Farewell, Nissan Altima

[svtrit]

If it didn't hurt workers, I wish the entire brand went away. I can't stand them.

I feel the same about GM product. To each his own.

 

[Skippy722]

Sedans manufactured by Toyota are still the highest selling vehicles in the United States. So I think it´s a matter of Toyota being just better. Nobody wants to compete with the Camry-Corolla cabal.

Highest selling sedans*

F-series, Silverado, and Ram take the top 3, followed by the RAV4 and then you finally get to the Camry. Even Ram, who couldn’t break 500,000, beat the Camry by over 170,000.

 

[Hermann]

If sedans make a comeback which I feel is starting. Nissan will have a Altima again. Maybe the next Altima will be a mainstream EV. Sedans are more fuel efficient than SUV's. Many sedans will be like the Toyota Crown, Slightly lifted to aid in entry for us old folks whose low backs do not function like a 30 yr old's back. The next Camry may have Crown influences. IMO YMMV

 

[fdcg27]

You would think there'd be a pretty broad market for efficient four door sedans offered at moderate prices with decent equipment even in base form and you'd be wrong.
For reasons unknown to me, most drivers these days prefer something larger and thirstier not gifted with good handling and easy to park size.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Good riddance. Not a good car.

 

[svtrit]

Good riddance. Not a good car.

Have you driven one? They are good cars! I owned one and rented many.

 

[dogememe]

Good riddance. Not a good car.

Agreed. Just another car with a bad CVT.

 

[cammyfive79]

My first college roommate had a then brand new 1997 Altima that we rode around everywhere. I seriously do not recall him changing the oil let along putting more than $5 of gas in it at a time in the 2 years we lived in the dorms. And trust me, that was not using a 2 year/20k mile approved full synthetic. lol

The Altima went through a roller coaster of ups and downs through it's life - jelly bean break out in the mid 90s first gen, totally anonymous dictionary picture of "car" in it's second gen, pocket rocket with a 6 speed manual and the VQ 3.5L V6 in the next gen of the early 2000s, and an internet meme in it's last 2 generations.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Have you driven one? They are good cars! I owned one and rented many.

All in the hands of the beholder. I had a new Altima when I was getting my Nissan Rogue Select serviced. Ca. 2017 Poor E steering, ho hum engine performance and NVH. Seats OK certainly not as good as the Japanese built '14 Rogue, Plain vanilla transportation only done fair-at-best, as was the Camry. I have HIGH standards having driven good sports cars and luxury mid sixties American cars.

If you like it enough - then there you go!

 

[ARCOgraphite]

You would think there'd be a pretty broad market for efficient four door sedans offered at moderate prices with decent equipment even in base form and you'd be wrong.
For reasons unknown to me, most drivers these days prefer something larger and thirstier not gifted with good handling and easy to park size.

You are set with two vehicles, a utility SUV and a sedan. What if you could only have one?

 

[Rmay635703]

Another sedan gets the axe.

Just in time for increasing demand for sedans and other fuel efficient vehicles.

2008 all over again but worse

You are set with two vehicles, a utility SUV and a sedan. What if you could only have one?

Time for a $500 trailer, easier to load, less maintenance and it stays home if you don’t need it

 

[fdcg27]

You are set with two vehicles, a utility SUV and a sedan. What if you could only have one?

Well, no reason not to have one of each rather than one SUV plus dad's commuter half ton air hauler.
Anyway, the Forester is pretty economical to run as are a number of other smallish CUVs.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

I´m telling you, the market is RIPE for a compact economical vehicle to blast in. in the days of 60k pickup trucks... somebody come in with a sub 20k well equipped vehicle that seats four. Something needs to reset this market.

Something like the new Ford Bronco, except Ford has done it all wrong. prices have climbed, production is limited to orders, and more high end exclusive packages. The market is ripe for get-it-out-there and affordable.

Think of a Ford Bronco 4dr under-around 20k, and 100k+ production annaully, designed NOT to use as many chips, twenty on every lot with various engine configs, upper trims with hybrid, full EV, but lower trims with NA motors. It has to be from a non standard brand, the big dogs will not do it to save their higher end models.

I predict Chinese cars will fill this void in the US sooner or later. It's clear the major players from Michigan and Japan collectively care less about selling cheap cars every year. Why should they when enougy people keep ponying up big money for trucks and they can maximize margin per vehicle?

But not everybody can afford this absurdly high new average vehicle price, and the Chinese OEMs need an "in" with the North American market. Selling cheap, basic transportation, in a market that is now basically devoid of that, I think will let them get their foot in the door and find success. And once they can build a reputation in small/cheap cars, they'll be like Hyundai/Kia where over the years they'll become more and more mainstream and then offer more expensive cars too. We'll see what happens, but I feel like that's a matter of "when" and not "if" at this point.

 

[Oillover]

I predict Chinese cars will fill this void in the US sooner or later. It's clear the major players from Michigan and Japan collectively care less about selling cheap cars every year. Why should they when enougy people keep ponying up big money for trucks and they can maximize margin per vehicle?

But not everybody can afford this absurdly high new average vehicle price, and the Chinese OEMs need an "in" with the North American market. Selling cheap, basic transportation, in a market that is now basically devoid of that, I think will let them get their foot in the door and find success. And once they can build a reputation in small/cheap cars, they'll be like Hyundai/Kia where over the years they'll become more and more mainstream and then offer more expensive cars too. We'll see what happens, but I feel like that's a matter of "when" and not "if" at this point.

But what about the North American safety standards?
IIRC, most Chinese offerings can't pass even the most basic of crash tests.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

But what about the North American safety standards?
IIRC, most Chinese offerings can't pass even the most basic of crash tests.

Not yet they can't.

 

[Oillover]

Not yet they can't.

Once they invest billions to improve the ratings, don't you think that would increase the cost of the vehicle?
Eventually those costs of R&D have to be passed onto the consumer, making the purchase price comparable to current offerings from Japan, Korea etc.

 

[WeyounDS9]

Altima is one of Nissan's best selling nameplates and Nissan is one of the few companies that appears comitted to the sedan segment.
I will believe it when I see it.

 

[WeyounDS9]

Same here. Owned one, (a 2014) best seats and mpg in class.
rented some recent ones for worktrip, just fantastic automobile.

 

[michaelluscher]

What'll people with major BAE drive next
Big
Altima
Energy
I never got to try the VC-Turbo engine, I probably should
And those Zero gravity seats are real comfy for my mangled spine
It is the official vehicle of being a menace to society, and a hazard on the road
I hope the workforce in TN is repurposed, maybe factory retooled for a different model?
I give a 21 crank sensor salute
Because ONG Altima's nearly always have a whining CVT, a cracked flex pipe, constant long crank/stalling due to Cam/Crank sensor failures, and a permanent TPMS light
Rust in peace

 

[cheesepuffs2]

Once they invest billions to improve the ratings, don't you think that would increase the cost of the vehicle?
Eventually those costs of R&D have to be passed onto the consumer, making the purchase price comparable to current offerings from Japan, Korea etc.

I don't think it would take billions.