The Nissan Altima has had a good, long life, with over 33 years in production. The current sixth-generation car was introduced in 2018, with minor cosmetic updates in 2023. While rumors are circulating about the car’s demise, we still don’t have official confirmation from Nissan on whether the Altima will exist as we know it in 2026. But how does it perform in the here and now?
Related: 2025 Nissan Altima: 4 reasons to love it, 2 reasons to think twice
What you get with the 2025 Nissan Altima SR
We spent time with the 2025 Nissan Altima SR, which sits just below the top SL trim. A few additions set the SR apart from the rest, including 19-inch wheels, paddle shifters, unique suspension tuning, a special “dark chrome” grille, sport seats, and a leatherette-wrapped steering wheel. Our car’s optional bronze-painted wheels cost another $670, and other extras like puddle lights and floor mats brought the total price as tested to $34,580, including destination charges.
No “driver’s car,” but the 2025 Nissan Altima is fun to drive
Looking at the numbers, you might be hoodwinked into believing the Altima is a drag to drive. After all, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder makes a paltry 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque through a dreaded continuously variable transmission (CVT). This is hardly the recipe for driving thrill, but the numbers rarely tell the full story.
Steven Paul
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One of the most annoying things about cars getting bigger every year is the reduced outward visibility produced by thicker pillars. The Altima, however, has an open feel in the cabin, with A-pillars that always felt manageable and good sightlines in all directions. That makes you feel connected to the road and, more importantly, acutely aware of your surroundings.
There’s a lot more for “real drivers” to love. At highway speeds, the Altima’s steering is light but precise, aided by a steering wheel of just-right chunkiness. The brake pedal is firm, demonstrates linear travel, and efficiently scrubs speed. Even better, the Altima manages to do what many true sport sedans fail at by remaining fairly composed and comfortable even over rougher pavement.
Related: 2025 Honda Civic Type R: Is this hot hatch worth it?
Steven Paul
The Altima’s interior is a pretty nice place to be, too
We’ll admit that the aggressive, flat-bottom steering wheel, paddle shifters (for a CVT, no less!), and special, ultra-grippy sport seats are probably a tad overkill. The result, however, is an interior that feels far from a penalty box, especially when joined by bulky buttons, knobs, and switches that are satisfying to use.
Steven Paul
Quality and materials are overall acceptable, although, upon closer inspection, you will find signs of admittedly necessary cost-cutting. For example, the dash trim looks premium but feels like one of those holographic bookmarks from the ‘90s. The 8.0-inch touchscreen our car shipped with has a simple radio with Bluetooth capabilities which all worked fine. Driver aids included blind-spot and lane-keeping, both of which also worked great and, importantly, were simple to disable when desired.
Final thoughts
Ditching all-wheel drive, the crazy wheels, and sticking with white, black, or silver paint can get you a functionally identical car to the one we drove for just under $30,000.
The closest Camry is eight percent more expensive, and the nearest Accord sits at 12 percent. Overall, the 2025 Nissan Altima is still good enough to win bouts within its segment, it just needs to pick them carefully.
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