Nissan Altima Trim Levels

With its aggressive stance, dynamic power, and roomy interior, the Nissan Altima is a great choice for Indianapolis-area drivers. However, which of the 2021 Nissan Altima trim levels is the right choice for your lifestyle? The team at Andy Mohr Nissan explores the seven options in this review to help you decide which one is the right choice for your drives around Lawrence and Speedway, IN.  

Nissan Altima S 

The Nissan Altima S base trim does not hold back on power. This trim comes with the standard 2.5L 4-cylinder engine that generates 188 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. This trim gets an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 28 city/39 highway MPG.¹

Drivers can stay connected with Siri® Eyes Free and the Hands-free Text Messaging Assistant that allow you to ask Siri® for information, like turn-by-turn navigation, and respond to text messages using voice commands.

You're sure to feel safe behind the wheel as well with the standard Intelligent Forward Collision Warning with Automatic Emergency Braking. This system warns you of hazards up ahead and applies the brakes to lessen or prevent a potential impact.

Nissan Altima SV

The Nissan Altima SV comes with everything in the previous trim, plus some extra smart safety features, including Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. These systems alert you to vehicles in your side and rear blind spots, so you're less likely to be caught off guard when changing lanes or navigating a busy parking lot.

One of the standout features of the Nissan Altima SV, though, is the impressive ProPILOT Assist system. This feature manages your vehicle’s speed to stay safely behind traffic while also guiding your steering along with the lane markers. The result is a much more comfortable ride when you’re driving for hours at a time.

If you want more stability in your ride, you can even upgrade your vehicle with an available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system. This feature uses sensors to detect when your wheels need extra traction. If your car senses slippage, it can engage AWD. Once the roads are clear, your vehicle can switch back into front-wheel drive to save fuel.

Altima SR

The Nissan Altima SR trim is a much sportier version of the previous trim with a sport-tuned suspension and paddle shifters with manual shift mode. It also comes with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, so you’ll have a much more comfortable and engaging driving experience.

That’s not all this trim has to offer, though. It also treats drivers to standard LED headlights that will give you extra visibility when you’re driving at night. These lights are a great way to improve your safety when you’re driving down back roads after dark.

Altima SL 

The Altima SL has everything in the SV trim, plus adds some more safety features, including Traffic Sign Recognition. This technology is designed to take note of important road signs you pass, so you can read the speed limit on your driver display. This is a useful safety feature when you want to make sure you’re abiding by the law even when you’re on unfamiliar roads.

If you’re a music lover, you’ll want to look at this trim because it comes standard with a Bose® Premium Audio System with nine speakers. This advanced surround sound system will give you an immersive listening experience, so you’ll hear your music like never before.

Finally, you’ll enjoy extra comfort inside this trim, thanks to its standard leather-appointed seats. With this soft-touch material, you’ll be able to relax, and your passengers will feel right at home inside this stylish cabin.

Nissan Altima SR VC-Turbo™

One of the most impressive trims of the Nissan Altima is the available SR VC-Turbo™ trim. That’s because this trim comes with the Nissan unique 2.0L Variable Compression Turbo (VC-Turbo™) 4-cylinder engine. This system uses turbo compression to provide even more power from a smaller engine.

You can expect this engine to generate up to 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. Best of all, thanks to the turbocharging technology of this vehicle, your Altima will be much more responsive, so you’ll enjoy a much more energetic ride.

Plus, you’ll get up to an EPA-estimated 25 city/34 highway MPG with this engine, so your sporty drive can also take you quite far.¹

This trim also treats drivers to some added comfort with a standard Active Noise Cancellation system to keep you insulated from outside noise while you’re driving. This is great when you want to relax on your commute and don’t want your favorite music to be disturbed by the noise of traffic.

Nissan Altima Platinum

If you really want to give your vehicle an upgrade, you’ll want to move up to the Platinum trim. This version of the Nissan Altima features a bevy of luxury features that will enhance your comfort and give you the lavish ride you’ve always wanted.

One of the more impressive features aboard this vehicle is its standard Intelligent Around View® Monitor. This feature will generate a top-down view of your vehicle using cameras set up all along the body of the car. If you need to back up on a crowded parking lot, this feature can be a huge help.

Do you often have other drivers who need to use your car? You don’t need to reset your seat settings after they’re done; just use this trim’s standard driver’s memory seat with outside mirror memory. With the press of a button, you can reset your driver’s seat and side mirrors to your programmed preference.

¹ 2021 EPA Fuel Economy Estimates. 28 City MPG / 39 Highway MPG / 32 Combined MPG for Altima® S FWD. 27 City MPG / 37 Highway MPG / 31 Combined MPG for Altima® SV, SR, SL FWD. 26 City MPG / 36 Highway MPG / 30 Combined MPG for Altima® SV, SL AWD. 25 City MPG / 35 Highway MPG / 29 Combined MPG for Altima® SR, Platinum AWD. 25 City MPG / 34 Highway MPG / 29 Combined MPG for Altima® SR FWD VC-Turbo. Fuel economy estimates based on 87-octane fuel. Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions. Use for comparison only.