2026 Nissan Altima

Name: 2026 Nissan Altima Review
Brand: Nissan

Release Date: Fall 2026

Estimated Price: Starting around $28,500

The 2026 Nissan Altima is a decent midsize sedan pick for those on a tighter budget. Not only could you potentially get a deal, but its strong fuel economy figures should help keep some cash in your pocket in the long run. It's also effortless to drive and has a large trunk. Otherwise, it's merely adequate in terms of performance and interior quality.Read full review

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2026 Nissan Altima Review

Pros

Easy-to-drive nature
Good fuel economy

Cons

Poor outward visibility
Steering lacks road feel and can be slow to respond
Disappointing interior quality
Lacks a hybrid powertrain option

What's new

The future is uncertain for the Nissan Altima
Part of the sixth Altima generation introduced for 2019

Overview

Written by automotive expert Mark Takahashi

6/18/2025

The Nissan Altima has long been the brand's answer to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry midsize sedans. The Altima hasn't ever had the sales success of its rivals, but it has generally had some value thanks to its low price. The current generation Altima has been out since the 2019 model year and hasn't received any major updates since. That puts it on the older end of the spectrum for midsize sedans, but as of this writing, it's unclear if there will be a seventh-generation redesign or if the Altima will be discontinued.

Edmunds spotlight: The Altima nails the basics

The Nissan Altima loses out to the class leaders because of its so-so performance and anonymous styling. However, get past that and there's plenty to like. It is comfortable on the road, and while the sole engine — a 188-horsepower four-cylinder — might not pack much punch, it gets decent fuel economy. It also comes with enough technology features and driver assist systems to keep most drivers satisfied. Factor in the price, which is frequently discounted at dealers, and the Altima starts making a decent case for itself as long as you don't look too closely at alternatives.

Competitors to consider

It goes without saying that the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry deserve your attention. On top of that, the Kia K5 and Hyundai Sonata both offer a compelling mix of features and style, including high-performance versions with nearly 300 horsepower.

Edmunds Expert Rating

edmunds TESTED

Driven, tested, rated by automotive expert Brian Wong

Average

7.5

out of 10

We drove the 2026 Nissan Altima on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Performance

7.5/10

How does the Altima drive? The Altima won't win you over with stellar acceleration or braking. Our test all-wheel-drive Altima accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in an unremarkable 8.4 seconds. The CVT automatic is well tuned, however, and helps make the Altima an almost invisible partner during day-to-day driving.

Another bright spot is the stable handling. You'll have confidence guiding the Altima through fast, sweeping curves. But this handling prowess underscores the Altima's overly light and vague steering.

Comfort

7.5/10

How comfortable is the Altima? The Altima is a calm place to sit out daily traffic. The front seats are generally comfortable, but some drivers might wish for more thigh support. Engine noises are commendably well isolated even under hard acceleration.

Less appealing is the constant stream of little impacts you'll feel when driving over rough road surfaces. The Altima's ride seems continuously busy in these instances, and larger impacts can be jarring.

Interior

7.5/10

How’s the interior? The interior lacks style, but it more than makes up for it with straightforward usability. In particular, the climate controls and touchscreen functions are clearly labeled and easy to reach.

Though most of the Altima's sight lines are good, rear visibility is hampered by the high rear decklid. Also problematic are the low-resolution rearview camera and the distracting reflections off the dashboard and rear decklid you'll see in the windows during bright sunlight.

Technology

7.5/10

How’s the tech? The Altima we tested had the big 12.3-inch touchscreen. It comes with wireless connectivity for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and an onboard navigation system. Though the screen's size and responsiveness make it seem modern, it's let down by software that looks and feels outdated.

The navigation system's functionality is solid; it responded well to voice commands in our tests and easily found destinations (thanks to searches powered by Google). But the map's graphics look old and dated. Plug in your phone and use either Google Maps or Apple Maps and those maps look super sharp, so it's not a problem with the screen itself. The backup and surround-view camera displays are also low-resolution and hard to see, especially when you're trying to use them at night.

The Altima's ProPilot Assist system, which includes lane centering and low-speed adaptive cruise control, is quite the bonus. The adaptive cruise control works very well, needing little correction in traffic.

Storage

8/10

How’s the storage? The Altima's trunk isn't the biggest in the class, but it can still accept a few full-size suitcases. Its squared-off shape also makes it easy to load to the maximum capacity. The folding rear seats are standard fare but can only be released through a pull tab in the trunk. They must be lowered by physically pulling on the seatback from the inside — they don't automatically fold when released. Front passengers have ample storage for small items. However, the cupholders are a bit shallow for taller bottles.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

Fuel Economy

8.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? We tested the all-wheel-drive Altima, which the EPA estimates gets 30 mpg combined. It posted an impressive 34 mpg on our mixed-driving real-world evaluation route. Odds are you can expect to get pretty good fuel economy from the Altima.

Value

7/10

Is the Altima a good value? Roomy and comfortable with the option of all-wheel drive, the Altima proves it has some distinctive value in the midsize sedan class. Warranties are middle-of-the-road, as is the roadside assistance. A strong showing with highway fuel economy could tip the scales for long-distance drivers as could the all-wheel drive for those who live in areas with inclement weather.

But some spots of poor build quality and a lack of attention to detail set the Altima back where it can least afford it. Gaps where the dashboard meets the windshield, and a hood design that makes it look out of alignment, stand out when it's compared to better-built competitors.

Wildcard

7.5/10

It's nice to see just how normal the latest-generation Altima really is. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement, but the experience of driving and living with the Altima is generally more than the sum of its parts. The class is fiercely competitive and it takes a pretty good car just to be midpack. The Nissan goes about tackling daily driving without much effort from the driver and provides passengers ample comfort.

Which Altima does Edmunds recommend?

Nissan hasn't released official information on the 2026 Altima as of this writing. We'll update our recommendation if anything changes, but based on last year's Altima, we recommend stepping up to the SV trim, which only costs a few hundred dollars more than the base model. You get a handful of additional standard features, but more importantly, it's eligible for the optional SV Premium package that adds several desirable convenience, tech and safety features.