Cargazing
By Derek Price
If you want to drive a premium car, you usually have to pay a premium price.
The latest Nissan Altima delivers a lot of the substance normally found in a luxury-brand car — the driving-assistance tech, the cushy driving feel, the roomy cabin, the oversupply of power — without an inflated price tag. It starts around $26,000 and can be very nicely equipped while keeping the price under $30k.
Spongy seats and a soft, pliable suspension let it waft down the highway in sublime comfort. A continuously variable transmission helps with the floaty feel.
My tester was the SR grade with a slightly firmer suspension and sportier demeanor, which is a shame because the Altima is happiest in comfy mode. It’s by no means a sports-car replacement, especially given the only transmission option is a CVT. Putting in a firmer suspension seems like a poor fit, but I could see it appealing to some buyers.
Personally, if I wanted to feel the road better, I’d buy something different.
What the Altima excels at — and what I absolutely love about it — is making the driver feel relaxed on long trips. It’s serene, yet it doesn’t require you to indulge in all the fancy cabin materials and bloated price of a luxury car.
The 2024 Nissan Altima starts under $26,000 and can be nicely equipped without crossing the $30,000 mark. It’s a great example of how practical, affordable and efficient sedans can be compared to today’s popular crossovers.
A big part of its tranquil driving feel boils down to well-sorted technology. Nissan’s driving assistance suite, called ProPILOT Assist, does an equally good job navigating city traffic and vast expanses of American interstates.
Steering assistance follows every curve in the road, and radar cruise control keeps a set distance from the car you’re following without the abrupt, herky-jerky feeling you get in some of its competitors. It can also come to a complete stop in traffic jams.
ProPILOT Assist is optional on the SV grade and standard on the SL and SR VC-Turbo, named for its innovative variable-compression turbocharged engine that makes 248 horsepower.
Other Altimas are equipped with the standard engine, a 2.5-liter four cylinder that makes a not-too-shabby 188 horsepower, or 182 if you opt for all-wheel drive.
Each generation of the Altima has grown bigger, and the current iteration is especially roomy in its front and back seats. The spacious adds to its premium feel.
Every version of the Altima delivers good fuel economy. The experts in Washington rate it for 32 mpg in combined city and highway driving. The all-wheel-drive version knocks that number down to 30.
Despite its major boost in power, the VC-Turbo still earns a 29-mpg combined rating thanks to its innovative design that uses a multi-link crank system to change its compression ratio as needed. It makes a lot more power while burning just a little more fuel.
Pricing for the 2024 Altima starts at $25,730 for the base S grade. Four more trims are available under $30,000, letting buyers pick the level of equipment and front- or all-wheel drive for a reasonable price.
It tops out at $35,430 for the SR trim with the turbocharged engine.
At A Glance
What was tested? 2024 Nissan Altima SR VC-Turbo ($35,430). Options: Exterior ground lighting with logo ($565). Price as tested (including $1,095 destination charge): $37,090
Wheelbase: 111.2 in.
Length: 192.9 in.
Width: 72.9 in.
Height: 56.8 in.
Engine: 2.5-liter four cylinder (188 hp, 182 ft. Lbs.)
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel economy: 27 city, 39 highway
RATINGS
Style: 7
Performance: 7
Price: 8
Handling: 7
Ride: 7
Comfort: 8
Quality: 7
Overall: 7
Why buy it?
The latest Altima is comfortable, spacious and powerful, especially if you opt for its innovative VC-Turbo engine.