While it was all-new just three years ago, Nissan gave their mid-size Altima sedan a significant boost in style, features and performance for 2016.
Styling is revised up front and at the rear with the latest design themes found in the Murano and Maxima, particularly the V-motion grille.
This comes with a new front fascia, fenders and more angular headlights.
Out back is a new fascia as well to go along with new tail lights with a boomerang shape. The car you see here is also a new trim grade called SR, a lower priced sporty variant which slots in just above the base S model.
Available with both the 2.5 liter four-cylinder and the 3.5 liter V6, the SR trim gets visuals like smoked headlights, daytime running lights, fog lights and a rear spoiler. Special 18-inch alloy wheels and a more aggressive suspension come as well.
The interior gets some updates too starting with a new center console and center stack design which Nissan says is easier to live with. A standard 5-inch color display audio system now comes with back-up camera on lower trims, with a 7-inch top-end system with navigation on upper trims.
Engines remain the same sizes, but a lot of tweaking brings an extra mile per gallon for the 2.5 liter four-cylinder which should achieve now 39 mpg highway. Fuel economy for the 270 horsepower V6 should get up to 32 mpg highway.
All this is afforded by the now venerable constantly variable transmission people either love or hate. This year it gets a new calibration to make it feel even more like a traditional transmission that shifts. That’s great and all, but why not just give us one.
That last bit there was my personal opinion, I’m not a fan of the CVT. At any rate, the new 2016 Nissan Altima comes to dealers soon. Pricing will be announced closer to that time.
