2023 Nissan Altima

　　

2023 Nissan Altima Review

byTravis LangnessReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　, rating written byTravis LangnessSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　The latest-generation Nissan Altima has been around since 2019. Available with front- or all-wheel drive and your choice of two engines, the Altima is easy to drive, comes with plenty of advanced driver aids, and is fairly fuel-efficient.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$116/mo  for Altima 2.5 S

　　Altima 2.5 S

　　2.5 S 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $25,630 MSRP2.5 SV 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $26,430 MSRP2.5 SV 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $27,930 MSRP2.5 SR 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl CVT) (Most Popular) - $27,830 MSRP2.5 SR 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $29,330 MSRP2.5 SL 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $32,330 MSRP2.5 SL 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) - $33,830 MSRPVC-T SR 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $35,330 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　For 2023, Nissan is introducing a few upgrades to keep the Altima competitive with other family haulers. Changes start with the outside — the revised Altima removes the V-shaped chrome strip in the grille, and the triangular elements located below the headlights are enlarged. There's also a new 12.3-inch touchscreen that's standard on the SL and SR VC-Turbo and optional for the SV. It replaces the previous 8-inch option and adds wireless Apple CarPlay in the process (Android Auto still requires a wired connection). A wireless charging pad and Wi-Fi hotspot are available options as well.

　　As generally agreeable as the Nissan Altima is, it resides in the bottom half of our rankings for midsize sedans. Competitors such as the Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry offer better visibility and more features, while the highly rated Kia K5, Mazda 6 and Honda Accord exude a premium look and feel the Altima can't match. Check out our test team's Expert Rating below for more detail on the upsides and downsides of making an Altima your next midsize sedan.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.5

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the Altima drive? The Altima won't win you over with stellar acceleration or braking. Our test all-wheel-drive Altima had the 2.5-liter engine, and it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in an unremarkable 8.4 seconds. The CVT automatic is well tuned, however, and helps make the Altima an almost invisible partner during day-to-day driving.

　　Another bright spot is the stable handling. You'll have confidence guiding the Altima through fast, sweeping curves. But this handling prowess underscores the Altima's overly light and vague steering.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Altima? The Altima is a calm place to sit out daily traffic. The front seats are generally comfortable, but some drivers might wish for more thigh support. Engine noises are commendably well isolated even under hard acceleration.

　　Less appealing is the constant stream of little impacts you'll feel when driving over rough road surfaces. The Altima's ride seems continuously busy in these instances, and larger impacts can be pretty jarring.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below