News Source: topspeed.com

The Nissan Altima  was originally sold in the U.S. in 1992, and in 2001, it made the transition from compact  to mid-size  sedan.  Considered one of the top entries in its segment, the Altima  offers easy driving characteristics, a comfortable cabin, exciting performance, and high value. These assets have propelled the Altima to the top of Nissan’  s sales charts, but throughout its five generations, it’s lagged behind similar products from Toyota  and Honda.  Nissan hopes to change that for the 2016 model year, giving the Altima “one of the most extensive mid-cycle product makeovers in Nissan history,” according to North America chairman José Muñoz. The changes are indeed quite dramatic, including a redesigned exterior and cabin, class-leading fuel efficiency, active safety technology, updated suspension, and the introduction of a sportier SR trim level. But is it enough to nose ahead of the competition?

I went to Plymouth, Michigan to find out. Located roughly 30 minutes west of Detroit, Plymouth is crisscrossed by long country roads, meandering two-lanes, and charming townships, offering a nice mix of environments to put the new Altima through its paces. I also got a chance to test out the new suspension on a parking lot slalom course and rough road course.

The Altima is currently the best-selling Nissan in the U.S., experiencing solid growth for the past five consecutive years. In 2015, it was the third best-selling passenger car in the nation, ahead of the Ford Fusion and Subaru Legacy, but behind the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

The current fifth-generation Altima was unveiled for the 2013 model year. To keep a model feeling new before the next generation is released, carmakers will perform something known as a “mid-cycle refresh” or “facelift,” essentially offering new features and/or a redesign to stay one step ahead of the competition. We first got a look at the Altima’s 2016 model-year facelift in September, and it’s much more extensive than the typical mid-cycle refresh.

Alongside the design updates and new technology, the addition of the new SR trim level is particularly important. Nissan says up to 40 percent of its competitors’ sales are sporty variants, and now, the Altima offers it’s own performance-oriented derivative.

With the SR, there are seven total trim levels to choose from – the 2.5, 2.5 S, 2.5 SR, 2.5 SV, 2.5 SL, 3.5 SR, and 3.5 SL. The numbers identify the engine size, while the letters identify the equipment.

For the past several years, the Altima has stood out as one of the better-looking cars in the segment. While the Camry and Accord are both quickly lost in a crowd, the Altima looks sharper and snappier. The nose and tail are unique, and the profile offers nice proportions, particularly around the C-pillar.

For the 2016 refresh, these attributes are all greatly enhanced, as the Altima once again eschews the bland and generic for something much more interesting. Overall, I like what Nissan did. I caught myself looking back more than once after exiting the car, just to catch a glimpse of the new styling.

Nissan calls the design language “Energetic Flow,” first unveiling it to the public with the Resonance and Sports Sedan concepts, which transformed into the new Murano and Maxima, respectively.

The most prominent feature is the chrome-trimmed “V-Motion” upper grille, which characterizes the front fascia without dominating it. Complementary changes can be found in every panel ahead of the A-pillar, including the bumper, fenders, hood, lower grille, and boomerang-shaped headlights.

SR models receive smoked headlight bezels as standard, improving the front end even further. Pictures don’t quite convey the difference these bezels make, but seeing them in person makes them much more obvious. LED projector low-beam headlights with LED signature daytime running lights are standard on 3.5 SR and 3.5 SL models, and optional on 2.5 SR and 2.5 SL models. Fog lights come standard on SR, SV, and SL models.

The rear fascia was also refreshed with a new bumper, trunk lid, and a darker lower accent. The taillights are lower and wider, once again echoing the boomerang shape up front, and are offered with available LEDs. SR models receive a rear lip spoiler, while SLs have an available moon roof.

All these changes certainly bring new aesthetic appeal, but there’s functionality to be found as well. The 2016 Altima offers a 10-percent lower drag coefficient, dropping from 0.29 to 0.26. Funny enough, 0.26 is the same number you get with the track-eating Nissan GT-R.

Contributing the bulk of this efficiency is a new active grille shutter (3 percent improvement), more extensive underbody covers (3 percent improvement), and new front and rear fascia windshield designs (4 percent improvement). The reduced drag not only helps with fuel efficiency, but it quiets the cabin as well.

Paint options include the newly added Deep Blue Pearl (my personal favorite), plus Java Metallic, Brilliant Silver, Gun Metallic, Super Black, Cayenne Red, Pearl White, Glacier White, and Storm Blue. Nissan also added new designs for the 17- and 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.