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In the world of mid-size sedans, the 2020 Nissan Altima works hard to get your attention.
What’s New for the 2020 Nissan Altima
The Nissan Altima competes in a segment of mid-size sedans that’s stuffed with some stellar competition. But Nissan is working hard to get in on your search list and adds new piano black interior panels and some previously optional safety features now standard.
The 2020 Nissan Altima comes in a base trim model S, the sport leaning SR, middle of the road SV, the SL with leather trim, and the top-of-the-line Platinum trim. Each trim comes standard with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, but you can also opt for the high-tech 248-hp turbocharged 4-cylinder in the SR and Platinum. All-wheel-drive is only available with the less powerful 185-hp 2.5-liter engine.
For 2020, Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 is available across the Altima lineup for the first time. The safety suite has active safety features that include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic rear braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and high-beam assist.
2020 Nissan Altima – usa.nissannews.com | Shop 2020 Nissan Altima on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Very quiet and comfortable
Well-thought-out interior
Powerful, efficient optional 2.0L engine
Sport suspension unavailable on AWD SR
Low-Resolution Touchscreen
AWD not available for both engines
2020 Altima Specs
- 185 horsepower from base engine
- 178 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 5 available trims
- 100.8 cu-ft. of passenger volume
- 15.4 cu-ft. of cargo capacity
- 7-inch infotainment touchscreen
- 5-star NHTSA safety rating
2020 Nissan Altima Powertrain
The Nissan Altima arrives with the standard 188 horsepower 2.5-liter that’s paired with a CVT. If you want a quicker ride, you can power-up to the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that puts out up to 248 horsepower. We say up to, because of Nissan’s impressive engine that automatically adjusts the piston stroke length, among other things, to either give you power or high gas mileage when needed.
Of course, the 2.0-liter turbo is more fun, but even the less powerful engine feels strong enough for everyday driving. Acceleration is more than adequate on the 2.5-liter and, when you add the all-wheel-drive, nothing changes other than an addition of more stable handling characteristics.
And regarding handling, we can say the Nissan has done much more than an adequate job with cornering and ride quality on the Altima. The combination of the seats, standard suspension, and quiet interior make it a very comfortable commuter. The SR gets a tighter suspension and larger wheels for more fun, but you’ll have a stiffer ride to go along with it.
2020 Nissan Altima Fuel Economy & MPG
All the trims are fairly consistent, within a mile or two of each other. The S, SV and SL come out the best with a combined 28/39 mpg though. The turbocharged engine brings you down to 25/34 mpg. If you go with the AWD that’s offered with five of the available trims, then you’re looking at 25 or 26 mpg in the city and 35 or 36 on the highway.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
The 2020 Nissan Altima is very comfortable for a sedan. Nissan, even in the Frontier, seems to have the seat comfort equation solved.
We didn’t expect many surprises with the Altima, but one standard Active Noise Cancellation technology was a welcome addition. You can also get Nissan’s Intelligent climate control that will automatically heat or cool your Altima by remote start.
Entertainment & Technology
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and can be paired with the optional 9-speaker Bose system. The Drive-Assist Displays have Nissan’s smooth running and responsive operating system, plus you can control things with your steering wheel-mounted controls.
Safety Features
The Nissan Altima was named an IIHS Top Safety pick in 2019, and the 2020 model has more advanced features. The excellent ProPILOT Assist system is available on every trim. ProPILOT Assist uses advanced LiDAR to read the road and adjusts acceleration, braking, and steering based on traffic and road information it gathers.
Nissan’s Automatic Braking feature is now standard on the 2020 Altima with standard forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and driver alertness monitoring. Other safety features are available in the SR and up. Intelligent Lane Centering is new for 2020 and, when tied to Adaptive Cruise Control, provides semi-autonomous driving on highways.
2020 Nissan Altima Trims & Pricing
Nissan Altima S – $24,100
The base-level Nissan Altima S trim is better equipped than many of its rivals. Nissan has a power driver’s seat and an 8-inch touchscreen with an easy-to-use operating system. Most base models will only give you a power seat in higher trims. The Zero Gravity seats have cloth upholstery, and you enter the Altima with remote start and keyless entry. For connectivity, you have Bluetooth and four USB ports.
Nissan Altima SR – $25,700
The Nissan Altima SR is a sport version of the S. You get the choice of the 185 horsepower 2.5-liter or the 2.0-liter turbo-four with 248 horsepower and massive amounts of torque. The sport theme continues with a stiffened suspension, faster steering ratios, paddle shifters, and 19-inch wheels.
Nissan Altima SV – $27,880
The Nissan Altima SV comes standard Nissan Altima includes standard with the ProPILOT Assist suite. You’ll also get larger 17-inch wheels that fill out the wheel wells better. Most of the S model upgrades will be with Nissan’s Intelligent Climate control that lets you pre-cool and heat the interior. Once inside, you’re welcomed by heated seats and a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel plus dual-zone climate controls.
Nissan Altima SL – $30,240
The “L” in the Nissan Altima SL means leather seating surfaces for the front and rear seats. You’ll get all the lower trims features plus drivers assist upgrades and a premium sound system.
Nissan Altima Platinum – $32,180
If you have your heart set on Nissan’s Intelligent Around View Monitor, the Altima Platinum is for you. You also get the upgraded Bose sound system, 19-inch wheels, and memory functions for seats and side-view mirrors.
Warranties
The Nissan Altima is covered by a 3-Year / 36,000-mile limited warranty and a 5-year / 60,000-mile limited warranty for powertrain components.
What we think
2020 Nissan Altima – usa.nissannews.com | Shop 2020 Nissan Altima on Carsforsale.com
Although there are many options when you’re looking for an affordable sedan, few have all-wheel-drive. For that reason alone, we would choose the Altima. All-wheel-drive isn’t only suitable for winter but provides enhanced car control in any situation. At a price of around $1500, it may be the best safety option you can buy. That, combined with Nissan’s ProPILOT system, will give you a sedan you’ll feel protected in for a long time.
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