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There’s a saying in Hawaii: “If can, can. If no can, no can.” What’s the meaning behind that? Essentially, it encourages taking action if something is feasible, but if it isn’t, don’t worry about it. In this spirit, Nissan seems to have taken the stance of “still can.” For those who thought the Altima couldn’t become any more uninspiring, picture it without a turbo option.
Recently announced details for the 2025 model year show that the Altima’s starting price has risen to $28,140, including destination fees, marking an increase of $1,270 for the base model. While the press release promotes a “new SV Special Edition package,” it fails to specify what features did not carry over. Did Nissan believe no one would notice that among the four trim levels, only one powertrain is listed? Our colleagues at Carscoops certainly did.
Previously, the Altima SR front-wheel-drive model featured a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine that delivered an impressive 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. While it required premium fuel to achieve those specs, this powertrain was noteworthy for being the world’s first variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo). It now appears that this distinction will remain exclusive to Infiniti, at least for the time being.
The powertrain for the 2025 Altima SR, along with the S, SV, and SL trims, will feature a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 188 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel-drive models experience a drop of 6 hp and 2 lb-ft. This engine boasts an EPA-estimated fuel efficiency of 27 mpg in the city, 39 mpg on the highway, and 32 mpg combined. In comparison, the now-absent turbo engine achieved 25/34/29 mpg. These figures were respectable, particularly with a maximum range of 470 miles on a full tank.
Speculation regarding the Altima’s potential discontinuation has been ongoing for a while. This raises eyebrows, considering that while the Altima (and Nissan in general) may not compete with the sales figures of its direct rivals, it is still the brand’s top-selling car and the second-best-selling model overall, trailing only the Rogue.
In the last year, Nissan sold 128,030 Altimas, outperforming the Sentra’s 109,195 units, but falling short of the Rogue’s impressive 271,458 sales. Although the Altima’s annual sales showed an 8.5 percent decline, this was not as severe as the Leaf’s drop of 40.5 percent or the Frontier’s decline of 23.7 percent. Is this the end for a once highly regarded sedan during its seemingly fading days? Interestingly, the Altima remains a competitor in Australia’s Dunlop Super2 series for the Supercars Championship, indicating there’s still some vitality left in this vehicle, but it appears that its future is uncertain.
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