Nissan is in the middle of a big brand refresh that includes new models like the Pathfinder and Titan. Now, the Altima is about to join the fold with a mid-cycle refresh, as revealed by a China-spec model that was spotted almost totally uncovered at what appears to be one of the brand’s local factories.
Over in that neck of the woods, the Altima is called the Teana. Both it and the USDM Altima have shared styling changes in the past, so it’s reasonable to assume that the same will continue now. Originally posted to sohu.com, the trio of images gives away almost all of the previously hidden details.
In past spy shots, the rear of the car was left completely uncovered and these new pictures might show why. The shape of the tail light assembly itself looks nearly identical but what’s inside them is different. Instead of distinct trapezoidal segments, a bright LED outline can be clearly seen beneath the lens.
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Likewise, the headlight assembly up at the front of the car looks just about identical though we can’t tell if the underlying optics are different or not. The front bumper also appears to be new, with redesigned air intakes on its edges.
What we can be sure of is that the interior has seen some changes as well. In fact, just one big difference helps it look more modern and clean than the outgoing model. Nissan has equipped this Chinese model with a bigger and wider infotainment system that looks comfortably bigger than the one in the current Altima in both North America and Asia. The new display also appears to have shed the physical knobs, utilizing just a row of what looks like touch-sensitive buttons.
It seems to have a big influence on the rest of the dash too as the vents below it are different from the outgoing car too. The other features on the dash and the center console are more angular and less rounded off as well.
Still, as a refresh, a lot of what we’re seeing is going to be familiar to Nissan fans. The dash itself is mostly unchanged save for the angular touches and the climate control system, gear lever, and steering wheel stalk all look identical as well. Externally, the side profile will likewise stay the same since this isn’t a full-scale update.
