Despite mid-size segment-wide sales declining, Nissan’s 2017 Altima is still stubbornly chasing after Toyota’s best-selling Camry.
The Altima remains one of the most popular cars in its segment, with 242,000 units sold so far this year. So then what attracts people to it? Kelley Blue Book editor Zach Vlasuk has a few theories of his own.
For starters, he thinks people tend to like it due to its comfortable ride and appearance, with the fact that it can be “easy on the eyes” actually making a difference considering how some of its rivals tend to have very aggressive designs.
In fact, KBB goes as far as to say that the Altima feels roomier in the back than rivals that are technically larger – such as the Camry, the Accord or the KIA Optima. As for overall quality, interior materials rank near the top of the class, which can definitely sway buyers that appreciate the “finer things”.
On the road, the Altima feels smooth and quiet though there is an issue with its steering that may let you down a bit. Still, its competent engine range (2.5-liter four & 3.5-liter V6) could make up for the fact that it’s not the no.1 driver’s car in the segment.
The 2017 Nissan Altima starts from $23,335 MSRP in the US, though you definitely won’t be getting all the necessary gadgets that help make this car successful without going for a better spec’d version.