Instrumented Test
As many an Elvis impersonator can attest, an entire career can be cobbled out of a likeness to someone famous. In the car world, affordable models often copy the look of more expensive machines to enhance their appeal. Some might call that cheesy; others call it democratization of design.
When the original Nissan Altima launched 20 years ago, it wore a toddler-sized version of the Infiniti J30’s rhinestone jumpsuit. That first Altima was smaller than its competitors and a bit rough around the edges; it had fake wood the color of Cheetos; and it came bearing a completely unknown name. None of that mattered. It started at $13,349, but the world thought you’d bought a $34,895 J30. Nissan sold 120,000 Altimas that first year, 20 percent more than planned.
Clearly, any resemblance between the 2013 Altima and an Infiniti M37 is purely intentional as Nissan revives the show it staged back in the roaring Nineties. Today, a base Altima costs $22,280, but at a glance it appears that you’ve spent $48,595 on an Infiniti M37. Like the original, the newest Altima’s shape makes a strong first impression. Unlike the original, it holds up to closer scrutiny.
Although slightly longer and wider than before, the new Altima is no fat Elvis: It’s lost weight. Our nearly loaded SL 2.5-liter four-cylinder model weighed 3102 pounds, an impressive 124 pounds less than the last four-cylinder Altima we tested. The trunk, hood, and roof are now aluminum, and the body uses more high-strength steel to cancel out the modest increase in size. The wheelbase is unchanged, but the added width makes for extra shoulder room in the larger cabin.
Inside, the Altima deviates from the Infiniti impersonation. Its plain but straightforward controls remind us of the Mazda 6’s, if anything. Front-seat comfort is excellent, thanks to newly designed buckets. Supportive and soft, the seats have a memory-foam-like feel that embraces your body with a delightfully uniform pressure. The rear seats aren’t quite as comfortable as those in the first-class front row, but there’s plenty of space. Legroom is excellent; think exit row but without the responsibility.
Bucking the trend of offering only four-cylinder engines in mid-size family sedans, Nissan offers an optional 270-hp V-6. The company expects only one in 10 buyers will want it. Most will purchase an Altima with the familiar 2.5-liter four that now sports a variable intake manifold and 182 horsepower. There’s no manual, conventional automatic, or dual-clutch transmission. Every 2013 Altima comes with a CVT. To boost fuel economy, Nissan has reduced this transmission’s internal friction by a claimed 40 percent while increasing the spread between the shortest and the tallest ratios. Tall gearing keeps the engine loping along lazily at speed to help the Altima return a class-leading 38-mpg highway rating. Our observed 26 mpg, achieved in a mix of 80-mph freeway driving, city traffic, and a quick strafe through canyon roads, is closer to the 27-mpg EPA city number.
