2017 Nissan Altima Review

The Altima 2.5 in base trim includes 16-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, keyless remote entry, push-button ignition, full power accessories, air-conditioning, cloth upholstery, a six-way manually adjustable driver seat (four-way-adjustable front passenger seat), 60/40-split folding rear seats, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, and Nissan's Easy-Fill Tire Alert system that flashes the lights and beeps the horn to indicate when the tires reach the correct pressure.

The 2.5 S trim adds automatic headlights, cruise control, keyless ignition and entry, Siri Eyes Free voice recognition for iPhone users, a rearview camera, and a six-speaker sound system with a 5-inch display, a USB port and basic NissanConnect smartphone app integration.

The sporty SR trim upgrades the 2.5 S with 18-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, foglights, a rear spoiler, a sport-tuned suspension, paddle shifters, sport seats and an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat (with two-way power lumbar adjustment).

Compared to the 2.5 S, the SV trim has 17-inch alloy wheels, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat, remote engine start, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, dual-zone automatic climate control and satellite radio.

The 2.5 SL adds a heated steering wheel, leather upholstery, heated front seats, air vents for the rear seats, a four-way power front passenger seat, two-way adjustable front headrests, ambient interior lighting and a premium Bose nine-speaker sound system. The 3.5 SL gets 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, paddle shifters, front and rear parking sensors, a larger 7-inch color touchscreen, voice commands, and a navigation system with Google connectivity.

Some features are available on lower trims as options, either in packages or as stand-alone items, and include a sunroof, heated mirrors and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. SL trims can add bundled Technology packages that include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic braking, and enhanced NissanConnect services with emergency telematics.

As mentioned, the trim levels for the Altima are broken up into two halves of the year: 2017 and 2017.5. They're mostly the same, but for 2017.5 models (Altimas built after June 2017), trims SV and above get forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking as standard.

The 2017 Nissan Altima is available with either a 2.5-liter four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine. The four-cylinder produces 179 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, sent to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with simulated gears to feel more like a conventional automatic transmission.

EPA-estimated fuel economy is 31 mpg combined (27 city/39 highway). The 2.5 SR drops slightly to 30 mpg combined (26 city/37 highway).

In Edmunds testing of an Altima 2.5 SV, we recorded a zero-to-60-mph acceleration time of 8.1 seconds, an average time for the class.

The 3.5-liter V6 engine is rated at 270 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque, enough to propel the Altima to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds. Fuel economy is estimated at 26 mpg combined (22 city/32 highway). These estimates, as well as those for the 2.5, are very good for a midsize sedan.