It’s strange to think that the midsize sedan segment is no longer the hottest car category in North America after dominating for decades.
This is especially odd when one considers that Toyota, Honda and Altima have respectively launched all-new generations of their Camry, Accord and Altima in the last year. These three cars account for roughly 1.1-million new car sales in North America so the stakes remain enormous despite the rapidly changing trends.
The Altima has historically lagged behind its Japanese counterparts but Nissan’s taken huge steps to boost the car’s appeal.
The all-new 2019 Altima is quite a departure from the bloated, boring uninspired previous-generation car. You’ve guessed it, we didn’t much like the old Nissan Altima. The new one however…
Could we be saying that you should buy a new 2019 Nissan Altima? Read on.
Why you should buy a 2019 Nissan Altima
1. The new Altima’s styling is sharp and modern. It should age gracefully.
2. The car’s drive is competent and comfortable.
3. With the 2.5-litre 4-cylinder engine and AWD, the Altima gets better fuel mileage than a Subaru Legacy.
4. AWD is now standard and available for as little as $27,998.
5. This price point is only $1,700 over the equivalent 2018 Altima S. It includes said AWD as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, NissanConnect with an 8-inch display and a 7-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display.
2019 Nissan Altima | Photo: Nissan
Why you should not buy a 2019 Nissan Altima
1. If you’re in the market for more performance-oriented sedan, know that the Altima is not entitled to Nissan’s turbocharged variable-compression 2.0-litre engine in Canada.
2. Although Nissan’s CVT transmissions have evolved and include programmed shifts, there’s no escaping some of that rubbery throttle effect.
3. In order to gain access to Nissan’s ProPilot assist, the $31,498 SV trim must be selected.
2019 Nissan Altima | Photo: Nissan
Conclusion:
The new 2019 Nissan Altima is a very honest car. Nissan’s not touting that it’s the best at anything – a simple walk-around and brief drive are convincing enough. This approach is very refreshing.
Its new chassis, suspension and steering tuning make the sedan quite pleasurable to drive. The equally all-new 2.5-litre 4-cylinder is economical and responsive to boot. In fact, we preferred our time behind the wheel of the Altima over the Honda Accord, slotting it right below our darling Toyota Camry.
The value proposition also makes it a smart buy. With standard AWD, the Altima becomes only the third midsize sedan to currently offer this feature that has recently become an important buying consideration for many Canadian consumers. Although the 2018 Legacy’s pricing starts at $24,995, the Altima is far better equipped. In fact, it’s got a few more tricks up its sleeve than the $28,295 Touring trimmed Legacy.
The 2019 Altima has made us complete an about-face on Nissan’s popular sedan.
