Review of the first drive of the 2019 Nissan Altima: more convincing than ever

We have seen five generations of Nissan Altima comes and goes since the launch of the sedan in the United States in 1992. The affordable mid-size sedan has seen continuous improvement over the generations, without ever over-shaking the formula. And although this sixth-generation model from 2019 does not deviate either from Altima's proven form factor, it's probably the biggest step forward of the model.

AWD optional

For beginners, the Altima 2019 is the first to offer an optional all-wheel drive. Buyers can add all-wheel drive to any Altima equipped with the 2.5-liter base engine for a premium of $ 1,350. Currently, the only other mid-size sedans to offer all-wheel drive are the Subaru Legacy and the Ford Fusion. After all, all AWD buyers do not want a crossover.

Speaking of the 2.5, it could be the basic engine, but it has been substantially reworked for the 2019 model year. Nissan claims that over 80% of the engine parts are new and that fuel consumption and consumption fuel are improved. Engine power is estimated at 188 horsepower and 180 lb.-ft. of torque, and Nissan estimates combined fuel consumption at 32 miles per gallon (or 30 mpg with all-wheel drive).

Unfortunately, I could not taste the 2.5-liter Altima during my test near Santa Barbara, California. Editor-in-Chief Steven Ewing had a shot in a prototype earlier this yearhowever, he had nice things to say about the Altima's core engine.

Turbo magic

Instead, I spent time with the Altima range engine: the 2.0 liter VC-Turbo I4 also found in the Infiniti QX50 crossover The "VC" stands for "variable compression", a magical technique that can alter the range of a piston at each shot. The result is a compression ratio of 8: 1 for maximum performance at 14: 1 for better efficiency.

The best part is that you do not feel any of this – the VC-Turbo engine behaves like any other 2.0T engine. Compression changes are imperceptible, and the engine produces a power of 248 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, the last of which is fully animated at 1600 rpm. With this very low-end grunt, it's easy to access traffic in the crowded streets of the city, and the average punch is enough.

Nissan estimates that the VC-Turbo will help return Altima to 29 mpg combined. This is not a substantial penalty compared to the 2.5-liter base engine and optimizes the combined fuel consumption ratings of the 2.0-liter engine. Honda Accord and Chevrolet Malibu, not to mention the 2.5-liter turbocharger Mazda6 and powered by V6 Toyota Camry.

Unfortunately, you can only get the VC-Turbo engine as a $ 4,050 upgrade on the SR model, or a $ 3,000 upgrade on the Platinum top tier. And again, AWD does not allow to have an AWD. For now, anyway.

Whichever engine you choose, every Altima comes with a continuously variable transmission. Nissan's CVTs are among the best and it's no different in the new Altima. The transmission is excellent to mimic the action of a traditional automatic gearbox, with simulated shifts and none of these annoying drones.

ProPilot technology

Nissan's ProPilot Assist semi-automated technology is standard on SV and above grades. This system combines adaptive cruise control and lane keeping technology, activated at the same time by pressing the blue steering wheel button. You have to keep your hands on the wheel at all times, but ProPilot essentially allows the car to drive you on the highway, bringing the Altima to a complete stop in traffic jams and keeping the car in place until you reach it. 39 that the car in front of you starts move.

Automatic braking at the rear, emergency braking with pedestrian detection and recognition of traffic signs are new, standard on higher trimmed Altimas. Local speed limits can be displayed on the instrument cluster, but note that this technology does not yet allow you to adjust your cruise control settings to meet the limits. We are just starting to see this kind of technology on high end luxury cars, but it is not quite ready for prime time yet.

A driver alert system is standard on all versions, which monitors the entries of your direction and, if he thinks you might be sleepy or distracted, will suggest you to take a break. Blind spot monitoring and rear-end alerting are standard on all models except Altima base models, and mid-level and higher-level models benefit from a standard lane departure warning.

Standard infotainment

Whichever Altima you choose, you get an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included. Navigation is optional on higher versions and has a POI feature that will take you directly to the nearest sandwich shop if you wish. (Well, a POI feature for people like me.)

Nissan does not offer Wi-Fi access point in the new Altima, but two modern Type-C USB ports are offered, as well as two normal Type-A USB connectors, for those in between we who do not have super-newfangled. cable

What's that cook, good lookin '?

The Altima 2019 is lower, longer and wider than its predecessor, with two inches longer in the wheelbase. Nissan says the design has been heavily influenced by the company VMotion 2.0 Concept we saw at the 2017 Detroit auto show. Of course, it was toned down for production, but the front fascia and LED lighting of the Altima bear an obvious resemblance to this concept because.

Inside, the longer wheelbase offers room for passengers and the cabin is open and airy. Nissan's "Zero Gravity" seats are on the inside, and even if they do not reject Newton's theories on the wind, they are without a doubt one of the most comfortable and efficient in the segment. .

The 15.4 cu. Ft. Trunk space of the Altima is a backpack, but still roomy. It's a bigger shoe than what you'll find in the Mazda6, Subaru Legacy and Toyota Camry, but the Altima's cargo capacity is surpassed by the Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata.

Fiercely competitive

The Altima 2019 enters the Nissan showrooms in October, priced at $ 23,750 for an S base, not including the $ 895 for the destination. A fully charged VC-Turbo tester costs $ 34,780. And if you want one that looks like the car pictured here, one of the 3,900 models One Edition, it will be around $ 36,000.

With its healthier technology offering and the benefits of all-wheel drive available, the Altima goes from simple competition to one of the most comprehensive offerings of the mid-size sedan category.

Editor's note: Roadshow accepts multi-day loans from builders to provide editorial reviews. All the criticisms of marked vehicles are completed on our territory and according to our conditions. However, for this feature, the manufacturer has covered travel expenses. It is common in the automotive industry because it is much cheaper to ship reporters in cars than to ship cars to reporters.

The judgments and opinions of the Roadshow editorial team are ours and we do not accept paid editorial content.