Nissan Altima lands in Oz

The Nissan Altima mid-sized sedan will be looking to upset the status quo in the medium car segment when it arrives in dealerships in the first week of December, priced sharply from $29,990.

Available with four- and six-cylinder engines mated to an automatic transmission across four trim levels, the new car will butt heads with the top-sellers in the segment like the Toyota Camry and Mazda6, hoping to lure buyers with extensive standard features, high levels of safety, technology and new "zero gravity" seats developed by NASA.

The only mid-sized car currently contesting the V8Supercar championship, the Altima's trim levels span the base model ST, the ST-L, the Ti and range-topping Ti-S. Nissan Altima pricing in Australia is as follows:

ST – $29,990
ST-L – $35,890
Ti – $40,190
Ti-S – $45,390

All models are equipped with the same automatic continuously variable (CVT) transmission with normal, eco and sport modes.

Only three other mid-sized vehicles undercut the Altima's price, the Suzuki Kizashi ($28,990), Holden Malibu ($28,490) and Volkswagen Jetta ($26,490).

Where Nissan hopes to out-smart its rivals is in the equipment stakes, the entry-level Altima ST is packaged with Bluetooth phone connectivity, six-speaker stereo with USB and iPod connectivity, five-inch colour display, dual-zone climate control with rear-seat air vents, push-button engine ignition, intelligent keyless entry and steering wheel buttons for audio and cruise controls.

Automatic halogen headlights, electric folding mirrors, and 16-inch alloy wheels are also gratis on the entry-level Altima ST, as are 60/40 split folding rear seats with ISOFIX child restraint anchorages and tethers.

All Altimas come with NASA-developed "zero gravity" front bucket seats too. The specially designed seats are claimed to reduce fatigue on longer drives via their neutral posture.

Storage solutions on all models include sunglasses holder, front and rear cup and bottle holders and a leather-accented front armrest with storage bin. The boot has a 488-litre capacity.

Six airbags, electronic stability control, a new active understeer control system and anti-lock brakes are fitted to all models.

Altima ST-L models and above get more tech, starting with front and rear parking sensors, front fog lights, an upgraded nine-speaker BOSE stereo, leather-accented seats, a reversing camera and satellite navigation.

Deeper smartphone Bluetooth integration makes the ST-L grade too, comprising audio streaming and the new NissanConnect system. The latter lets users operate certain phone apps via the car's larger seven-inch colour screen. Power-adjustable front seats and bigger 17-inch alloy wheels are also added to the ST-L.

Step up to the Ti and Ti-S models and the alloy wheels grow to 18-inches in diameter, while an electric rear-window sunshade, xenon headlights, auto-tilting door mirrors (when in reverse), anti-dazzle interior mirror and Around View Monitor are added.

The TI and Ti-S grades also get an Intelligent Technology Suite (ITS) comprising blind spot and lane departure warning systems, plus moving object detection to alert the driver to risks.

All models get a foot-operated parking brake.

The first three model grades (ST, ST-L, Ti) are packaged with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine worth 127kW/230Nm, while the range-topping Altima Ti-S is the only model packing V6 grunt. The punchy 3.5-litre V6 engine grinds out 183kW/312Nm and comes with steering-wheel paddle shifters for added control.

Fuel consumption is rated at 7.5L/100km for the four-cylinder engine and 9.3L/100km for the V6. Nissan says both engines will happily operate with 91 RON regular petrol.

Peter Jones, Managing Director and CEO of Nissan Motor Company Australia, said the new Altima ticks all the boxes for a wide range of buyers.

"This is an exciting all-new model. It delivers great value with generous standard equipment, each matched to competitive prices across four separate model grades, making it a compelling proposition for Australian sedan car buyers."

Stay tuned for our first local drive of the Altima soon.


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