Earlier this June, Nissan introduced a facelifted 2023 Altima with an updated design and new tech features. While we saw the facelifted model in its entirety this summer, Nissan has waited until now to provide pricing for the midsize sedan. Pricing for the 2023 Altima 2.5 S starts at $26,385 (including destination), which represents an increase of $390. Depending on the trim, the 2023 Altima is up to $3,740 more expensive than before.
For 2023, the SV trim goes up by $190, the SR has increased by $590, and the SL sees a price increase of $1,650 more than before. The SR VC-Turbo trim with Nissan’s variable compression turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine gets the largest increase in pricing. The model costs $36,085, while last year’s model cost $32,345. All-wheel drive is an extra $1,500 option on the SV, SR, and SL trims, which is $100 more than last year.
Pricing for the 2023 Nissan Altima went up because of the automaker’s facelift. When it comes to styling changes, the Altima receives standard LED headlights, a larger front grille, larger air intakes on the front fascia, and Nissan’s redesigned logo. Two new color options, new wheel designs, and a special grille design for the SR trim round out the design changes.
Nissan made more meaningful changes to the Altima’s list of tech features for 2023. The SL and SR VC-Turbo trims come with a 12.3-inch touchscreen as standard equipment that replaces last year’s 8-inch touchscreen. Additional standard features on these trims include navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a wireless charging pad. These features are optional on the SV trim. The extra features explain why the SL has gone up by $1,650 more than before and a large chunk of the SR VC-Turbo trim’s increase. But we’re still left wondering why the SR VC-Turbo has gone up by so much.
The 2023 Altima’s powertrains remain the same for the new model year. The sedan comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 188 horsepower as standard. The available turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is exclusive to the SR VC-Turbo trim. It’s rated at 248 hp.
There aren’t many sporty options in the midsize class, but the ones that do exist offer more power than the Altima R VC-Turbo for a lot less money. The Hyundai Sonata N Line costs $34,845 and comes with a 290-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder, Kia K5 GT has the same engine as the Sonata N Line, but is priced at $32,585, the Toyota Camry TRD, which comes with a 301-hp 3.5-liter V6, costs $34,105, and the Subaru Legacy Sport has a 260-hp turbo 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and costs $34,915.
With the price increase, the Altima SR VC-Turbo becomes one of the pricier midsize sedans in the segment. While the technology in the VC-Turbo engine is incredibly cool, Nissan’s claim that it “generates the performance of some V6 gasoline engines but with 4-cylinder fuel economy” isn’t exactly accurate when you compare performance against other midsize sedans.