This affordable mid-size sedan often flies under the radar, but it deserves serious consideration if you’re shopping for a practical and capable family car. It blends comfort, space, and efficiency into a well-rounded package that works just as well for daily commutes as it does for weekend road trips.
With a roomy interior, supportive seats, and a large trunk, it’s designed with families in mind. The ride is smooth and quiet, while available all-wheel drive gives it an edge over many rivals in poor weather conditions. Tech features like a touchscreen infotainment system, smartphone integration, and advanced driver assists come standard or are available at a reasonable price, making it feel more premium than you might expect.
If you’re after a reliable sedan that offers excellent value and all-season confidence without breaking the bank, this one is worth a closer look. It’s a slept on hit in the family car segment.
to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including TopSpeed and the EPA.
The Nissan Altima Often Flies Under the Radar, But It Shouldn’t
Mid-size sedans are no longer as popular as they once were, with crossovers pushing the segment to the side. However, there are still plenty out there who value the sleek package of a traditional sedan. If you’re one of these people and you’re looking for something comfortable for the whole family,the Nissan Altima is a better choice than you might think.
$27,000
$27,430
$28,520
$28,830
SL
$33,330
The Altima is priced pretty competitively. While starting prices in the mid-size sedan segment are all pretty comparable, it is the fact that the higher trims in the Altima don’t demand particularly high prices. You can climb the trim ladder and nab some pretty desirable equipment without having to spend a ridiculous amount over the price of the base model. Only the top SL trim breaks $30,000.
We think that the new SV Special Edition model is the way to go if you’re looking to get the best bang-for-your-buck. It is only $1,520 more expensive than the base model, but it comes with some equipment that you’d find on the SL. As well as unique exterior styling elements, the SV Special Edition gets a larger infotainment screen, a sunroof, and dual-zone climate control.
Changes For 2025
One of the most disappointing changes to the 2025 Altima is the fact that they’ve removed the 248-horsepower turbocharged engine from the lineup. While this will turn those looking for more power on to other sedans in the segment, we think that the base engine suits the identity of the Altima just fine.
As mentioned in the section above, Nissan has replaced the turbo trim with a new Special Edition SV model. It adds some sporty styling elements, such as a rear spoiler and a faux carbon fiber center console, as well as a bunch of feature and tech upgrades. Nissan has also tacked on a new after-sales maintenance plan included in your purchase regardless of trim.
Warranties and Maintenance
While not particularly impressive, the bumper-to-bumper coverage and powertrain warranty offered by Nissan is relatively competitive to the segment. Rivals like Kia and Hyundai do, however, offer better plans. From 2025, Nissan has added a new maintenance plan included in your purchase which covers you for up to three oil changes in the first two years or 24,000 miles.
Nissan Offers a Sleek and Functional Cabin in the 2025 Altima
At one point in time, Nissan was considered to be among the more comfortable and upscale options in the mainstream market. While they may have fallen from that status, they still deliver some pretty good interiors for what you pay. The Altima may not be outright luxurious, but it iscomfortable and packed with features.
Cargo Capacity
15.4 Cubic Feet
Those in the front of the Altima have legroom that is pretty close to class-leading and plenty of headroom as well. When it comes to rear-seat legroom, the Nissan does fall near the bottom of the segment, though it will still be enough in most cases. Cargo space is more than respectable, though the fact that the rear seats don’t fold flat can be a bit frustrating.
Things are much more positive when you look at the quality of the cabin. Materials used definitely get better as you climb the trim ladder, but even the most basic models aren’t going to disappoint you. Dual-zone climate control is standard, and a plethora of other comfort features are available depending on what trim you select, including heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and leather upholstery.
Infotainment and Technology
Nissan handles technology exceptionally well in the cabin of the Altima. It comes standard with an eight-inch infotainment screen, but a 12.3-inch screen is standard in the SL or the SV Special Edition and optional in the regular SV or the SR. There is also plenty of switchgear scattered throughout the cabin, giving you useful shortcuts when using touch inputs is inconvenient. A digital gauge display is also included.
There are a number of USB ports in the cabin and certain models also come fitted with a wireless smartphone charging pad. If you get the larger infotainment screen, it also comes fully equipped with navigation and a Wi-Fi hotspot. A nine-speaker Bose premium sound system is also available.
The Gas-Only Altima Is Surprisingly Peppy and Impressively Efficient
While many of the Altima’s competitors offer hybrid options, Nissan has decided to keep their mid-size sedan gas-only for 2025. To stay competitive, this has meant that the Altima has had to be one of the more efficient options with a gas-only powertrain, a goal that we think it achieves quite well.
188 HP
180 LB-FT
FWD or AWD
0-60 MPH
Top Speed
119 MPH
Now that the turbocharged engine has been removed from the lineup, a naturally aspirated inline-four is the only engine that can be found under the hood of a 2025 Altima. It comes standard with a continuously variable transmission and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional on most models, costing an additional $1,500, but engine output does drop to 182-horsepower.
The four-cylinder engine and the CVT do rob the Altima of any fun factor, and they can both become loud when the sedan is pushed hard. If sportiness is what you’re after,you should look elsewhere. However, the Altima isn’t a car that you’re really supposed to push. It remains composed around corners and steering input is responsive enough, but the star of the show is its comfortable ride quality.
27 MPG
39 MPG
32 MPG
37 MPG
31 MPG
25 MPG
34 MPG
28 MPG
We’d suggest staying away from the all-wheel drive system unless you absolutely need the additional traction. A big part of this is due to the fact that it is quite a bit less efficient than the front-wheel drive models and the Altima is all about value rather than performance at the end of the day.
Front-wheel drive Altimas are among the most efficient gas-only sedans that you can buy today, breaking 30 miles per gallon combined. This is especially true on the highway where they are rated ridiculously close to 40 miles per gallon. Opting for the trims with larger rims does reduce this rating somewhat, but not by an absurd amount.
Safety and Driver Assist Features
Every Altima comes with the most important safety features, including forward collision warnings, emergency braking, and blind spot monitoring, among other things. If you opt for higher trims you can also get some pretty impressive features for a car at this price point, including semi-autonomous driving through Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist system.
The NHTSA has put the Altima through its paces, granting it five stars out of five for safety.
