2019 Nissan Altima

A steady hum of news about Americans ditching sedans for SUVs might suggest that it's just a matter of time before automakers phase out four-doors-and-a-trunk forever. If so, Nissan will go down with the ship. The company is so bullish on sedans right now that it's developed two new engines and an all-wheel-drive system for the redesigned 2019 Nissan Altima.

The company believes there are drivers who favor style over utility, people for whom the sleekness of a sedan beats the bland practicality of a crossover. And even if sedans aren't trending, automakers aren't in a hurry to abandon them.

Ford recently announced it would cease building sedans, and Chrysler and Dodge only play at the fringes with full-size muscle cars. But for mainstays such as Honda, Hyundai and Toyota, midsize sedans still serve an important role for many families. Is the new Altima good enough to stand out in this competitive class?

Fewer Cylinders but More Power

For 2019, the Altima presents two four-cylinder engines. One is a 2.5-liter that comes standard on most trim levels, and the other is an optional turbocharged 2.0-liter.

The outgoing Altima also had a 2.5-liter engine, but the new engine has smaller dimensions, smarter packaging and a higher output. A 9-horsepower bump raises the total to 188 hp, while its combined fuel economy rating of 32 mpg (front-wheel-drive models) is a modest increase of 1 mpg from before.

The larger story is the new turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. It replaces a long-serving V6 beloved by Nissan enthusiasts and uses new, industry-first variable compression technology to deliver comparable performance. The new engine can vary compression ratios in real time, anywhere from 8:1 to 14:1, to deliver both power and fuel efficiency.

In steady cruising, the engine can run high to maximize fuel. But when the driver demands acceleration, the engine can drop ratios and deliver a wallop of torque. Although the new turbo four-cylinder makes less horsepower than the old V6 (248 hp vs. 270 hp), it generates more useful low-end power, unloading 280 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm compared to the V6's just-enough shove of 251 lb-ft. The turbo-four is rated to deliver 29 mpg combined, also an improvement on the V6.

Both engines pair with a continuously variable automatic transmission, refined for 2019 with a new torque converter to improve feel and engagement when you kick into the accelerator pedal.

More Wheels, More Confidence

Want to sell more sedans? Appeal to a broader group. By offering all-wheel drive, the Altima should interest shoppers living in wet-weather climates who might otherwise gravitate to SUVs. The Altima's all-wheel drive isn't meant for sportier handling on dry roads. The system defaults to front-wheel drive in most situations but can send up to 50 percent of its engine power to the rear wheels for better grip in slippery conditions.

Alas, you can only get all-wheel drive with the 2.5-liter engine. You're out of luck if you want turbo performance with all-weather stability.

Got Lean, Looks Clean

Look at the new and old Altima side by side, and it's clear Nissan reserved the big news for the things you don't see. The new car has some sharper lines that, while subtle, add more definition. The roof is 1 inch lower, the body 1 inch wider, and the front overhang shorter.

Nineteen-inch wheels fill out the fenders better than the old car's 18-inch rollers, and the big grille is even more pronounced with a larger chrome accent. The smaller engine dimensions allow designers to lower the hood, narrow the headlights, and move the turn signals to the lower bumper.

The theme continues inside with a lower instrument panel and more space in the front footwells. Streamlined climate controls and an 8-inch touchscreen mounted higher on the dash give a clean, clutter-free look. (The last Altima had 5- and 7-inch displays.)

The seats will never get old. Nissan calls them Zero Gravity seats and credits NASA-inspired technology for their comfort. Whatever space voodoo goes into them works because they're some of the most comfortable you'll find in the automotive wild. The seatbacks feel as if they're stuffed with dense memory foam, and the cushions feel wide and supportive. The slightly firmer side bolsters in the new Altima's seats come in handy when the road gets twisty.

Space Technology for the Ground

The new Altima's seats might originate in space, but its expanded menu of tech features is clearly meant for ground pilots. A new 8-inch touchscreen display, as well as Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, comes standard in all Altimas regardless of trim level. The new display has sharp graphics and good response times, especially when adjusting map views. Four USB ports, including two of the newer USB-C variety, should keep front and rear passengers happy.

The driver aids really shine. Nissan's ProPilot Assist is a combination of features that can make nightmare commutes less demoralizing. By combining adaptive cruise control and self-steering, the Altima can stay in its lane, keep a set distance from the vehicle it follows, and come to a complete stop.

It's smart and easy to keep your hands on the wheel, but the Altima will remind you to take the wheel about every 10 seconds if you don't. It's not exactly self-driving, and the system is limited to the information its cameras and radar can capture, making it less reliable at high speeds. Still, the system should quickly become a favorite feature of drivers who struggle through long, low-speed commutes.

Other useful driver aids include automatic high beams, traffic sign recognition, automatic braking while in reverse, and a drowsy driver alert that's triggered if the car thinks the driver's steering movements are erratic.

Cleans Up a Key Weakness

We spent a full day and the better part of 200 miles driving the new 2019 Nissan Altima around a test route of rolling hills and long highway stretches. We didn't feel a single fidgety pang of discomfort thanks to the seats, nor did we have a single complaint about the Altima's steering. Combined with revised suspension geometry and software tuning for ProPilot Assist features, the new Altima's steering is crisp and direct, with good on-center feel and the right resistance at higher speeds.

The new chassis is more rigid and also lends to the Altima's enhanced feel on a twisty road, but this is still a family sedan, not a sport sedan. There's some body roll when you drive it fast into a tight turn, but the car — and tires — give ample warning that it's time to correct before running out of grip. Drivers who crave a measure more of sport should consider the SR model, which has upgraded suspension and chassis tuning, as well as steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Does It Measure Up?

The new 2019 Nissan Altima marks a significant leap from the previous model. The V6 might be gone, but we doubt many will miss it. The new torque-rich turbo four-cylinder is more fun anyway. But will the new upgrades stand out against midsize sedan institutions such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord or Mazda and Hyundai upstarts?

It depends. Toyota and Honda provide full suites of driver aids, even on base models, while the Altima only offers its ProPilot Assist feature on more expensive trim levels. But no competitor presents a more seamless combination of stop-and-go cruise control and self-steering than the Altima's.

The new turbo engine's technology is also novel and new, but whether it's any better in the long run than its rivals remains to be seen. For now, the new engine matches up well against the Accord and Mazda 6 power units and handily beats the Camry's languid four-cylinder.

But sitting in the Altima, you'll find some evidence of cost-cutting. As before, its interior isn't particularly remarkable. There are some nice touches, to be sure: a three-spoke, flat-bottom steering wheel; big door-side vents; thoughtful stitching; and a strip of plastic inlay with a black oyster shell-like pattern that bisects the dash panel.

But reach down for the window controls and you'll see that only one window has an auto-open feature. Ventilated seats aren't available, and the cabin is not all that visually interesting. There's something to be said for a clean and efficient look, but some buyers will expect more when paying more than the $35,000 asking price for Altima like our loaded test car.

Then again, the Altima continues Nissan's philosophy of offering a lot for a little less than the other guys. At the base and midlevel trims, it's a close race, but the Altima's standard 8-inch touchscreen and phone integration give it an edge over some rivals. With fully loaded models, the Altima presents clearer advantages, ProPilot Assist among them, for several hundreds less than its rivals.

If the 2019 Nissan Altima represents the future of sedans, we'll be seeing the humble four-doors-and-a-trunk for a while longer.

A mainstay of the family sedan landscape for 25 years, the Nissan Altima rarely enjoys the same mainstream success as its Japanese rivals, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Last year, the Camry outsold the Altima by about 132,000 cars — roughly the population of Gainesville, Florida — while the Accord beat the Altima by about 68,000 cars.

But with roomy, feature-rich interiors, robust engines and smart pricing, the Altima offers a compelling alternative for those willing to look beyond serial Honda and Toyota ownership. The redesigned, sixth-generation 2019 Nissan Altima won't just maintain that trend, but it should also power its way onto the shopping lists of more family sedan buyers.

The new Altima's design shares its crisp lines and surface creases with Nissan's Maxima sedan and Murano SUV. And its stance is further enhanced by sitting slightly lower (1.1 inches), longer (1 inch) and wider (0.9 inch) than its predecessor.

Six Cylinders Gives Way for Four

For 2019, the Altima's 3.5-liter V6 engine is gone, a casualty in a ruthless race for fuel economy, but in its place is a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Nissan says the new four-cylinder should yield a "double-digit percentage increase" in highway fuel economy, for front-wheel-drive models at least, compared to the outgoing V6. That engine was rated at 32 mpg, so look for the new turbo four-cylinder to deliver at least 35 mpg highway.

The turbo engine, however, is only available on two trim levels. The remainder of the Altima lineup continues with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder as the standard powerplant, although it's been given a fresh overhaul and now generates 188 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque, gains of 9 hp and 3 lb-ft, respectively.

Both engines will pair with a continuously variable automatic transmission that Nissan says has also been revised to improve acceleration and efficiency.

All-Wheel Drive at Last

Some of the Altima's lesser sales success can be blamed on its lack of all-wheel drive, often a nonstarter for buyers in wet-weather climates. No longer. The 2019 Altima is the first to offer all-wheel drive, but there's a catch: It's only available with the standard four-cylinder, not the hopped-up new turbo engine.

Along with new AWD availabilty, the Altima also features new suspension and chassis components and modified suspension geometry for improved steering response.

Getting a Big Assist

The new Altima is also among the first handful of Nissan models to offer ProPilot Assist, a bundle of driver assistance features that provide semiautonomous driving capability. Using forward-facing cameras, sensors and radar, the adaptive cruise control can slow the Altima to a complete stop and start it moving again, while self-steering keeps the car within lane markings. Drivers must still keep hands on the wheel, but the car can take over the most fatigue-inducing tasks, promising relief for weary city commuters.

Other safety and driver assist features include rear automatic braking, which can apply the brakes if the car is in danger of colliding with an object while in reverse, traffic sign recognition, and automatic high beams. More common aids such as blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and forward automatic emergency braking are also available.

Cabin Comfort Still a Draw

Nissan excels at dressing up an interior, often far better than you'd expect for a car's class, and the Altima promises no different. Nissan's Zero Gravity seats, inspired by NASA technology, remain some of our favorites for their design and comfort. They come standard on the 2019 Altima, with enhanced bolstering. An 8-inch touchscreen handles navigation and entertainment features, and it is complemented with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. And through the NissanConnect app suite, the Altima can even receive certain commands from Apple Watch and Android Wear devices and Amazon Alexa.

Other standard or optional enhancements include LED headlights and a panoramic sunroof.

The 2019 Nissan Altima is available in five trim levels: S, SR, SV, SL and Platinum. Only front-wheel-drive SR and Platinum trims offer the new 2.0-liter turbo engine, while the ProPilot Assist features come standard on SV, SL and Platinum trims.

The 2019 Altima goes on sale this fall. Pricing and official fuel economy have not yet been announced.