2019 Nissan Altima

Despite winter being in full swing here in the Mid-Atlantic; chances to put our 2019 Nissan Altima’s new all-wheel-drive system to the test have been few and far between. 

Fortunately for us, there are other things to talk about, like Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist, which is one of the most user-friendly driver assist systems out there; using cameras and radar to keep you centered in your lane, as well as helping you maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you, even in stop and go traffic. And it comes standard on SV trimmed Altimas and above, including our Platinum grade tester.   

As for the more mundane details, we’re 5-months into our test, adding 9,500-miles to the odometer, and the 2.5L I4 with CVT setup is averaging a good 30.3 miles-per-gallon.

In true Nissan fashion, the seats continue to get high praise for their comfort and the heat they provide on frigid morning commutes.  

Who knows what lies ahead this Mid-Atlantic winter; but chances are, this Altima can handle it, and we’ll be very comfortable inside while it’s doing so. 

And easy everyday use brings us to our 2019 Nissan Altima midsize sedan. 

“We haven’t had any measurable snow yet to truly test the Altima’s first-ever all-wheel drive system, but it has rained quite a bit and the extra grip is appreciated on wet surfaces when getting on the throttle with urgency. The 2.5L four cylinder has provided plenty of power in those situations as well.”

One smooth road trip after another brings us close to 7,500 miles, in the same 4-month time frame as the Macan. Fuel economy sits at a fine 30.7 miles-per-gallon, as this Altima continues to find new ways to impress.   

Our 2019 Nissan Altima long-term arrived just a few weeks ago, but has already racked up a quick 1,000 mostly highway miles. That has fuel economy off to a good start at 33 miles-per-gallon. 

We chose to stick with the base naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter I4 engine, not because we’re frugal per se, but because it’s the only way to get all-wheel-drive. It’s modest 182-horsepower has so far suited our daily needs just fine.  

“You can always ask for horsepower, but the fact is this Altima offers plenty for daily use. It’s delivered smoothly and to all four wheels, which will be welcome come winter time.”

Two months and another 3,000-miles have been added to our 2019 Nissan Altima. That puts our running total at just over 4,000-miles. 

Over that time, we’ve gotten consistent comments about the Altima’s smooth and comfortable ride. 

It’s a real looker, too; with more than one person we’ve come in contact with, mistaking it for a Maxima. 

The standard 2.5-liter engine seems to be making the best use of its 188-horsepower, as we’ve had no complaints so far; and doing it quite efficiently as well.  Our average sits at 31.0 miles-per-gallon. 

The Altima is one of the few affordable midsize sedans with all-wheel-drive available, and we look forward to putting it to the test this winter. 

If you don’t need the all-wheel-drive, and are looking for more power, a segment exclusive is Nissan’s 2.0-liter variable compression 4-cylinder turbo rated at 248-horsepower. 

Our Platinum-trimmed Altima has a host of advanced safety features, but it’s worth noting that all Altimas come with Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking standard. 

Now, our 2019 Nissan Altima punches well above its weight class when it comes to delivering a near luxury car experience in a mid-size family sedan.

This Altima is one of those cars that doesn’t really stand out on paper, but when you actually get in and drive it, it’s like ‘wow, this is a really nice car.’ It’s very comfortable, easy to drive and speaking as a car seat schlepping dad, easy to live with.

While seat comfort continues to earn praise, recent logbook entries noted the easy-to-use infotainment system, but also a shifter that goes into low range a little too easily.  

We’re 12,500-miles in, and at 29.6 miles-per-gallon, our average is hanging right around the government’s combined rating of 30. And we still have 5-months of smooth sailing left with our Altima. 

What can we say about our 2019 Nissan Altima that we haven’t said already? Well, one thing we’ve neglected to properly address to this point is the Altima’s handling prowess. 

Nissan made big changes for this 6th generation Altima; re-engineering suspension geometry to improve steering feedback, adding monotube shocks to deliver a much more composed ride, and stiffening everything up to heighten overall response. That’s all in addition to making all-wheel-drive available for the first time.

And, most importantly, it all works together to make the most dynamic Altima yet; and the kind of sedan that makes you want to seek out the back roads instead of just hitting the highway. 

Mileage from the 2.5-liter I4 has dipped a little from our last report, to a still good 29.1 miles-per-gallon. We’re 9-months into this year-long test drive, and have traveled 14,000-miles so far.

Whether you’re talking this Altima, or the recently revitalized Sentra, Nissan has made a commitment to make sedans great again, and they’ve certainly earned our vote. 

2019 Nissan Altima is heading down our drive for the last time. 

Not everyone was enamored with this Altima’s more expressive exterior design, but once behind the wheel, it quickly won everyone on the staff over.

After about a year in this Altima, we still genuinely like driving it. It starts with the exceptionally comfortable seats up front and then credit needs to be given to the chassis. It’s as smooth and agile as the day we got it.

In 12-months, we managed 15,579-miles. Not bad, with the considerable amount of downtime the Altima had this Spring due to the Coronavirus lockdown.

When we did go out, we averaged a great 30.8 MPG on regular from our all-wheel-drive 2.5-liter I4 powered Altima, and are glad to see Nissan’s commitment to keeping sedans great.