Consumers across the world are increasingly flocking to crossovers and large family SUVs, and the segment hit the most by this trend is the midsize saloon class. Although many carmakers have scaled back on production of their family saloon models, the three Japanese models that have been historically popular in this category, the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima are still going strong in most markets. While the former two have had all-new models coming out last year, Nissan has introduced its sixth generation Altima to the Middle East today.

Revealed first at the New York motor show last year, the latest iteration of the Altima has been completely redesigned and its aggressive lines, athletic stance and proportions are all clearly inspired by the Vmotion 2.0 concept from early 2017. Lower, wider and longer than the previous model, the new Altima has a longer wheelbase, resulting in shorter front and rear overhang.

“The all-new Altima builds on 25 years of heritage; it is an incredibly popular model in the Middle East, and we are confident that the advancements made in the sixth generation of the car will heighten its appeal,” said Kalyana Sivagnanam, Regional Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Africa, Middle East, and India region for Nissan. Meanwhile, Juergen Schmitz, Managing Director of Nissan Middle East pointed out that the Altima nameplate now enjoys its highest recorded segment share in the region, with the fifth generation model seeing a year-on-year growth of 30 per cent in first ten months of the current financial year.

Powertrain options for the 2019 Altima include a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot that replaces the previous 3.5-litre V6. While the 2.5-litre will be available starting this month, the variable compression turbo option will go on sale in summer.

Nissan has also crammed the new model with features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies such as Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning, radar-based Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and High Beam Assist among others.

Available in S, SV and SL trims, prices for the 2019 Nissan Altima starts at Dh84,000 (excluding VAT) in the UAE.

 

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