NISSAN Altima 2019

Body and cabin

When a vehicle’s lines are called aggressive, it is usually a misuse of language. However, Nissan has pushed the Altima’s V-shaped grille and boomerang-shaped headlight design so far that in this case it is almost true. The famous floating-roof design found on several Nissan models—and showing up on certain rivals—also contributes to the car’s rejuvenated image.

Underneath it all the Nissan Altima is 3 cm longer and lower and gains 2 cm in width, compared to its predecessor, all the while maintaining traditional midsize proportions. There is ample room for four people, despite tighter headroom in the back because of the lower roofline. However, the voluminous centre transmission tunnel will not be appreciated by a fifth passenger.

For the past several years Nissan has been vaunting its Zero Gravity front seats it says are inspired by NASA. Marketing hype or not, these bucket seats blend good support with generous padding. Comfort goes hand in hand with a good driving position, traditional dials and simple controls to create an easy-going environment.

The logic of the infotainment system is uncomplicated overall. It is crisper than in less expensive or older Nissans but there is still a vaguely cheap feel that other brands manage to avoid. Two Type-A and two Type-C USB ports and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity are standard, but a cell phone charging pad is notably absent.

A small note for people who like their comfort: the standard heated seats warm up very quickly; the same is true for the heated steering wheel, restricted to SV and Platinum trims. Other standard features include a remote starter, power driver’s seat, and keyless entry and start. You won’t find a panoramic sunroof or a manual shift mode listed for any of the trims.

Safety

Lately, Nissan has been including automatic emergency braking on its new or redesigned vehicles. All versions of the Nissan Altima are covered by this non-written rule but only SV and Platinum trims offer blind-spot monitoring and, new this year, automatic reverse braking. These enhance visibility that is already adequate for a modern car thanks to fairly horizontal side window sills.

Pro-Pilot Assist appears starting on SV trim; it pairs lane-centering with automatic assist and adaptive cruise control to allow semi-autonomous driving on short distances. All this technology functions in a relatively progressive manner, as long as road conditions are good and you allow the “computer” to take the lead. People unappreciative of that perspective but who want to give their right leg a rest on long trips can always select a classic cruise control.

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 5/ 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Mechanical overview

According to Nissan’s North American officials, the company has never before invested so much in a model remake as for the 2019 Nissan Altima. Indeed, it seems surprising to see a new platform appear on a midsize car, in a declining segment.

First of all, however, it allows Nissan to voice its continued faith in the standard sedan concept even as certain rivals are abandoning it. Evidently, it does not stop there. The chassis will underpin future generations of Murano, Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 midsize SUVs and crossovers, and that is where Nissan will make up its investment.

In the meantime, the Nissan Altima is the first to get a stronger, lighter structure thanks to increased use of high-resistance steel. A more rigid construction usually allows the suspension tunings to be softened without affecting handling. Nissan has done that while maintaining a traditional independent suspension setup (MacPherson-strut front, multilink rear).

Similar to current Murano and Pathfinder models, the former Nissan Altima still had an electro-hydraulic steering system that used an electric pump to circulate the oil needed to assist the steering. The 2019 model moves to all-electric assist, which has become the new norm to improve fuel efficiency.

The new Nissan Altima is also the first to offer direct fuel injection on its 2.5-litre engine. Nissan says it has replaced 80 percent of the parts of its “large” four so as to improve the fuel-efficiency/performance equation. The remade version now develops 182 horsepower, 3 more than its predecessor. Torque increases 1 pound-foot, to 178, now delivered at slightly lower rpms.

Though far from spectacular, the increases highlight the accent on fuel efficiency. And that’s not bad, since the Nissan Altima now displays a combined city/highway rating, according to Natural Resources Canada, of 7.9 L/100 km—only 4 percent higher than in 2018—and with this year’s all-wheel drive! We’ll have to see how these previsions play out, but our first contact looks promising.

Driving impressions

We had an opportunity to sample the 2019 Nissan Altima right here at home, first on Laurentian and Lanaudière roads in the Mont Tremblant region and then on the drive back to Montreal. On the way, we stopped at the Mécaglisse closed-circuit track in Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci to evaluate the all-wheel drive.

Conducted in real winter conditions at the beginning of March, our test highlighted the comfort of the vehicle on the many stretches of degraded pavement we encountered. Bumps, cracks and ordinary potholes practically disappear under the wheels, without the impression of floating on a cushion of marshmallow.

The downside is significant lean in turns. Body roll is progressive but provides no incentive to test the grip (which is quite adequate). The same goes for the new, all-electric steering system, which isolates the driver too much from the road, a rather common theme with Nissan.

On the other hand, the all-wheel drive adds a considerable measure of driving confidence. All power goes to the front wheels until they begin to slip, at which time the system can send up to 30 percent of torque to the rear, or up to 50 percent when starting off. Torque is transferred quickly but gradually so that the front wheels rarely spin, something that is clearly perceptible on certain rivals with the same type of AWD. Also, the rear end do not tend to slide out when the computer sends power to the rear.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise; everything on this car seems to be based on smoothness. Even the throttle and transmission are in no rush to unleash power, unless you really insist. The approach plays in favour of fuel efficiency and quiet operation, a bit to the detriment of driving enjoyment.

In brief, if driving pleasure is a priority, the segment offers a host of more dynamic choices. But if you are aiming for comfort, the Nissan Altima deserves a good, long look.