2022 Nissan Altima: Competent but Overlooked

The midsize sedan segment is not what it used to be. Modern families are now largely gravitating toward SUVs, meaning cars like the Nissan Altima often get overlooked.

Why should you buy this model over a Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5 or Subaru Legacy? I recently put an Altima SR Midnight Edition to the test to find out.

• Also: 2023 Nissan Altima Freshens Up, Adds New Tech
• Also: Midnight Edition Highlights 2022 Nissan Sentra, Altima

By the way, this particular trim level slots between the base SE and the top-line Platinum and starts at $33,198. For the price, you get a ton of safety technologies, all-wheel drive and a user-friendly infotainment system as standard equipment.

Pleasant Driving

The Nissan Altima isn’t too shabby when it comes to the driving experience. In fact, with a comfort-tuned suspension and Zero Gravity front seats, it makes for pleasant, pain-free trips no matter how much time you spend on the road.

If I were nitpicking, I’d say the seat bottoms could be a tad longer or adjustable, but the driving position is still satisfying. The instrument cluster combines a pair of analogue gauges with a small digital display that looks fairly obsolete.

The steering wheel offers a nice grip, and generally speaking I found that steering is not overly assisted. There are paddle shifters if you want to simulate gear changes with the CVT. Oh, and if you take a closer look at the shift lever on the console, you’ll also discover a Sport button.

Visibility is relatively good, but it gets pretty bad in the rear due to the angle of the window. The rear-view camera can help you when backing up. However, picture quality is poor and it’s basically useless at night.

Under the hood of the Altima is a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft. of torque through the aforementioned CVT, which Nissan calls Xtronic. These are not impressive numbers by any stretch, but performance in daily driving is rather adequate. The transmission can’t replicate the operation of a conventional automatic, of course, but it does a good enough job with the simulated shifts to avoid the unpleasant droning effect of typical CVTs.

Fuel economy is surprisingly good for an AWD-equipped midsize sedan. Unlike many rivals, the Altima does not feature auto start-stop technology, which can make a not-so-negligible difference around town and in dense traffic over time. My tester ended up achieving 7.1 L/100 km in combined city-highway driving. How about that? Factor in the large 61-litre tank, and you can cover a whole lot of ground between stops at the gas station.

Seeing how efficient it is, maybe the Altima doesn’t need a hybrid variant. On the other hand, three of its competitors offer one, and consumers are sure paying attention with gas prices being so high these days. Nissan’s sedan is among four with available AWD, though, and that’s something that also matters for many Canadian drivers.

Plenty of Technologies

The infotainment system in the Altima comes with an eight-inch display which I found easy to use. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is included. For connectivity, there are USB-A and USB-C ports along with an auxiliary port on the console. By the way, the 2023 model is coming with an available 12.3-inch HD touchscreen.

As far as safety and driver assistance technologies are concerned, Nissan is very generous. At the top of the list is adaptive cruise control with ProPILOT Assist, which uses a camera, radar and sensors to keep the car in the centre of its lane and at a set distance from the vehicle ahead. Overall, the system works pretty well, but don’t expect real hands-free driving capability.

Other notable technologies include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane keeping assist and collision notification.

Fresh Looks for 2023

In terms of styling, the Nissan Altima has a fairly sporty look. The SR Midnight Edition stands out with various black accents including the 18-inch wheels, V-Motion grille, mirror caps, rear diffuser and spoiler. The headlights and taillights also get darker contours. Unfortunately, some of the body panels show a lack of build quality.

Look for pretty much the same with the refreshed 2023 Altima, which gets a few cosmetic tweaks up front. A new exterior colour is added to the palette, Ethos Gray, while customers will have a choice of two new 19-inch alloy wheel designs for SR and Platinum models. 

Ultimately, the oft-forgotten Nissan Altima is far from a bad pick when it comes to midsize sedans. There are plenty of features and technologies for the price, while fuel economy is remarkable. Long-distance trips are a comfortable affair, and standard AWD makes the car safer in winter.