Last Year We Picked The Honda Civic As MOST Disappointing Redo - Does The Nissan Altima Take The Crown THIS Year?

Last year when Honda stepped up to the plate and delivered the all-new Honda Civic, we had to do a double take. That's not because it was so good looking, that's because we weren't sure if it was new at all.

Though we believe Honda buyers are loyal and conservative "play it safe" types, this update was really disappointing. At a time when brands were taking BIG risks, Honda just kinda warmed over an existing product.

Now it appears that Nissan is doing the same with the 2013 Altima. While its exterior has taken shape of a mini Maxima, overall there is nothing that's dramatically different.

Meanwhile the players in the business, like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima and all-new Ford Fusion are making drastic changes to their product. Who would have ever thought that a Ford Fusion would be one of the best looking sedans on the market and feature the mouth of an Aston Martin?

Here's the problem with the all-new Altima. When I scoped it out at the 2012 New York Auto Show there wasn't any real hook to it. Way too many elements inside felt a bit chintzy and I remember 001 likening the closing of its rear door akin to a tin can.

Compared to the "cool" guys like the Sonata, Optima and Fusion we can't imagine the Altima being nothing more than an also ran in the segment. From a design, quality and cool perspective, that's how we see it at the moment.

That would be a major blow to Nissan as the Altima was the fourth most-sold car in 2011.

So, what say you? Will a the all-new Altima that looks like a mini Maxima sweep buyers of their feet OR should it win the coveted MOST disappointing redo trophy for the 2013 model year?


2012 New York Auto Show Photo Gallery

nguyenvuminh - 5/16/2012 7:08:24 AM

+13 Boost

Haha, you're spot on senorgato. These BMW/Audi/Lexus worshippers are so funny in their fervor, it's almost like we have automotive jihadists.

meetbhagde - 5/16/2012 7:41:46 AM

+15 Boost

The new Altima as the most disappointing redo? That's just crazy-talk... a blatant attempt to just be inflammatory.

curriescorner - 5/16/2012 9:04:33 AM

+9 Boost

"While its exterior has taken shape of a mini Maxima, overall there is nothing that's dramatically different."

Except for the entire car. The idea is to compare the New Altima to the old Altima. No one has ever mistaken the current Altima as a clone of the current Maxima so the claim that "there nothing dramatically different" makes little sense.

drell1emc - 5/16/2012 9:12:34 AM

0 Boost

As Goldie locks says

sonata too hot, too much going on

camry, accord too cold

altima, fusion just right

pepito66 - 5/16/2012 10:10:09 AM

-6 Boost

Nothing special ugly as hell , and about the transmission nothing new just copy and paste as always , this belt system is used by Audy years ago , so .....nothing extraordinaire.

LACMAN - 5/16/2012 10:27:25 AM

+9 Boost

Removing the third window from the rear door to the C-pillar gives it an upscale side profile. The grille looks too tall but other than that, I think this car looks GREAT for its class and is a great redo of the Altima.

I'm not even going to go there about the title of this article. Everyone has spoke for me above.

nismos224 - 5/16/2012 12:54:11 PM

+13 Boost

This was the worst post by autospies to date. I guess you want the Altima to become an amphibious car? This is one of the best looking designs to come to the market in its price range and above. You are crazy my friend.

pennfootball - 5/16/2012 1:04:53 PM

+9 Boost

No they want the Altima to grow tusks and teeth like the Sabertoothed 370 Z car! then they want 22" Rims and the same motor from the GT-R and they want it to cost 1000 dollars and run on air.

pennfootball - 5/16/2012 1:05:23 PM

+6 Boost

Oh yea and fly too!

Agent001 - 5/16/2012 1:17:19 PM

-10 Boost

I was honestly TOTALLY underwhelmed when I saw the new Altima.

If you told me it was a 2004 model I would have believed it.

Especially if you sit it next to the Optima, Sonata or Fusion.

In my opinion the two cars in this space that are relegated to the back of the bus before the competition begins are the Altima and Malibu.

C'mon Nissan. You can do WAY better than this.

001

Agent001 - 5/16/2012 1:21:15 PM

-12 Boost

And BTW, the Fusion is the one to beat.

B-E-A YOU tiful!

001

2ndbimmer - 5/18/2012 10:45:00 AM

-2 Boost

I completely agree. I have friends who have an altima and this is not new and exciting. I think the itnerior actually looks worse! but maybe its because I hate beige steering wheels.
why put the cupholders next to the shifter like that? they will get in the way of each other. the materials look cheap, the dash is again oversized. the trunk will have a short opening, but at least it is wide. looks too bland. the frint end looks like the new GS, a japanses man squinting. probably another horrible turning radius. its wider than a 7 series turning radius!
bland bland bland. go get a fusion.

nisslover - 5/16/2012 2:35:57 PM

+12 Boost

Wow, you guys are REALLY reaching here...

Its obvious its an evolutionary redesign... but you guys didn't seem care about that with the new 3 Series which is way more evolutionary than the Altima. And the fact that you said it looks like a baby Maxima... Ok the last Altima shared VERY little in styling with the current Maxima... so is it different or the same.

It really sounds like you all are trying to find a reason to rip the car, and its kind of obvious and failed at that.

And the whole thing about the Civic... that car you can't tell the difference, but the car also took a step backwards as a whole which is why that car has been so flamed.

And from what I heard the interior is almost on the level of an entry level Infiniti, this coming from someone who attended an Altima drive even held this weekend.

You guys really lost some respect for this post, especially with this trollish comment above from Agent001. Very professional.

85bmw745i - 5/16/2012 5:15:05 PM

+1 Boost

This newer Altima is more revolutionary, but it is still different from the new one, and hasn't taken a step backwards like the new Civic. This new Altima seems much more upscale than the previous model, and more upscale on the inside than what I see from Detroit or the rest of the Japanese makers. Its very Infinity like, and in fact on looks alone could have been an infinity designed to compete with the Lexus ES. Maxima is going to have to move even more uplevel to justify buying it over the Altima. The interior of this new altima looks more complete and consistent than the previous one. It all flows unlike some other cars where there are clashes between the dash and the door panels, or clashes between the center console and the instrument cluster. or like the Camry where the steering wheel doesn't seem to match the interior. you see smaller pics of just the steering wheel and dash and efect the rest of the car to be as aggressive. Then see the whole layout and you wonder what happened, as if the designers said all screw it with the rest of it. Not saying that it isn't well built or nice, it just doesn't all mesh and flow smoothly.

skytop - 5/19/2012 2:03:06 PM

0 Boost

The recessive grill makes the car look like either something took a big bite out of it or else the Altima needs orthodontic work.
Not a very prominant or impressive design at all.

skytop - 5/19/2012 2:04:08 PM

-1 Boost

Looks like a lackluster subset version of the Nissan Maxima car.

lexusrox123 - 5/24/2012 1:01:30 AM

+2 Boost

Somewhat generic, but not terrible. Hey 001, why do you give Porsche a free pass when their redesigns consist of tweaking a lower fascia and calling it good? Every Porsche since the 90s has looked EXACTLY the same. Oh, because it's a Porsche and it has to keep the iconic shape? Right.