Refreshed 2023 Nissan Altima Adds Tech, Mostly Minor Price Tweaks
With a mild facelift and a handful of tech upgrades, the 2023 Nissan Altima arrives at a starting price of $26,385 (including a $1,095 destination charge). While the mid-size sedan’s starting price is on par with competitors, shoppers should note the base S trim lacks some standard features offered by its rivals; in order to take advantage of all the 2023 upgrades, going with a higher trim is a must. The same goes for getting Nissan’s available all-wheel-drive system, which is a rarity for the class; the S remains front-wheel drive only.
Related: 2023 Nissan Altima: Fresh Face, Wireless Tech, More Standard Safety
What’s New?
The 2023 Altima gets new grille designs, an updated Nissan logo, standard LED headlights with integrated turn signals, two new paint colors and new trim-specific wheel designs on the outside. Inside, the sedan now offers the option of upgrading to a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, built-in navigation and a Wi-Fi hot spot. The top SL and SR VC-Turbo trims also gain a standard 360-degree camera system. The new tech is either standard or optional on higher trims; the base S gets a standard 7-inch touchscreen without Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The S isn’t completely neglected, however, as Nissan makes its Safety Shield 360 standard with a suite of features including a blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert and rear automatic emergency braking.
The Altima’s two engine options carry over for 2023: The base engine powering the S, SV, SR and SL models is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission that makes 188 horsepower in FWD variants and 182 hp in those with AWD. The range-topping SR VC-Turbo gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine for increased output (248 horses with premium gas or 236 hp with regular). Unlike the standard SR, however, the SR VC-Turbo is FWD only. The Altima’s EPA-rated fuel economy ranges from 28/39/32 mpg city/highway/combined in the base model to 25/34/29 mpg for the SR VC-Turbo.
Trims and Pricing
Below are the starting prices for each trim, along with their price increase from 2022; note the Platinum trim is no longer available for 2023. Opting for AWD adds $1,500 to SV, SR and SL trims.
- S: $26,385 ($390)
- SV: $27,185 ($190)
- SR: $28,585 ($590)
- SL: $33,085 ($1,650)
- SR VC-Turbo: $36,085 ($3,740)
The base S rides on 16-inch wheels, while the SV gets 17-inch machined aluminum alloys, and SR and higher models get larger 19-inch wheels in the machined aluminum-alloy finish. The SR’s exterior is further differentiated by a dark-chrome grille, a unique rear diffuser color, exhaust finisher, black side mirror caps and body-color door handles.
Inside, cloth seats are standard for the S and SV, while the SR gets a unique sport cloth fabric; leather seats are optional on the SR or standard on the SL and SR VC-Turbo. Heated front seats are available for the SV and SR and standard on SL and SR VC-Turbo. The SL and SR VC-Turbo get a premium nine-speaker Bose audio system, which replaces the standard six-speaker system in lower trims, along with Nissan’s ProPilot Assist hands-on driver-assist system.
Versus the Competition
The Altima’s competition includes the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry. The Altima’s starting price is competitive among this set: The 2022 Accord starts at $27,615; the 2023 Sonata at $26,045; and the 2023 Camry at $27,040. However, the base Altima’s lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is a strike against it since the connectivity is standard on the all three rivals. The Camry’s base LE also offers available AWD — an option Altima S shoppers will have to forgo.
More From Cars.com:
- The 2022 Nissan Altima Could Be Better; Here’s How
- Accord Vs. Altima Vs. Camry: Which Is the Best Mid-Size Sedan?
- 2023 Nissan Maxima Enters Final Year Starting at $39,235
- The Mazda6 Is Dead for 2022; What Sedans Can You Still Buy?
- More Sedan News
Related Video:
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
