nissan Altima has a ProPilot system: autopilot functions include adaptive cruise control and Lane Keep Assist. And the MOD 360 package of electronic assistants is supplemented with the reverse automatic braking system. The interior is trimmed with leather (seats, steering wheel, and CVT lever). The front seats are heated and can memorize the driver’s seating position. All cars are equipped with 2-zone climate control, a rear-view camera and adaptive cruise control. The audio system, Bluetooth and cruise control are controlled by buttons on the steering wheel.
In Israel, the car is available in several trim levels. The simpler one is called ‘SV’.
The SV comprises an audio system with 6 speakers, height- and reach-adjustable steering wheel, and TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System). Safety is ensured by 10 airbags, an emergency braking system, forward collision warning system, rear obstacle detection system, blind spot monitoring system, hill start assist and dynamic stability control.
The top-end SL is equipped with the Nissan Connect multimedia system, Bose audio system with 9 speakers and a rear view camera. Safety is ensured by 10 airbags, a lane departure warning system, traffic sign detection system, emergency braking system, forward collision warning system, rear obstacle detection system, blind spot monitoring system, emergency braking system, including pedestrian detection. Other options comprise a hill start assist, adaptive high beam, dynamic stability control and tire pressure monitoring system. It is worth noting that the car has an electronic handbrake and heated steering wheel. The sedan is distinguished by 19-inch wheels, a sunroof, as well as LED headlights, fog and DRL.
