2016 Nissan Altima First Drive: Nathan and Roman Try to Play Nice with a CVT [Video]

2016 Nissan Altima | TFL Car

The 2016 Nissan Altima gets a serious mid-cycle update that includes some styling cues borrowed from the Maxima and Murano, some mechanical and tech upgrades to keep it competitive in the heavily contested midsize sedan category, and some aerodynamic trimming to help boost fuel economy.

There is a new center stack, center console and other elements that incorporate the “gliding wing” design found on the Murano and Maxima. Carried over from the previous model are the NASA-inspired “Zero Gravity” front seats. Notable tech features include available Siri Eyes Free voice recognition, NissanConnect with Mobile Apps system, Bose premium audio system, and 4.0-inch information display set between the speedometer and tachometer.

The expanded list of available electronic driver aids grows to include adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning, forward emergency braking and rear cross-traffic alert. There’s also a Predictive Forward Collision Warning system that detects the vehicle immediately in front suddenly brakes, and warns the driver of an imminent accident.

2016 Nissan Altima

Indeed, there are lots of changes for the 2016 Altima except for the powertrain offerings. Base models still get a 2.5-liter four cylinder engine, which sends 182 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. A 270 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 is available as an option. A CVT is the only available transmission, with the upgraded “D-Step Shift” logic to make it feel like a transmission with real gears.

New For 2016 is the sportier SR trim that is available with either the 4-cylinder or V6 engine. It may not go faster than the other trim levels, but emphasis was directed towards improving the handling and visual aesthetics. It features a specially-tuned suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler, smoked headlights, and black interior trim with blue stitching. Fuel economy for the SR trim dips slightly with an EPA-estimated fuel economy combined average of 30 mpg compared to 31 mpg combined for the other trims.

Ride along with Roman and Nathan as they quote some interesting trivia and analyze the 2016 Nissan Altima driving characteristics.