2018 Nissan Altima Road Test and Review

2018 Nissan Altima red and white ・ Photo by Nissan

Nissan’s success in the popular mid-size family sedan segment dates back to 1993 with the introduction of the very first Altima. Now in its sixth generation, the 2018 Nissan Altima is one of the most popular sedans in the class, and it’s consistently one of the country’s best-selling cars. Last year Americans bought over 250,000 Altimas, which also makes it Nissan’s best-selling passenger car.

Nissan builds the Altima in Smyrna, Tennessee, and this fun-to-drive standout offers inspired performance, upscale style, and a luxurious interior at a starting price under $25,000. For 2018, Nissan has also made it safer adding automatic emergency braking and a forward-collision warning to the sedan’s list of standard features. It’s a unique combination that keeps the Altima near the top of a class packed with popular family four-doors, including the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Mazda6, Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion, and Chevrolet Malibu.

Prices Start Under $25,000

For 2018, the Altima is available in five trim levels. Base prices start at $24,145, including an $885 destination fee, for the 2.5 S, and top out at $34,515 for the 3.5 SL. All "2.5" models are powered by a 179-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, while the top-of-the-line 3.5 SL gets a 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. Every Altima has a CVT automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. If you’re looking for all-wheel drive in this class, check out the Ford Fusion and the Subaru Legacy.

Driving enthusiasts looking for a little more performance and handling should shop the Altima 2.5 SR, which starts at $25,205. This trim level includes paddle shifters for the transmission, sport-themed interior accents, a sport-tuned suspension, and 18-inch wheels. Unfortunately, this trim is no longer available with the powerful V6, but Nissan has created the SR Special Edition, which adds special wheels and features, and the SR Midnight Edition, which blacks out the sedan’s wheels and trim for a sinister attitude. Our test vehicle, a 2.5 SV, represents a very popularly equipped version of the Altima. With a base price of $26,795 and the optional $1,280 Technology Package, our Altima’s sticker price was $28,075.

Photo by Nissan

Quick and Comfortable

With 179 hp, the Altima isn't the muscle car of the mid-size sedan class. Many of its competitors offer more standard horsepower, including the Mazda6 and the turbocharged 192-hp Honda Accord. But the Altima still feels quick, quicker than its 0-60 mph time of 8.2 seconds suggests. It’s lively enough for most buyers and offers plenty of passing power. But lead-foots should step up to the available 270-hp V6, one of the more powerful engines in the class. With the V6, the Alima is legitimately fast. Floor the throttle and it will squeal its tires off the line, muscle-car style.

It’s not exactly a sports sedan, but the Altima is sporty and fun-to-drive. It handles well, with little body roll in fast corners, and its steering has good feel. Our Altima 2.5 SV was also quiet, and its suspension was pleasant on long highway runs. Fuel economy is also very good for this class. With the four-cylinder engine, the Altima is rated for 27 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway (though the 2.5 SR slips 1 mpg). We averaged 30 in mixed driving. With the V6 engine, the Altima is rated 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.

Photo by Nissan

Top Safety Pick

The Altima is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick, and it earned the highest five-star crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This is not only due to its strong performance in crash tests, but also its many high-tech active safety systems. For 2018, all Altima models include automatic emergency braking and a forward-collision warning as standard equipment. These systems warn you if they sense an object is blocking your path. If you don’t brake to avoid an accident, the car will apply the brakes for you. Last year these technologies were optional extras. In addition, the top of the lineup Altima 3.5 SL now gets standard intelligent cruise control.

Other standard equipment on our 2.5 SV test vehicle included a blind-spot warning and a rear cross-traffic alert, which warns the driver if obstacles are approaching from the side when you're backing up.

Photo by Nissan

Family-Friendly Back Seat Space

With its long 109.3-inch wheelbase, the 2018 Nissan Altima offers a large interior and more rear seat room than many of its competitors. However, its 37.1 inches of rear headroom, 36.1 inches of rear legroom, and 56.4 inches of rear shoulder room are not class-leading. The Honda Accord, Volkswagen Passat, and Toyota Camry all have larger backseats than the Altima.

Regardless, the Altima seats five easily, and it’s luxuriously spacious for four. Rear-seat passengers get rear air conditioning vents, and the seatback angle is properly relaxed so they don’t feel like they are sitting up at attention. Parents with younger kids will appreciate the Altima’s easy-to-reach LATCH connectors in the outboard seats, and three easily accessed upper tether anchors.

Photo by Nissan

One of the Best Interiors in Its Class

Last year we said the Altima’s interior is one of the best in its class. It still is. Nissan uses quality materials, and the interior is filled with small imaginative touches that give it an upscale feel. Build quality is very high, and most of the Altima’s knobs and switches wear a small piece of trim to break up the dark plastic. It’s a nice touch. Push-button start is standard. All of the controls are well-placed and function with refinement. Nothing feels cheap or chintzy. Unlike some interiors in this class, the Altima’s cabin remains simple and uncomplicated, with clear white-on-black gauges, large knobs, and a traditional console-mounted shifter that you pull back into gear.

Although we prefer the leather upholstery in the 2.5 SL and 3.5 SL models, the cloth seats in our test vehicle were extremely comfortable. The supportive driver’s seat holds you in place nicely, and it’s easy to adjust the seat and steering column for a tailored fit. 

Photo by Nissan

Excellent Cargo Space

Nissan’s interior designers also understand that a place to throw your keys and a bin to hold your phone are just as important as seat comfort. The Altima’s interior is stacked with sizable and well thought out storage. The sedan’s center console bin is large, as are its door pockets, which have slots for water bottles. There’s another bin ahead of the shifter, which is perfect for your phone.

The Altima’s two front cupholders are also well-sized and well-placed on the console just to the right of the shifter. Plus, they accommodate mugs with handles. The sedan offers 15.4 cubic feet of trunk space, which is about average for its class, and every Altima comes with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat.

Photo by Nissan

Fair on the Tech Front

In order to get the good stuff, Nissan forces buyers to step up to the mid-level Altima models and add the optional Technology package. The base 2.5 S comes standard with Bluetooth, voice recognition, hands-free text messaging, streaming audio, and a small 5-inch display screen on the dash.

Our 2.5 SV, which was equipped with the Tech Package, featured a 7-inch touchscreen, navigation with traffic information, mobile apps, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It’s was all enough to satisfy my teenage daughters, though they did complain that the Altima does not offer onboard Wi-Fi, which is standard in the Chevrolet Malibu. The Nissan’s tech features are easy to use and the systems respond quickly. I was impressed at how swiftly the Bluetooth connected to my phone, and the navigation system didn’t make me wait as it considered my route.

Photo by Nissan

Curvy Curb Appeal

Curvy, with a fastback roofline and a wide muscular stance, the 2018 Nissan Altima is sporty and attractive. The Altima features an abundance of brightwork around its windows, uniquely shaped headlamps, and a speed line running down its flanks. And SL models get fancy chrome door handles. It isn’t as radically dressed as the more expensive Nissan Maxima, but there is a striking family resemblance between the two. Both wear an aggressive V-shaped grille, and the Altima’s large dual exhaust pipes and carefully integrated rear spoiler add some upscale sports sedan attitude.

Big wheels and tires always make a car look better, and our Altima 2.5 SV looked ready for action on its 17-inch rims. The 2.5 SR model looks even better on its set of 18-inch wheels.

Photo by Nissan

Final Thoughts

Later this year, there will be an all-new 2019 Nissan Altima with a new look, turbocharged power, and available all-wheel drive. It wowed the crowd at its recent debut as the New York Auto Show. But the 2018 Altima remains a class favorite. It’s comfortable and stylish, and it offers plenty of family-friendly features and fun-to-drive qualities for its price. It’s a solid choice in the very competitive mid-size sedan segment.

Although its standard four-cylinder engine is enough for most buyers, it’s hard not to desire the more powerful 3.5-liter V6. It adds serious performance to an already desirable package. Sure, the four-cylinder's got better gas mileage, but the fuel economy penalty is worth it every time you put your foot down and unleash those 270 horses. Hang on.

Photo by Nissan