The popular Nissan Altima receives a comprehensive makeover for the 2023 model year with new front end styling, expanded standard safety features and available technologies, along with new wheel designs and two new exterior colors.
Like all Nissan sedans, Altima brings an exceptional level of advanced technology to its segment – including available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, ProPILOT Assist and standard Nissan Safety Shield 360 technologies.
Altima offers to customers a diverse lineup, with two available engines, front-wheel or Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, and four well-equipped grade levels. The 2023 model lineup is available in eight grades: S FWD, SV FWD, SV AWD, SR FWD, SR AWD, SL FWD, SL AWD and SR VC-Turbo FWD. The 2023 Nissan Altima will go on sale this fall.
Enhanced exterior, new wheels and colors
The most prominent feature of the 2023 Altima refresh is a new front fascia, with an updated expression of Nissan’s V-Motion grille that delivers a distinctively sporty design and adopts the redesigned brand logo. The SR grades receive a special “black chrome” grille finish along with a unique grille design that differentiates it from the other grades. Behind the new front fascia, key exterior elements include the now standard LED headlights with integrated turn signals in the daytime running lights, expressive, identifiable taillight design and available single panel moonroof.
For 2023, two new exterior colors are added to the palette – Gray Sky Pearl and Garnett Pearl Metallic, joining the previously available Scarlet Ember Tintcoat (premium color), Brilliant Silver Metallic, Gun Metallic, Super Black, Pearl White TriCoat (premium color), Glacier White, and Deep Blue Pearl.
In addition, there are four new aluminum-alloy wheel designs – a 17-inch wheel for Altima SV and individual 19-inch wheel designs for SR, SL and SR VC-Turbo.
The 2023 Altima interior offers a near-luxury feel in both design and materials – including revised instrument panel finishings and a new dual-stitch interior fabric design for SR models. It also delivers a high level of convenience and connectivity features – including an available 7.0-inch Advanced Drive-Assist Display, NASA-inspired Zero Gravity seat design with dual-density foam and bolstering, available leather-appointed seating, and available 8-way power driver’s seat.
Upgraded technology
Among the enhancements for the 2023 model year are the additions of a new 12.3-inch HD color display with multi-touch control, Nissan Door-to-Door Navigation system, Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless phone charging pad and WiFi hotspot, all standard on Altima SL and SR VC-Turbo grades and available on SV.
The new 12.3-inch display, the same size as found in the premium Nissan Armada full-size SUV, replaces the previous 8.0-inch display and features a high-resolution display that provides clear images and crisp graphics. The customizable home screen includes shortcuts to user favorites and one-line destination search.
The Altima’s selection of audio and infotainment choices include a Bose Premium Audio system with nine speakers, available Active Noise Cancellation, and Amazon Alexa to help customers simplify and organize their lives using just voice commands.
Available NissanConnect Services powered by SiriusXM (SiriusXM subscription required, sold separately) – standard on Altima SL and SR Turbo and included with SV and SR Premium Packages – provides compatible smartphone and smartwatch access to features, such as Remote Engine Start/Stop, Remote Door Lock/Unlock, Valet Alert and more. Additionally, certain remote features are accessible through the NissanConnect Services Amazon Alexa Skill and Google Assistant Action.
Advanced powertrains
The 2023 Altima is available with a choice of two 4-cylinder powerplants, a 2.0-liter Variable Compression (VC) Turbo or an advanced 2.5-liter DOHC engine.
Available exclusively on the Altima SR front-wheel drive model, the VC-Turbo generates the performance of some V6 gasoline engines but with 4-cylinder level fuel economy. The engine delivers 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque (when using 93 octane fuel) and delivers fuel economy8 ratings of 25 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined.
VC-Turbo technology – which utilizes both multi-point injection and Nissan’s Direct Injection Gasoline system, seamlessly changes its compression ratio between 8:1 (for high performance) and 14:1 (for high efficiency) – with an advanced multi-link system continuously raising or lowering the pistons’ reach to transform the compression ratio.
Available throughout the Altima lineup is an advanced 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder direct injection engine, which is rated at 188 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque FWD (182 hp/178 lb-ft AWD).
Fuel economy for the 2.5-liter engine is rated at 28 mpg city, 39 mpg highway and 32 mpg combined for front-wheel drive S model, and 27 mpg city, 37 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined for front-wheel drive SV, SR and SL models
Fuel economy for Altima 2.5-liter AWD models is rated at 26 mpg city, 36 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined for all-wheel drive SV and SL models, and 25 mpg city, 35 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined for the all-wheel drive SR model.
All 2023 Altima models, including both engine configurations, come equipped with a standard Xtronic transmission. Paddle shifters are standard with the Altima SR grade.
Available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive
Intelligent All-Wheel Drive is available on 2023 Altima SV, SR and SL grades equipped with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. The system uses an advanced torque split control strategy that automatically redistributes torque to the wheels (0:100 front up to 50:50 front-to-rear) according to road and driving conditions.
Confidence and driving pleasure are enhanced as the AWD torque distribution, brake limited slip differential and Hill Start Assist optimize performance on hill starts and rough roads.
ProPILOT Assist leads the way
For the 2023 model year, Altima continues to lead the way in driver assistance with Nissan’s advanced ProPILOT Assist system – standard on Altima SL and SR VC-Turbo and optional on SV.
ProPILOT Assist utilizes a forward-facing camera, forward-facing radar, sensors and an electronic control module to help the driver stay in the center of the driving lane and to maintain vehicle speed (set by the driver) and help maintain a preset distance to the preceding vehicle if the vehicle speed drops below the driver-set speed. It also can slow the vehicle to a complete stop and hold the vehicle during traffic jam conditions.
Standard on all Altima grades for 2023 is Safety Shield 360, which helps provide front, side and rear safety monitoring and intervention technologies. Safety Shield 360 includes Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Lane Departure Warning, radar-based Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and High Beam Assist.
Also standard on all grades is Intelligent Forward Collision Warning and Intelligent Driver Alertness and standard on the Altima SL and SR VC-Turbo grades is Traffic Sign Recognition and Intelligent Around View Monitor.
Dynamic performance and chassis control
Along with the all-weather traction offered by the all-wheel drive system, Altima features an advanced independent front and rear suspension, with monotube rear shocks to provide exceptional vehicle response without impacting harshness. Additionally, Altima SR grades features unique suspension and chassis tuning for sportier handling and ride.
The steering system features a dual-pinion electric power steering design, which reduces steering effort at low speeds for ease of driving. Effort is increased at higher speeds for improved feedback and control. Altima also includes an available advanced Integrated Dynamics Module that features two unique systems – Active Ride Control and Intelligent Trace Control – similar to those found on the flagship Nissan Maxima sedan.