2019MY Nissan Altima was
unveiled earlier this year at the New York Auto Show, subbing in for a model
that was already 6 years old. The new Altima adopts the automaker’s
V-motion design language, drawing inspiration from the Vmotion 2.0 Concept that
made its way to NAIAS two years back. So as far as upgrades go, the 2019 Altima
is certainly a significant one.
Unfortunately for Nissan, as well as a lot of other
automakers, the sedan segment isn’t what it used to be in the United States, as
more consumers are ditching good old fashioned 4-door cars in favor of
crossovers, some more quirky than others. Yet, Nissan isn’t giving up on the
D-segment.
The 2019 Altima does indeed come with all-wheel
drive, a new variable compression engine courtesy of Infiniti, NissanConnect
featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus advanced safety systems like
ProPilot Assist and Safety Shield 360 with rear automatic braking. While U.S. sales for the Altima
have dropped by 16% this year, Le Vot thinks sedan sales will actually pick up
again. He also believes that due to higher interest rates and rising fuel
costs, many price-sensitive buyers will give up on crossovers and SUVs and fall
back on sedans.
While it’s hard to predict if sedans are indeed
going to make a comeback as far as U.S. buyers are concerned, the fact that
Nissan is zigging when everyone else is zagging is quite refreshing.
