If you’ve been following much of the current 2013 V8 Supercars, the new Altima has been Nissan’s model of choice to battle it out against rivals from Ford, Holden and Mercedes. As it is Nissan’s first year racing in Australia for quite some time, the Altima has been steadily improving. However, Nissan is no stranger to winning. Some of you will remember back in the early 1990s where the formidable Nissan Skyline GTR cleaned up in the hands of Mark Skaife and Jim Richards. So what makes the brand new road-going Nissan Altima tick? And, what’s it like for an everyday drive around popular Australian beats?

Fresh looks and innovative design have assisted in creating the special looking 2013 Nissan Altima. Head on down to any local Nissan dealer, and you’ll find the Altima is right ready to roll off the showroom floor and onto Australian roads. Four models of Nissan Altima are available, mostly differing from one another in the level of luxury and features they behold.

Top of the range, the Nissan Altima Ti-S gets the 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine for superior performance that places it at the top of the car’s class for grunt and acceleration. A 0-100 km/h time in the low six second bracket is quick. The ST, ST-L and Ti Altima models house the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine which is very frugal considering the large, roomy size of the Altima body. CVT gearing puts the power down through the front wheels, and with a 0-100 km/h around eight seconds, this again makes it one of the quicker family orientated four-cylinder cars available. Definitely, the heartbeat of the Nissan Altima engine is very strong, and this makes the car exceptionally satisfying to drive. You always feel there is plenty of power available for passing and towing trailers.

On the open road, the new Nissan Altima provides roomy, quiet transport. Equipped with a multi-link suspension, the Altima soaks up road irregularities with ease over any common road around Australia. The hustle and bustle of a hot Brisbane day is left well and truly outside the car, where inside the climate control and comfy seats make travel a relaxed affair. A Nissan Altima will make a great family sedan with all the room and handy storage areas. ST-L, Ti and Ti-S versions get the premium nine-speaker BOSE audio system which sends shivers down the spine for sound clarity and concert-like performance. Even the Nissan Altima S comes with fancy features like the intelligent key and push button start combo, an advanced driver assist display and dual-zone climate control.

Interior style and finish is high quality, and the look of leather seats and sweeping dashboard lines is classy. A nice outline of chrome detailing envelopes some of the instrument dials, while the high-end models get Nissan’s special Zero Gravity Inspired seats. A 7-inch touch screen accesses loads of information and communication programmes. Nissan’s NissanConnect Apps, and a new smartphone integration system brings services like Pandora into the everyday driving experience.

With an Around View Monitor, the Altima also displays what’s going on around the outside of the car. Lane Departure Warning and Blindspot Warning systems help make the big Altima Sedan not only feel safe, but give the impression that all the modern safety systems on-board for peace of mind. Safety is big in the Altima, so things like antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags and side curtain airbags and a rearview camera all come as standard items.

When you are up against rivals like the latest Volkswagen Passat, BMW 5 Series, Honda Accord, Mazda 6, Kia Optima or Peugeot 508 models, the Nissan Altima has to be good to compete. The good news is that the Altima is a very complete, roomy sedan with plenty of power to get the job done. This is a class act from Nissan, making it one of the best sedans in its class – in fact, so you best take some time to check one of the new Altimas out.

The current Nissan Altima models include the:

• Altima S (2.5-litre)
• Altima ST-L
• Altima Ti
• Altima Ti-S

For any more information on the Nissan Altima, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Nissan dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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