2023 Nissan Altima First Test: Acceptable—But Enough?

We can't all be exceptional. You can see it right there in the word; only a special few can be exceptions to mediocrity and exceed expectations. Nissan introduced the current-gen Altima for 2019, and this year's midcycle refresh brings a huge infotainment display, tweaked visuals, and more standard safety features to the midsize sedan.

The results? Acceptable, not exceptional. We need to talk about why.

Nissan's current Altima has always been a relatively well-designed machine, and this year's refresh doesn't ruin that. The new Nissan badge isn't as flashy plastichrome as the old one, and we're grateful that even base-level cars are now fitted with LED headlights.

Nissan's midsize offering feels well-built, too. The satisfying thunk of closing a door would impress even on a luxury car, which is a far cry from the hollow clang we experienced when the current-gen Altima was new back in 2018.

Our well-equipped Altima SL tester wore an especially handsome hue of paint Nissan calls Scarlet Ember, though beyond a curious second red, the color choices are limited to grayscale options. Each step on the trim ladder has its own distinct wheel design for 2023; the 19-inch wheels on the SL look convincingly premium.

The big change is inside. New for 2023, Nissan offers a sizable 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard on the SL and SR VC-Turbo or optionally available with the Premium package if you go for the basic Altima SR or SV.

The display itself is tied with the newly redesigned Honda Accord for the largest in the segment, but it feels like even more digital real estate in the Altima. It's mounted on the center stack close to the driver, which is great for accessibility to touch controls, but it can feel a little in your face. The Accord's system is more subtle and better integrated.

Wireless Apple CarPlay is standard with the big screen and looks excellent, though Nissan's in-house menus and icons look as if they are rendered in a lower resolution than the screen itself. We also noticed a low-res backup camera with severely impaired visibility in low light or bad weather. The screen itself is great, but the Nissan parts of the infotainment experience can feel sluggish, outdated, and unresponsive. As such, we found ourselves sticking to CarPlay.

Nissan keeps the same pair of engine offerings post-refresh, and the driving experience goes unchanged. One strong point is the steering, which feels precise, accurate, and naturally weighted. There are even welcome hints of feedback through the wheel, which itself is one of the better-looking tillers in the class. We also found relatively impressive body control and a pleasant compliance to the ride quality.

So the 2023 Altima's steering and dynamics are solid. The entry-level powertrain is not. Outright acceleration isn't the issue, though 0-60 mph in 8.0 seconds is on the sluggish end of the segment and we tested a 2019 Altima SV AWD accomplishing the same in 7.4 seconds. Fuel economy isn't the problem, either; many other sedans in the midsize segment are more efficient, though comparing AWD models, the Altima beats out both the Toyota Camry and Kia K5. Rather, the Altima is held back by its continuously variable transmission (CVT).

"What a horrible CVT experience this is," road test editor Chris Walton said as he struggled to even maintain a constant speed with the transmission constantly rising and dropping the engine's revs. The CVT can be slow to respond on the road, too, which translates to the engine not delivering power when you need it. Also, it simulates a traditional automatic's shifts at full throttle, which occasionally results in odd surges in acceleration.

Our testing staff also took issue with the brakes. Walton found the short pedal travel made it difficult to modulate the brakes and stay out of ABS. The Altima stopped from 60 mph in 124 feet, which is midpack among its peers (and again, inferior to the 2019 car), but road test analyst Alan Lau found the ABS activation intrusive and the pedal lacking feel.

We also noticed a few instances of odd pedal feedback similar to ABS activation on the street when braking for a stop sign. There's a slim chance this could be related to debris in the road, but we haven't experienced the same issue in other vehicles when driving similarly on the same roads.

Our car was also fitted with rear automatic emergency braking, which can activate prematurely and slam on the brakes with little finesse when you're trying to back up and anything moves nearby.

These issues aren't deal-breakers. For plenty of drivers, the odd brake behavior, occasional powertrain surging, and delayed transmission response will fade into the background during less extreme daily commuting and the like. There's enough here to distract folks from the Altima's flaws based on its upscale design, solid perceived build quality, and huge infotainment screen.

The Altima is adequate enough that no Nissan purist who finds a great deal will be upset with their purchase. In fact, this entry to the midsize space only falters when viewed alongside its more refined, better performing, fuel-sipping peers. Not to mention, the more popular and similarly priced Rogue SUV is much more competitive.

Is the A​​ltima a bad car? Nah. But with the excellence on offer for similar money elsewhere in the industry, there are better offerings to choose from.