Nissan’s Altima sedan will reportedly get important mid-cycle changes for the 2016 model year, as the Japanese automaker doesn’t want its product to get left behind by Toyota’s recently refreshed Camry.
While Nissan didn’t offer details about the changes that will be applied to the Altima, the company’s North American product planner described the facelift as “significant.”
The move follows Toyota’s substantial mid-cycle changes to the 2015 Camry, as well as the increasing competitiveness of the midsize sedan segment in the United States. “Midsize is contracting a little, but it’s still a 2 million-a-year segment. It’s extremely important,” Pierre Loing, Nissan North America’s vice president of product planning, told Automotive News.
“Camry did something very huge. I believe they did that probably because they thought the car was not where they wanted it to be. I’m not sure we’re going to go to that extent. But we’re going to do something significant for the Altima for the midcycle,” Loing added. The executive said the plan includes both styling and technology upgrades.
The Altima has seen significant sales growth in the past two years, with only the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord reporting better sales in the US. Nissan sold 335,644 Altima sedans last year (up 5 percent), while Honda Accord and Toyota Camry sales were 388,374 and 428,606 respectively. However, in December the Altima outsold both its rivals.
Note: 2015 Nissan Altima pictured
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