"The CVT automatic is well-tuned, however, and helps make the Altima an almost invisible partner during day-to-day driving." -Edmunds.Com
The Nissan Altima four-door sedan has two engine configurations on offer across its range. The standard 2.5L DOHC inline 4-cylinder motor delivers 188 hp and 180 lb.-ft. torque when mated to the FWD setup, which is pushed to 182 hp and 178 lb.-ft. with the all-wheel drive type. Then comes the turbo-driven VC-Turbo SR and Platinum trims. These variants source power from a smaller but turbocharged 2.0L inline-4 DOHC motor which replaced the 3.5L V6 of 2018 Nissan Altima.
That engine delivers 248 hp and 273 lb.-ft. torque when running on premium fuel, and 236 hp and 267 lb.-ft. torque on regular fuel. The only downside, these motors come with the FWD configuration only. The competitors – Ford Fusion and Honda Accord – all have very competitive engines with relatively similar displacements. They even have very similar outputs. Although, Nissan is the only one to use a more advanced and efficient CVT unit where others stick to conventional 6 or 8-speed automatics. That Xtronic CVT transmission is the only gearbox available with either of the engines but it is not like other CVTs.
Models |
2020 Nissan Altima Platinum VC-Turbo |
2020 Honda Accord Touring |
2020 Toyota Camry TRD |
2020 Ford Fusion Titanium
|
MSRP |
$35,180 |
$36,400 |
$31,170 |
$34,450 |
Engine |
2.0L Variable Compression Turbo Inline-4 |
2.0L Turbo Inline-4 |
3.5L V6 |
2.0L Turbo Ecoboost Inline-4 |
Drivetrain |
FWD |
FWD |
FWD |
FWD |
Transmission |
Xtronic CVT |
10-speed automatic w/Shift-by-wire |
Direct shift-8AT 8-speed electronically controlled automatic w/intelligence (ET-i) |
6-speed automatic |
Power |
248 hp @ 5,600 RPM |
252 hp @ 6,500 RPM |
301 hp @ 6,600 RPM |
245 hp @ 5,500 RPM |
Torque |
280 lb-ft @ 1,600 RPM |
273 lb-ft @ 1,500 RPM |
267 lb-ft @ 4,700 RPM |
275 lb-ft @ 3,000 RPM |
0-60 MPH |
5.9 sec |
5.6 sec |
5.8 sec |
6.9 sec |
Quarter-Mile |
14.6 sec |
14.2 sec |
14.4 sec |
15.2 sec |
Top Speed |
130 MPH |
125 MPH |
135 MPH |
130 MPH |
The 2.0-liter turbocharged motor of the 2020 Nissan Altima fares well when you compare it to its rivals in the acceleration tests. It chases to the 60 MPH mark in 5.9 seconds, which is quicker than most of its similarly-priced rivals. The other 2.5-liter four-pot, with the naturally aspirated motor, takes about 2 seconds longer to do the same. Nonetheless, both make overtaking easy in the city, and when you have the need to push through traffic on the interstates, you can do it with ease, thanks to the motors' responsiveness.
As far as rivals go, it is the Honda Accord Touring who reigns at the top. It is the first to reach the 60 mph mark and also the quickest to finish a quarter-mile drag in 14.2 seconds. The second in line is Toyota Camry TRD reaching 60 mph mark in 5.8 seconds, i.e., 0.2 second slower than that Honda, due to longer gear shifts and heavier weight. Still, at 135 mph it is the fastest. But Altima’s performance seems even better than the Honda Accord. The steering is precise and there is a good amount of feel from it. It's very direct, and therefore, requires quite a bit of caution to steer the car at higher speeds but remains light and easy during driving sedately.
Also Read:
- What makes the 2020 Nissan Altima a better sedan than the 2020 Nissan Maxima?
- Nissan limits the VC-Turbo motor of the 2021 Altima exclusively for its SR trim