Explore the Nissan Altima in this comprehensive guide covering features, comparisons, pricing, and safety ratings. Discover how it stacks up against competitors like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and learn about its engine options and key specs. Updated insights make it easier to consider this reliable mid-size sedan for your needs.

Your Ultimate Guide to the Nissan Altima: Features, Comparisons, and Pricing Insights

The Nissan Altima, a popular mid-size sedan, has been part of the automaker's lineup since 1992, evolving from its roots in the Nissan Bluebird family, which began in 1957.

Competitive Landscape
In the mid-size sedan segment, the Nissan Altima competes with models like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Compared to Nissan's Maxima, the Altima is less luxurious, smaller, and offers less power, but it outperforms the Sentra in comfort, size, and overall performance. The Altima spans five generations; the first was produced from 1992 to 1997, with the current fifth generation starting in 2012.

The first four Altima generations were built exclusively in the U.S. and marketed across North America, South America, Australia, and the Middle East. The Nissan Teana, a vehicle similar in size to the Altima and Maxima, was marketed outside the Americas, Australia, and the Middle East, and was later rebadged as a fifth-generation Altima by 2013. The name ‘Altima’ originally referred to a top trim of the Nissan Leopard in Japan (1986) and later to the Nissan Laurel in Central America before 1992.

The American-made Altima was introduced in 1992, replacing the discontinued Stanza model.

Features and Pricing Overview
Starting at around $22,500, the 2017 Nissan Altima offers features like a child seat latch system for safety and a cabin designed for quiet journeys thanks to excellent sound insulation. Its trunk provides 15.4 cubic feet of cargo space. Convenient cup holders enhance passenger comfort. Powering the vehicle is a 179-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that balances performance and fuel efficiency. There's also a 270-horsepower V6 with a 3.5-liter engine, perfect for highway driving and overtaking. Fuel economy stands at approximately 27 mpg city and 39 mpg highway for the four-cylinder, and 22/32 mpg for the V6.

In 2017, the Altima ranked 12th out of 19 mid-size sedans, excelling in fuel economy, comfort, and seating capacity. Since its last redesign in 2013, it scored slightly lower in technology and driving dynamics, but safety remains a highlight—earning the 2010 NHTSA Top Safety Pick and the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ in 2017.