Driving Impressions: 2023 Nissan Altima SR AWD

By: Mark Moskowitz MD

Let's put this car in perspective: the average new car in America costs fifty percent more than our test vehicle, the Altima SR.  

For a shade more than thirty thousand dollars, a buyer gets a significant size increase as compared to compacts, sharp lines, all-wheel drive, a host of safety features and a nicely appointed interior with stylish double stitched comfy seats. (Nissan's Zero Gravity concept seems more than hype.)  It's a worthy competitor in its class and on their website, Nissan gets right to it: imploring you to compare the Altima to industry standards: Camry and Accord as well as up and comers, Legacy and Sonata.

In 2021, the Honda sedan doubled the Altima's sales figures and the Toyota tripled it.  In 2022 Accord and Camry sales decreased, the Altima's were up by 34.8%. And I would expect sales to grow further as Nissan eliminates its top-of-the-line sedan, the Maxima.

To this observer the profile view of the Altima differs little from others in the mid-size class. The only eye grabbers are new attractive 19-inch wheels standard on our test model and higher trims (the SL and the SR 2.0)'

Up front the changes are dramatic. The cumbersome V-Motion grille has been rendered subtle in most Altimas and seemingly absent when obscured by the dark chrome perimeter of the SR and higher trims. And eyes are drawn away from the center by the markedly larger faux side vents which flank the large intake surface.

Inside the SR sports a new 12.3 inch touch screen which allows wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The features are part of a package which includes seat heaters, powered lumbar support for the left seat, a wireless charger., sport leather seats and fancier trim bringing the price up to $32975 . Another $1600 ($34585) buys an SL AWD and adds surround view, fog lamps, rear zone climate control, integrated navigation, an upgraded adaptive cruise control with traffic sign recognition, and nine speaker Bose sound.

Powered front seating should be comfortable for most the height of an NBA point guard or smaller. A D-shaped steering wheel and manually adjustable column enhance roominess. And with the average American male (5'9') in the driver's seat, most up to six feet should be comfortable in the rear; the sloping roof rather than foot room being the foil. Conveniences abound with USB A and C, along with twelve volt plugs in easy reach. Door pocket, a glove box, a flat charger pad and a 6x6x 11 console box all augment interior storage.

On the road, the steering is breezy light. The ride is comfortable, and the car is stable over bumps. The base SR's paddles activate impressive, simulated gear changes in the continuously variable transmission.

Sport suspension is not available in AWD models. I was surprised by the power of the normally aspirated four. I was easily able to produce sub 8 second runs from 0-60. A turbocharged two-liter ups horsepower to 248. It adds $7500 to the price tag of the base SR and while adding top of the line features it eliminates the option of AWD.

All Altimas are equipped with the safety features of automatic rear braking, as well as blind spot, lane departure and forward collision warning systems. The combined total of all other Nissan sedan and sports car sales was less than that of the Altima in 2022. Nissan's emphasis on making it a worthy competitor in its class shows. Driving Impressions suggests that it is worthy of your consideration.

Photo credit: Mark Moskowitz MD

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