The 1998 Nissan Altima was probably our first nice family car out of all the Nissans we have purchased prior to that model. Our family has been driving Nissans since the early 1990’s and I still drive a Datsun during the summer months. So for those reasons, I’ve always liked Nissan and the cars they put out. The new 2013 Altima has finally received an update and is looking a lot like the Nissan Maxima. The Maxima has a very aggressive and unique looking front-end which reminds me of a shark and now the same can be said about the Altima.
The latest model was revealed at the New York Auto Show. The wheel base of this new Altima (fifth generation) will keep the same wheel base as the 2012 Altima but will feature a wider front and rear track (increased by 1.4 inches). The 2013 Altima is expected to hit US dealerships this summer and customers will have two engines to choose from. The four-cylinder 2.5 liter QR25 will be putting out 182 horsepower (7hp improvement) and 180 lb-ft of torque. The second option is the 3.5 liter V6 VQ35DE which produces 270 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque.
The Xtronic CVT on the Altima has been redesigned with new control logic and expanded gear ratios coverage which transfer power to the front wheels. The 2.5 liter CVT model is expected to perform 27 mpg city, 38 mpg on the highway, and 31 mpg combined. The bigger displacement engine in the CVT is able to get 22 mpg in the city, 30 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined.
It would be interesting to see what the Altima Coupe might look like if they decided to continue producing it in the fifth generation model. A hybrid model is also expected which will utilize a 2.5 liter supercharged gasoline engine with the CVT package incorporating an electric motor, two clutches, and a lithium-ion battery. Prices of the 2013 Nissan Altima start at $21,500 for the base 2.4 liter and can go as high as $30, 080 for the 3.5 liter model.
