Nissan’s Altima has been a best seller since its debut in 1993. We consider its six generations to find which is best suited for curious car buyers.
When it comes to quality family sedans, the Nissan Altima has been a best-seller since its launch in 1993. Nissan’s mid-size sedan has gone through six generations. A replacement for the Nissan Stanza, the original Altima upped the game in terms of style and luxury compared to its predecessor.
Traditionally available with a four-cylinder or, in later years, a V6, the Nissan Altima has varying levels of equipment depending on the trim. The Altima’s first-generation shares much with Nissan’s Bluebird sedan sold in Japan.
However, once Renault purchased Nissan in 1999, the Altima received a new platform and became exclusive to the North American market, sharing more with Nissan’s larger Maxima sedan and allowing for greater product flexibility.
Nissan Altima: 1st & 2nd Generations (’93-’01)
The Nissan Altima appeared to much fanfare in 1993, even boasting a commercial that mimicked Lexus and its attention to luxury and detail. The first-generation used a four-cylinder engine that produced 150 horsepower and could be had with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.
Somewhat quirky by today’s standards, early Altimas came with motorized seat belts and a single driver-side airbag as standard. Important options include anti-lock brakes, which upgraded the rear drums to discs for better stopping power, and a passenger-side airbag.
This model sold well and received praise from the automotive press. “Buyers liked the Altima’s powerful four-cylinder engine, its low price, and even its soap-bar styling,” said Car & Driver about the original 1993 model.
The second generation, produced from 1998-2001, broke away from its Bluebird ties and grew in every dimension, giving passengers more cabin space. It shares its engine with the previous generation, and again could be had with two transmission types.
However, it failed to captivate the buying public like the original Altima had, with its polarizing looks and non-luxurious cabin appointments.
Nissan Altima: 3rd Generation (’02-’06)
Moving to the FF-L platform that it shared with much of Nissan’s front-wheel-drive lineup, the Altima grew in size and offered a V6 for the first time. Named “North American Car of the Year” in 2002, this model really placed the Altima on consumer’s radar, becoming the fourth best-seller in the US.
The benefits of an all-new platform showed with 10% more interior space for passengers, and moved the Altima past mid-size and into the full-size category. The front-seat hip point has been raised by 1.5 inches for improved visibility, while the wheelbase has grown by 7.1 inches to 110.2 inches, and its overall length has increased by 5.7 inches.
Though not rated as highly as its competitors, the V6 gave some much-needed “oomph” with 240 horses and a 0-60 time of 6.28 seconds.
A unique SE-R trim was later added with 10 more horsepower, a stiffer suspension, and special styling elements.
Nissan Altima: 4th Generation (’07-’13)
By now Nissan’s best-selling car, the fourth generation Altima again grew in dimension, providing more interior space. Again available with a four- or six-cylinder, the Altima replaced its traditional automatic with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).
This gearbox helps the Altima achieve better fuel economy while providing more access to the power band of the engine. While a traditional automatic transmission has a set number of gears, a CVT uses two pulleys connected by a belt. The width of these pulleys changes depending on how much power the vehicle needs. This provides a more seamless driving experience without the pause in power a regular automatic transmission has.
Nissan attempted to move the Altima more upmarket with interior touches like chrome air vents and a soft-touch dashboard. Other than basic features like ABS brakes and traction control, most options now came in packages. Other new additions include available HID headlights, satellite radio, and a rearview camera.
For the first (and only) time in its life, the Altima was also offered as a coupe. Taking styling cues from Nissan’s 350Z sports car, the Altima Coupe came with the same engines as the sedan but shared only a hood and dashboard design. Appearing at the beginning of the SUV buying craze, it sold poorly and was discontinued after this generation.
The Altima Hybrid model also makes its first appearance in this generation and in fact was Nissan’s first Hybrid model sold in the U.S. Available in only eight states, the Hybrid model borrowed the same technology used in Toyota’s Camry, and achieved up to 35 mpg in city driving. This model was discontinued after 2011 due to poor sales.
Nissan Altima: 5th Generation (’13-’18)
Nissan’s fifth-generation Altima brought another increase in size and two engine choices.
With only 10% of buyers opting for the 270 horsepower V6, the base four-cylinder is a much more popular model. And prolific it has been, outselling all but the Toyota Camry in 2012.
Nissan chose to ditch the manual transmission in this model, offering only the CVT, and only making minor tweaks to the powertrain itself from the previous version.
Now standard with Bluetooth connectivity and a touch screen, this Altima is the first to feature an electro-hydraulic steering rack. While providing less feedback than a traditional hydraulic system, an e-boosted system provides less drag on the engine and thus greater fuel economy.
This generation of Altima has accumulated several accolades, including being named to Kelley Blue Book’s Top 10 best new sedans under $25,000, and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance best new model in its class.
However, it typically ranks lower in comparison to the Honda Accord, with Car & Driver stating “Altima is a confusion of aspirations and priorities, all of which fight each other to a stalemate.”
Nissan Altima: 6th Generation (’18-Present)
The current generation Altima saw big changes when it was introduced in 2018. Gone is the V6, replaced by an optional turbocharged four-cylinder with 248 horsepower. Also new is an all-wheel-drive option.
While most mainstream sedans remain front-wheel drive, the Altima’s all-wheel drive gives it an advantage, though it’s only available with the base 188 horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The system powers the front wheels until it detects a slip, and then sends up to 50% of the power to the rear wheels for better traction. The all-wheel-drive version adds just 120 lbs to the car and can get up to 35 mpg on the highway.
If you don’t need the additional traction, then the extra power from the upgraded KR20DDET inline-four-cylinder is a strong option to consider. Capable of varying its compression ratio from 8.0:1 to 14.0:1, it allows for higher boost levels under some conditions and helps the Altima reach 0-60 in 5.9 seconds.
Other innovations for this generation include Pro Pilot Assist, which is Nissan’s version of automatic cruise control, along with a host of other driver aids such as Blind Spot Detection.
This Altima is surprisingly sporty, surpassing the road-handling ability of a BMW 330i Series sedan with over .9G of lateral grip available.
Which Altima is Right for You?
As one of Nissan’s most popular models, the Altima has received powertrain and technology upgrades commensurate with market standards.
The Altima is a versatile car that provides a different driving experience depending on the options you choose. If you like a smooth ride, dependability, safety, and good gas mileage, any Altima can serve you well. But to get a more sporty experience, select either the old V6 engine option or the new turbocharged F.
The all-wheel-drive option on the newest Altima might be tempting for some, but remember that a set of snow tires will provide optimal traction regardless of the wheels being powered. It might be worth it to save the cost and complexity this system adds.
Be mindful when selecting an Altima, as package options vary from generation to generation. Nissan’s trim level designations have changed over the years, from names like GXE or SE, to SL, to the current SV, so be sure to know what options are a must-have for you. Items like anti-lock brakes and airbags were optional on older models but are mandatory today, even if you’re looking at an Altima from earlier in the decade.
In its top trim levels, the Altima can become pricey, leading some to consider the upmarket Nissan Maxima as a better sedan option. Nissan’s small sedan offering, the Sentra, has also grown over the years and is now comparable in size to the original Altima. Available with similar equipment, look to the Sentra if you find a new Altima too big or expensive.
Though Toyota sells an upmarket Camry as a Lexus ES, Nissan’s upmarket Infiniti division offers no comparable model based on the Altima.
The fourth generation and up had more modern features like navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, and automatic climate control, so consider newer Altimas if those items are a must-have.
With its upcoming 20-year anniversary, the Nissan Altima continues to provide the mainstream family sedan with style, reliability, and a sporty flair.
Photos: Nissan
