Will the 2023 Nissan Altima be redesigned?

Japanese car manufacturer, Nissan, competes in one of the most competitive market segments in the entire American car industry: a battlefield of midsize sedans with tons of practicality and proven reliability offered by a wide array of well-known and reputable brands. The Altima has been one of Nissan’s main mid-class sedan competitors ever since it went into production for the 1993 model year, and 6 generations later, it’s still going strong with plenty of upgrades and revisions each year.

The sixth-generation Nissan Altima offers a mixture of reasonable tech both driving and cabin-related, interior comfort and overall practicality, as well as a capable powertrain that helps spice up the driving experience. However, with plenty of heavy-hitting competitors such as the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, or the Kia K5, Nissan finds itself having to constantly build upon the Altima, further improving it in order to keep up or even surpass its segment peers.

For the 2023 model year, Nissan announced a redesign of the Altima, which includes a revised and more aggressive front-end as well as a larger and more capable infotainment screen and some other goodies. Let’s get into what we know so far about the next Altima, set to arrive at dealerships this fall.

What’s New For The 2023 Nissan Altima

Via Nissan

Aesthetically, the only major changes made to the upcoming Altima are a revised front end, featuring a newly designed blacked-out grill on the SR version, which replaces the former V-shaped chrome grill from the previous model. Headlights maintain the same shape, though a new set of bulbs within mean Nissan was able to incorporate the fog lights into the headlights themselves. Wheel designs are also new for each trim of the 2023 Nissan Altima, and lastly, you’ll find Nissan’s redesigned minimalist logo on the latest Altima.

In terms of tech upgrades from last year’s model, Nissan will offer a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen as an option for the SV trim and standard on the SL and SR trims. Additionally, the Altima will finally come with ProPilot Assist - which is Nissan’s cruise control system, yet once more, it will only be available on the 2.5 SV trim.

The 2023 Nissan Altima’s Powertrain

Via Nissan

Aside from what we just covered, the new Altima will remain pretty much unchanged from its predecessor, yet that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. One of the Altima’s most alluring features is its three engine and transmission configurations, which are all quite competent. The most powerful comes in the form of a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four variable compression engine that puts out 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel-drive models will come with a naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter engine that makes 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD SV, SR and SL trims will get the same engine with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque.

Any of the Altima’s engine options will be mated to Nissan’s continuously variable transmission gearbox - or CVT, which means the automatic transmission is constantly changing gears in order to maximize efficiency and fuel economy. Even though the Altima can run from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds (which is quite impressive and places it well among competitors) and handle precisely, the driving experience is somewhat hindered by the CVT transmission. With the car continuously changing between compression ratios, boost levels, and gears, the subsequent power delivery is all over the place, resulting in non-linear acceleration and power buildup that can be quite frustrating for the driver. Keep in mind that these conclusions were made after driving the previous Altima (sold with the same VCT transmission as the upcoming model), so it's safe to assume that the driving experience will be the same.

The upside of the Altima’s CVT gearbox and Variable Compression turbo setup is increased fuel economy, which comfortably places the Nissan sedan first in fuel consumption efficiency among competitors. The entry-level FWD S trim delivers 28 miles per gallon in the city and 39 mpg on the highway, while the SR VC-Turbo FWD returns 25 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.

The 2023 Nissan Altima: Pricing, Interior Comfort And Safety Features

via nissanusa

Nissan has yet all the details regarding the 2023 Altima, including pricing, but based on the last year’s models, we can expect it to start somewhere around $26,000 for the base model S trim, jumping up to nearly $36,000 for the range-topping trim. Aside from the larger screen, expect the 2023 Altima’s interior to be pretty much identical to its predecessor, featuring a comfortable and minimalist setup, perfectly suitable for families. Build-quality is decent for vehicles at this price range.

Finally, all trims of the upcoming Nissan Altima will come standard with Safety Shield 360, which includes automatic emergency braking, lane departure and blind-spot warning, and rear-cross traffic alert, among other safety features that help make the car one of the safest in the entire segment.

All in all, the new Altima will be just as good - if not slightly better, than the 2022 model, meaning it’s a competent family sedan with plenty of pros and a few tolerable cons. Nissan chose to play it safe until the release of the next-gen Altima that’s still a few years away, so if you’re a fan of the previous model, chances are you’ll love the new one too.