}} A redesigned Altima debuted at the
2012 New York International Auto Show for the 2013
model year and went on sale in the summer of 2012. The exterior design took cues from the Ellure Concept previewed in 2010. It continued to offer a base 4-cylinder engine with a 3.5-liter V6 as the range-topper. Specifications for the
QR25DE 2.5-liter 16-valve DOHC
inline-four engine are and , while the
VQ35DE 3.5-liter 24-valve DOHC
V6 remains and . Nissan estimates the 2.5-liter fuel economy to be 27 city/38 hwy and the 3.5-liter V6 at 22 city/30 hwy thanks to its refined
CVT that has been lightened by 8 lbs. Most of the major mechanical components of this generation Altima are carried over. Much of the exterior styling seems to draw familiar traits from the
Nissan Maxima. The front end shares the same new corporate grille as the 2012 Versa with more angular headlights than Versa's rounded ones. It draws many styling influences from "
coke bottle styling", an appearance that was popular during the 1960s and 1970s, a return to an appearance Nissan used during that time. In the US, Nissan offers the L33 Altima in five different trims; 2.5, 2.5 S, 2.5 SV, 2.5 SL, and 3.5 SL. 3.5 S and 3.5 SV were discontinued for the 2015 model year. Alongside the L33 Altima sedan, the previous-generation L32 Altima coupe will continue on sale. The Advanced Drive-Assist Display was added in 2013. In 2015 for the 2016 model year, saw the return of the SR performance model in the US. File:2015 Nissan Altima in Java Metallic, rear left, 10-11-2025.jpg|Nissan Altima (US, pre-facelift) File:2013-2015 Nissan Altima (L33) ST sedan (2018-11-29) 02.jpg|Nissan Altima ST (Australia, pre-facelift) File:Nissan Altima 2.5SV interior.jpg|Interior
Nissan Teana In Japan, China, and other Asian markets, the L33 Altima became the third-generation Teana. The third generation
Nissan Teana was introduced to Japan as a rebadged version of the North American Altima. In Japan, the Teana is offered in 2.5L engine with three different trims; XV, XL and XE. It is available in most Asian countries since its introduction. In Thailand, the L33 Teana debuted in August 2013 where it was available with either a 2.0L engine with three variants, XE, XL, and XL Navi, or a 2.5L engine with two variants, XV and XV Navi. Five years later, the L33 Teana in Thailand received the front end of the facelifted Altima. Variants was also streamlined down to just three: 2.0XL, 2.0XL Navi and 2.5XV Navi. In Malaysia, the L33 Teana was launched in June 2014 and it is available with either 2.0L or 2.5L engines. Three variants were available which were the 2.0XE, 2.0XL, and 2.5XV. In December 2016, two optional accessories packages became available: Nismo Aero Package and Nismo Performance Package. The Nismo Aero Package added front bumper spoilers, rear bumper spoilers, side skirts, trunk lid spoiler, and exhaust finisher. The Nismo Performance Package added all that with the Nismo Aero Package in addition to Nismo sport springs and Nismo LMX6 18-inch alloy wheels. The L33 Teana has since been discontinued in Malaysia. In China, a longer wheelbase luxury Teana is sold as the "Teana VIP" and bears VIP logos stitched into the seats and a "VIP" badge on the trunk lid. The Teana VIP has an extended backseat door and wheelbase (+75/+125mm) and is equipped with a 9-speaker Bose surround system, rear-passenger controls, and rear-passenger video screens. Nissan India has discontinued its Teana D-segment sedan as Teana failed to generate volumes for the carmaker in India in 2014. The company has also removed the saloon from its official website.
Facelift In the US, the 2016 model year received a thorough facelift including new front and rear bumpers, headlamps, and tail lamps, reshaped Zero Gravity front seats, steering wheel, and central console. The car was built with new cabin silencing materials, and new sound-reducing windshield. A new SR trim level was also introduced. The 3.5 SR was dropped in 2017 for the 2018 model year, leaving the 2.5 SR as the only available SR trim level. For 2018, the 2.5 SR trim level in the US received two new "Special Edition" packages, which are the 2.5 SR Special Edition and the 2.5 SR Midnight Edition. Also for 2018, the previously base 2.5 trim was discontinued, which now meant that the 2.5 S became the new "base" trim of the Altima. The NissanConnect Infotainment System is revised, adding in the standard
Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto connectivity and a redesigned user interface. The facelifted Teana was launched in China in July 2016 and Thailand in November 2018. The Thai-market facelifted Teana retained the pre-facelift Teana rear end.
Reception In a 2012 comparison test by
Motor Trend in the US, the Nissan Altima 2.5 SV came in fourth place out of six cars behind the first place
Volkswagen Passat, second place
Honda Accord, and third place
Ford Fusion. This was followed by a third-place showing in a comparison done by the
Car and Driver team. This was a series of three comparison tests involving mid-size sedans. In this particular test, four cars were tested. It consisted of the all-new Ford Fusion and Honda Accord as well as the Nissan Altima. The Volkswagen Passat is included in the test as it won the first round of mid-sized sedan comparison. In that round, it won decisively against the Chevrolet Malibu, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia Optima. However, the Passat only managed last in the 2nd round being led by the Altima (3rd), Fusion (2nd) and the Accord (1st). This is followed by the final round where the Mazda 6 won against the Honda Accord. More recently, in a comparison test conducted by Edmunds.com, the Nissan Altima beat out the Honda Accord and the
Mazda6 to win 1st place. It is stated that the Altima is good in almost everything with only minor deficiencies. It drives well, entertaining on twisty roads, has comfortable seats, and remains quiet on highways. It is the least expensive but doesn't feel like it. The mileage figures only add to its high appeal. Since its launch, the Altima has accumulated several accolades including being named to
Kelley Blue Book's Top 10 best new sedans under $25,000, Kiplinger's Personal Finance best new model in class and Edmund's top recommended sedans.
Motorsports at the
2018 Newcastle 500. In 2012,
Kelly Racing announced that it would enter four custom Nissan Altima race cars into the
2013 International V8 Supercars Championship. The car was revealed in October 2012 and was the first car to be homologated for the
New Generation V8 Supercar regulations, which were to be used in the V8 Supercars Championship from 2013 onwards. It was the first time Nissan had raced in the series since 1992 when
Nissan's Skyline GT-R was forced out of racing due to regulation changes. The team has scored three race wins since moving to Nissan, with
James Moffat in 2013,
Michael Caruso in 2016 and
Rick Kelly in 2018. Moffat and co-driver
Taz Douglas finished on the podium at the
2014 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, and the team has taken numerous other podium finishes.
2019 marked the last season in which Kelly Racing campaigned Altimas in the Supercars Championship. The cars now campaign in the
Dunlop Super2 Series by
MW Motorsport.
Safety == Sixth generation (L34; 2018) ==